History of illegal gambling in sports
The USA has a long history of illegal gambling in sports. Gambling scandals and political control have ended in the prohibition and regulation of sports gambling in the US. Laws that connected with sports gambling along with other standards have been changing and these changes have been named “Waves”. The first of these waves was during the Colonial Period that lasted till the 1800s. The next wave came about at the end of the US Civil war up until the early Twentieth century. The 3rd of such waves started in the Great Depression till date.
Sports gambling has always been illegal in America. Puritan attitudes while in the Colonial era were adopted towards sports and other gambling, possession of cards, gaming tables, dice etc. Down the line it was only allowed if this was not a trade but only innocent recreation. Early settlers had the view that gambling was only a harmless hobby. Gambling was likened to the frontier spirit as each of them involved opportunism, risk taking and high expectations.
Illegal sports betting has become linked to mobsters and organized crime in the United States. Illegal sports gambling was a huge business for gang mobsters in the 1920s and 1930s. Organized bookmaking systems were put in place by organized crime throughout the nation. Horse racing betting shot to popularity in those times.
In 1931 Nevada legalized casino gambling and here too organized crime took control over all the casino betting business. Mobsters operated illegal nationwide wire services Trans America Wire and Continental Wire Service. Mobsters such as infamous Al Capone set up their own wire services to stop gamblers from taking any benefit from delays by making sure they posted winning bets before formal results were out.
The Federal Government of the usa cracked upon mobsters and organized crime during the 1950s and forced them outside the Nevada Casino gambling industry. But this would not dissuade the organized crime mobsters who took over illegal bookmaking. Law Enforcement authorities do acknowledge that independent bookies are functioning in the nation but it is obvious that organized crime still controls all of the big money in betting.
Animal fights also have a long history in the US despite the not so good reputation it’s got. Most animal fights include dog fights and cock fights that have become favored by street gangs and big numbers of weapons and money usually are present at the time of these fights.
History of illegal gambling in sports uncovers that cockfighting was illegal and banned by nearly all states the United States over the 1800s. It is still illegal today in 48 states. Legal issues in Minnesota makes any king of gambling bet Illegal. Thus any type of card game where one has to pay to take part in a game and possess possibilities to win cash is a “bet” and therefore also considered to be illegal gambling. It is essential to keep in mind that the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 only refers to the funding of internet gambling not the specific act of betting.