Originate from Italy around the mid-nineteenth century, baccarat is also know as baccarat Punto or Punto Banco, was a spin-off on the French game of 21. 
The original rules of the game allowed a player to also act as the bank. This version is still found in some European casino. During the 20th century, baccarat remained a fixture in most European casinos.
Las Vegas was still entangled in a web of bad publicity related to various casino operators skimming profits and other scandals involving the mafia.
They understood that baccarat was a game of style and sophistication, whose roots ran deep in the European gaming culture. b
