Runner, Runner is a new film about online gambling, which stars Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake. It is a thriller that gives viewers insight into the world of offshore gambling websites – or does it?
The Premise
The main character of Runner, Runner is Richie Furst (Timberlake). He is paying his own way through Princeton by playing poker online.
After hitting a big win, he is cheated out of his tuition money by the site’s owner. Furst decides to deal with the problem head-on, and flies to the offshore base where the site’s headquarters are located.
The site’s owner, Ivan Block (Affleck), is a shady character, but he offers Furst some financial compensation. He also offers him a job, and that’s when things get interesting.
The Believability Factor
We haven’t seen the movie yet (it will be released in late-September), but we’re a bit torn. It certainly is possible for a student to put themselves through university on a budget. Many students around the world fund their university tuition this way. It’s not this plot point with which we've taken issue.
We aren’t bothered by the lavish lifestyle of Mr Block, either. It is a well-known fact that online gambling operators are very wealthy. Since many live in offshore locations like Costa Rica and Cyprus, it is entirely likely that they live in seaside villas and attend luxurious beach parties.
What crosses the believability line is the crime aspect. While the film wouldn’t be a crime thriller without a bit of crime, we’re not entirely sure that it is an accurate portrayal of what running an offshore gambling website is like.
Of course, there are some operators that have scammed players, but they are normally reprimanded promptly by online gaming regulators.
“Not all offshore operators are unregulated bad guys,” says John Pappas of the Poker Players Alliance. “This is a dramatization, let's be clear about that. It shows what could be happening in a worst-case scenario”.
That being said, who wants to watch a crime thriller about online gambling if there’s no cheating, money laundering or organized crime?
As The AGA’s Platform
The American Gaming Association will use the release of Runner, Runner as platform for pushing online gambling regulation in America. Since the film shows the dark side of the industry, AGA President Geoff Freeman believes that it could make the case that regulation is needed so that players aren’t cheated by unlicensed operators.
“The AGA will leverage the certain coverage this film will receive to raise awareness about the need for proper regulation of online gaming,” Freeman says.
This could backfire, however. The public may see the film and it could confirm their beliefs that online gambling is dangerous. It may be counterproductive, but that is a risk that the AGA is willing to take.
Will We See It?
Yes. It looks suspenseful and thrilling, and we’ll get to see some action. There are some talented actors in Runner, Runner, so we’re in for some exceptional performances.
The film has also been produced by Leonardo DiCaprio, and everything he touches seems to turn to gold.
