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By the late 1940s, Las Vegas saw the entry of organized crime figures such as Meyer Lansky and Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel. Lansky, often termed the "Secretary of the Treasury" of organized crime, envisioned a future where Las Vegas became an oasis of wealth, while Siegel took a more direct approach, opening the luxurious Flamingo Hotel in 1946. Though the hotel struggled initially, it marked the Mafia's foothold in Las Vegas.
As the 1950s rolled in, the Mafia expanded its influence, with mobsters contributing both financial backing and operational know-how to various hotels and casinos, including the Sahara and Sands. With a combination of illegal practices and shady deals, the Mafia thrived, running extensive gambling operations while staying one step ahead of law enforcement.