Clearly, baccarat is a game which originated in Europe. It is not clear, however, whether it came from Italy or France. Popular belief remains that an Italian man by the name of Felix Falguierein invented baccarat sometime in the middle ages. The debate on the origin of baccarat ensues because the word itself exists in both Italian and French vocabulary. Baccarat, by the way, literally translates to “zero”, which is ironically the worst hand in the game.

According to an ancient folklore, baccarat was based on an Etruscan belief on nine gods who were waiting for a blonde virgin to throw a nine-sided die which would ultimately decide her fate. The folklore further says that if an eight or a nine is cast, the virgin will become a priestess; if a six or seven is thrown, she would not be allowed to participate in any kind of religious activity; and if a number comes out that is lower than six, she would die by walking into the sea.

Historians say that the game baccarat was introduced to France during the reign of Charles VIII during the late 15th century.  A version of the game which is now considered as “original” was developed in this era. It was called Chemin de Fer which literally translated to “railroad” in English because cards during this period were stacked inside an iron box. After its introduction to France, it quickly spread to England. Chemin de Fer has also become known as the European baccarat. This version is still widely played in France, but the newer version, punto banco, is more popular in big casinos such as those in Las Vegas and Macau.