In the high-stakes world of international espionage and terrorism, a British MI6 agent is promoted to '00' status after successfully completing two assassinations that grant him a license to kill. His first mission as a newly minted 007 takes him to Madagascar, where he is tasked with spying on a terrorist, Mollaka. However, his unsanctioned killing of the bomb-maker leads him to Dimitrios in the Bahamas, and then on to a pivotal confrontation that interrupts a plot to blow up a prototype airliner. During his harrowing pursuit, the spy uncovers a link to Le Chiffre, a private banker who funds terrorist organizations.

Facing a potential financial crisis, Le Chiffre sets up a high-stakes poker tournament at the Casino Royale in Montenegro. The British agent is sent to play against him, with the objective of bankrupting his foe, which would compel him to seek asylum with the British government in exchange for information on his clients. Assisted by HM Treasury's Vesper Lynd who is assigned to keep a close eye on the government's money and a seasoned MI6 operative, the spy must outplay Le Chiffre in a tense and perilous contest that requires not only a mastery of the cards but also a ruthless ability to navigate a minefield of danger, deception, and intrigue.