A card dealing shoe with card reading capability for facilitating play of card games includes a control system configured to detect the existence of an alarm condition and a card restraining apparatus mounted on the elongated housing and configured for alternating between a non-restraining condition and a restraining condition, wherein the restraining condition includes activation of a physical restraint that prevents cards from being added to and removed from the card receiving or staging area in the card dealing shoe, wherein the card restraining apparatus is in communication with the control system and actuated from the non-restraining condition to the restraining condition responsive to the detection of an alarm condition.