Tobacco is legal, but there's still a killing to be made in selling untaxed cigarettes. Loans are legal, but not everyone can get loans from a payday loan place or a bank, and even those who can are oftentimes limited. Casinos are legal, but only in certain cities and states. The mob will always find a way to make money.

How? Let's say someone in management susses out their "worming". And fires them. What do they do? That's where the street goons are useful. But you have to have cops on the take to look the other way. Otherwise the cops just arrest your street goons. I only see the Russians doing this today, and I think it's more political. Connected to elected officials over there. I've read about some weird shit going on in Florida. Russian mob, Putin, Russian biker gangs, cops looking the other way, etc.

It seems only the Genovese have it like that anymore when it comes to the Italian mob. Don't know how they do it but they seem to.

I know in Italy oftentimes Mafiosi are responsible for a wealthy businessman's success either through startup loans way back when or by frightening off or eliminating their competition and so their businesses basically become a piggy-bank for the Mafia.