noun
renting out space for gambling and taking a cut; person who rents out gambling space for a commission
Rare historical term for an illegal gambling operation where a venue owner provides space and takes a percentage of the winnings. Can refer to the practice or the person.
江戸時代には、胴取りと呼ばれる賭場の元締めがいた。
In the Edo period, there were gambling-house bosses called dōtori.
胴取り
The dōtori provided a place for gambling and took a portion of the proceeds.
Compound of 胴 (dō, 'trunk' or 'body', here possibly referring to the central pot or the house's stake) and 取り (tori, 'taking'). The exact origin is uncertain, but it likely refers to the house taking a share from the gambling proceeds.