History of unlawful 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 regulating sports gambling in the US. Laws that connected with sports gambling and other standards have already been changing and these changes have been described as “Waves”. The first of such waves was in the Colonial Period that lasted till the 1800s. The next wave took place at the end of the US Civil war till the early 20th century. The third of these waves started during the Great Depression till date.
Sports gambling has long been illegal in America. Puritan attitudes during the Colonial era were adopted towards sports and also other gambling, possessing cards, gaming tables, dice etc. Later on it was only allowed if it was not a trade but only innocent recreation. Early settlers had the view that gambling was just a harmless past time. Gambling was likened to the frontier spirit as both of them involved opportunism, risk taking and high expectations.
Illegal sports betting has become associated with mobsters and organized crime in the US. Illegal sports gambling became a huge business for gang mobsters while in the 1920s and 1930s. Organized bookmaking systems were set up by organized crime all over the nation. Horse racing betting became popular during this period.
In 1931 Nevada legalized casino gambling and here too organized crime took control of all the casino betting business. Mobsters controlled illegal nationwide wire services Trans America Wire and Continental Wire Service. Mobsters like the infamous Al Capone set up their own personal 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 drove them out of 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 evident that organized crime still manages all of the big bucks in betting.
Animal fights also have a long history the United States despite the not so good reputation it’s got. Most animal fights include dog fights and cock fights that have become popular with street gangs and big numbers of weapons and cash are usually present at the time of these fights.
History of illegal gambling in sports reveals that cockfighting was illegal and banned by most states in the US during the 1800s. It is still illegal today in 48 states. The law in Minnesota makes any king of gambling bet Illegal. Thus any sort of card game where you’ve got to pay to participate in a game and possess possibilities to win money is a “bet” and thus also thought to be illegal gambling. It is important to keep in mind that the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 only deals with the funding of internet gambling not the actual act of betting.