Owning Mahowny is one of the most popular Canadian gambling movies, released in 2003, based on a true story of a Toronto Bank Employee, who managed to steal more than $10 million to feed his grave need of gambling. The movie is very popular around the world, it was even named as the best movie of the year by famous film critic, Roger Ebert.
As the movie follows, in 1982, Toronto bank employee, Dan Mahowny, is given access to bigger accounts while being promoted to the office of the assistant brand manager. As his boss has a huge trust for him, he gets his hands on very important files. Owning Mahowny is a 2003 Canadian film about gambling addiction with a cast that includes Philip Seymour Hoffman, Minnie Driver, Maury Chaykin and John Hurt. Based on the true story of a Toronto bank employee who embezzled more than million to feed his gambling habit, Owning Mahowny was named one of the ten best films of the year by critic Roger Ebert. Owning Mahowny Film – Movie Plot. The story takes place in Toronto, Canada, where we meet Dan Mahowny (Philip Seymour Hoffman). He is a quiet and honest bank employee, who seems like a normal person to his co-workers, friends and his girlfriend Belinda (Minnie Driver).
Dan Mahowny Day Atlantic City
The movie had a huge impact on the gambling world. People started to talk more openly about the problems that some might face, while also taking a chance to provide people with accurate information.
One of the best blackjack casinos in Canada even tried to recreate the casino that is shown in the movie. They held an event dedicated to the movie while trying to mimic the situation of the movie, giving gamblers one of the most unforgettable experiences, offering them the opportunity to have a real-life experience of their favorite movie.
As the movie follows, in 1982, Toronto bank employee, Dan Mahowny, is given access to bigger accounts while being promoted to the office of the assistant brand manager. As his boss has a huge trust for him, he gets his hands on very important files. Being a compulsive gambler, Mahowny is soon able to skim large amounts of money, which he uses to travel every week to Atlantic City, where he gambles and is being treated like a real king by a casino manager.
The movie not only focuses on what compulsive gambling can bring to a person itself but also everyone surrounding him, including his girlfriend.
The stealings started at about $10,000, which was exactly as much as Mahowny needed to clear his bank debts.
The very sad part of the movie is that it is based on a true story. The thing that the movie was able to deliver the best was that it was not the winning or losing process that Mahowny was concerned about, but the game itself.
The film portrays it very well that the character knew what he was doing, he was very much aware of the things that gambling could bring, but he did not stop, because he was surrounded by the game, gambling was his priority.
At only twenty-four, Mahowny was the Assistant Manager of a major company. The movie shows it very well that everyone saw him in a different way. For his colleagues, he was one of the best co-workers and a workaholic, his customers saw him as one of the most helpful people in the company. For his friends, he was a young man full of humor and life. No one, not even his girlfriend was aware of the other side of Mahowny, which was the largest single-handed bank fraud in Canadian history, who had a gambling obsession.
The very interesting thing is also the fact that he was actually good at gambling. He was winning some money most of the time, but the thing was that he did not know when and how to stop. This once again proves that he did not want to win as much as he wanted to play the game.
Dan Mahowny Canadian Gambler
The success of the film
This very sad story of compulsive gambler has touched many hearts. The movie, with only $1 million of budget, managed to have a box office of as much as $10 million. It was nominated for many awards, including Best Motion Picture at the 24th Genie Awards.
Dan Mahowny Picture
It was also very popular among the critics, praising the job of Philip Seymour Hoffman, as well as the directors for providing such an insight into the real-life story. Very famous Film critic Roger Ebert called Owning Mahowny one of the top ten films of 2003 and said that Hoffman’s performance was a masterpiece of discipline and precision.
Gambling is a way of fun for many, but for some, this becomes to be a life-changing thing. The movie is a must-watch for anyone who is trying to understand the psychology of those who are saying that they are addicted to it, this movie represents one of the best gambling movies in the world, focusing on the addiction to the game, rather than on winning.
Gambling addiction revisited: How the proliferation of online betting has led to punters losing their life savings in hours & minutes from home as opposed to brick& mortar venues of yesteryear.
The movie ‘Owning Mahowny’ was released in 2003. The storyline is based on true events, which revolve around a Canadian bank manager called Dan Mahowny who is played by the late Philip Seymour Hoffman.
Unfortunately, Dan Mahowny has a serious gambling addiction. However, he also has access to millions of dollars being a bank manager. We’re sure you can figure out where this is going, but the entire plot is based on Mahowny stealing millions of his customer’s dollars and losing them playing casino games.
If you’re familiar with the movie (see trailer below), we’re sure you’ll agree that it delivers a powerful and potent message about the troubles many people face with gambling. A man who appears to have it all resorts to lying, stealing, and cheating to feed his uncontrollable addiction.
However, the gambling industry has changed dramatically in the 16 years since ‘Owning Mahowny’ was released. Instead of going into bricks and mortar casinos with suitcases full of cash, many problem gamblers are now sitting at home gambling their life savings away. More alarmingly, they can do this in just a matter of seconds, as all it takes is a simple click of a button.
According to the United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC), statistics for 2018 suggest that 96% of gamblers gamble from their own homes. With the constant technological updates that online casinos and bookmakers are implementing, we can only assume this number will grow further over the coming years.
Therefore, we believe that a remake of ‘Owning Mahowny’ (based on today’s industry) would help highlight the issue to many people who might not be aware they have a problem. Gambling addiction can destroy lives and we believe the spotlight needs to be shone brightly upon it.
Punters who have a flutter on the football each weekend or an occasional spin of the roulette wheel don’t necessarily have a gambling addiction, but they must still be aware of the potential dangers.If you’re interested in playing at an online casino, it is important to read online casino reviews written by industry experts to understand exactly what you’re signing up for.
Reviews dissect sites from top to bottom and can provide a wealth of information. For instance:
- Is it licensed and regulated by a trusted gaming authority?
- Does it give its customers the option to set deposit limits?
- What resources does it have available for problem gamblers?
Dan Mahowny Wiki
Having this knowledge will allow you to make an informed decision about where to play and which sites to avoid. There are literally thousands of online gambling sites around but, unfortunately, not all of them are responsible operators.
To conclude, most operators nowadays offer several tools which help customers stay in control of their gambling. For example, you can set daily, weekly, or monthly deposit limits on your account. You can also freeze your account and take prolonged breaks from gambling. If all else fails, you can use the self-exclusion tool and take an indefinite break.
Owning Mahowny
If you, or somebody you know, is struggling to stay in control there are several organisations such as GamCare and BeGambleAware who can help problem gamblers get back on track. Don’t be afraid to reach out to them.