Some Comic Book and Game Characters Just Love to Gamble

Although gambling remains a largely adult form of entertainment, it can often be seen in movies, cartoons, video games, and comics too. There are many examples of gambling in Anime and Manga with one young character, Akagi, trying to take down the Yakuza, and he is only thirteen years old.

Other Anime characters who gamble include Tsunade from Naruto. Not only is she a terrible gambler but she is so irresponsible that she has the nickname ‘The Legendary Sucker’. Perhaps the writers are trying to discourage their younger audience from playing cards or mahjong.

There are many other characters from comics and video games who enjoy a bet or two. Some of them do it for entertainment, some because it is part of who they are, and others because it is how they toy with their victims.

Here are a few characters who for one reason or another enjoy cards, dice, or just tossing a coin.

The Penguin

The Iceberg Lounge, or Iceberg Casino, has featured in DC Comics many times and also appeared in Gotham the TV show. Although it was supposed to be a sign of The Penguin going straight and leaving a life of crime behind, the nightclub was used for many nefarious means and visited by Gotham’s underworld.

The many back rooms were available for gambling while it was in The Penguin’s hands and he enjoyed many a night gambling and plotting. The Iceberg Lounge is where the Injustice League was formed in the Harley Quinn animated series. It is also the place where The Penguin loses his life to Quinn.

Two-Face

Over the years, Batman and Two-Face have taken many a road trip to hell and this character loves to toy with his victims.

Two-Face originally appeared way back in 1942 and was created by the late, great, Bob Kane and Bill Finger. Bob Kane suggested that Two-Face may have been inspired by Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde, and his split personality certainly backs this up.

Gambling comes into Two-Face’s life through the use of his famous coin. Whenever a decision is to be made the coin is flipped to decide whether good or evil will prevail. Strangely, Two-Face’s main foe is never seen to gamble. Unlike other playboy characters such as James Bond, Bruce Wayne doesn’t appear to be a fan of casinos. Fortunately, fans of Batman can play many themed slot machines and casino games.

Gambit

This Marvel character not only enjoys gambling but playing cards are used with his abilities to fight enemies. This X-Man and mutant were possibly always destined to love gambling considering his strange upbringing. Nicknamed the ‘white devil’ as a child he was raised by the New Orleans Thieves Guild and taught how to rob.

Gambit’s power is that he can turn stored potential energy in inanimate objects into power. His favorite object to use is playing cards and once charged with kinetic energy he can use these to take out enemies with extreme accuracy.

Not only is Gambit a highly-skilled card-thrower he also knows his way around a casino. In fact, in some X-men iterations, he owns a nightclub and casino called the Creole Club and enjoys many card games. You can enjoy the same games on your smartphone and pick up an online casino bonus while you are at it.

Although Gambit is linked heavily with gambling it will be interesting to see how Disney approaches the forth-coming movie if it is ever resurrected. Disney has already shown that they are not too keen on Marvel being connected to slot machines.

Comic booked themed games

There are a surprising amount of slot machines and other casino games based around comic book characters. Not surprising is that James Bond, a fan of baccarat, has plenty of gaming options, but perhaps more strange is that Batman does too.

Marvel used to be linked to many slots and video poker games but once Disney made their multi-billion dollar investment they quietly moved to shut down the comic-themed slots.

DC and Warner Brothers seem to have none of the qualms of the family-friendly Disney organization and there are still Green Lantern, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, and The Flash games to play if you enjoy slot machines.

Online casinos also offer many entertainment options based on movies and comic books, and along with slot machines they have poker, roulette, and bingo too.

Roulette

While thinking of casino games there is also another character who is directly named after one. Roulette, like many comic book characters, has appeared in slightly different forms in TV and comic books.

The original Roulette first appeared 20 years ago and is a skilled martial artist who owns a casino called The House. She also houses a meta-human underground fighting ring. Roulette also appeared in Smallville as an Asian mercenary, also with advanced martial arts skills.

Although Roulette owns a casino she also carries out assignments as a mercenary and is seen as a supervillain. This is especially apparent when taking into account her underground fighting ring where spectators can gamble heavily on the outcomes of fights.

When it comes to the real game, many people wonder if there is a way to beat roulette, and back in the early ’90s, Gonzalo Garcia-Pelayo found a winning formula to do just that. Green Arrow is still looking for ways to beat Roulette though.

The Witcher

This one is a bit of a cheat in itself. Although The Witcher is a fine comic book from Dark Horse, it is also a video game. It is in this game that the character can enjoy gambling and is one of the ways to increase income.

In The Witcher by CD Projekt Red, you can increase your cash levels by playing dice poker. Indeed, learning and playing the game is part of one of the quests.

Summary

Other characters have appeared in comics playing card games and gambling such as The Joker but by and large, the books appear to have kept these activities to supervillains. Even when a hero plays it is a character who enjoys some nefarious activities such as Gambit.

Fortunately, you don’t have to be a supervillain or hero to play online casino games now. Just by using a smartphone and finding your favorite casino you could play slots, poker, or blackjack, safely online. Remember though, gambling is for fun and should be done within safe financial limits.