The playing of hands in punto banco is governed by fixed drawing rules, known as the 'Tableau'. Punto banco pits the Player ('Punto'), against the Banker or Bank ('Banco') and the casino where the game is being played provides a Croupier to deal cards and to take responsibility for the playing out hands. Most baccarat games you will find at casinos in the US, Canada, UK and elsewhere in Europe, are in truth actually Punto Banco games.

The most popular form of the game, Punto Banco, was developed in France following the legalization of gambling there in the early 20th century, and it's this version which is the closest to the modern game. It is often seen as a less popular game than the big hitters like Roulette and Blackjack, but it has the same origins in Renaissance Europe, with games played in both Italy and France from the 15th century onwards. Often seen as one of the more 'mysterious' casino games, baccarat is a card game played in a casino, between two people, 'the Player', and 'the Dealer'. See even more online casino bonuses! What is Baccarat?