I also am curious what others think. I am completely fascinated with any show based on this era. Its amazing to me how the mob ran things and it always went back to Chicago. Did the common person know all of this back then and is it possible that there are still some things that are run like that to this day and we just don't know about it?

All did not go back to Chicago. LV was an open city. Chicago, Cleveland, New York, and Kansas City were the 4 big crime famlies that built LV. Some casinos were a joint venture like the Stardust. The skimming at the Stardust and Tropicana was about the last ones to play out in the 1980's.

Moe Dalitz ruled the casinos.
Tony Spilotro ruled the streets.

Yes most people knew it. It was a different city in a different time. IMO, it is gone and will never return. IMO, ralph Lamb played a major role in the downfall of mob rule in LV.