banker (gambling); bookmaker; operator of a gambling den
Refers to the person who runs a gambling operation, takes bets, and pays out winnings. Often used in contexts like illegal gambling or traditional games.
The banker collects the bets and pays out the winnings.
The police arrested the operator of the illegal gambling den.
Extended, colloquial use for someone who runs or controls a group, business, or scheme, often with a slightly shady or informal nuance.
That guy is the boss around here.
元締め also means a person in charge or a manager, but is broader and can be used in legitimate business settings, whereas 胴元 carries a stronger gambling or underworld connotation.
Standard kanji spelling for the gambling banker or manager.
Variant kanji spelling, less common than 胴元.
Compound of 胴 (どう, 'trunk' or 'body') and 元 (もと, 'origin' or 'base'). The term originally referred to the central figure in a gambling game who holds the stakes, hence the 'body' or 'core' of the operation.