History of illegal betting 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 and other standards have been changing and these changes are actually named “Waves”. The earliest of these waves was in the Colonial Period that lasted up until the 1800s. The next wave came about at the end of the US Civil war up until the early Twentieth century. The 3rd of these waves started during the Great Depression till date.
Sports gambling has always been illegal in America. Puritan attitudes during 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 had not been 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 always been 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 put in place by organized crime all over the nation. Horse racing betting became popular 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 like the infamous Al Capone set up their own personal wire services to stop gamblers from getting 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 over the 1950s and drove them out of the Nevada Casino gambling industry. But this would not deter the organized crime mobsters who took over illegal bookmaking. Law Enforcement authorities do acknowledge that independent bookies are operating in the nation but it is obvious that organized crime still manages all of the big money in betting.
Animal fights also have a long history the United States despite the bad reputation it has. Most animal fights include dog fights and cock fights that have become popular with street gangs and big amounts of weapons and cash are usually present at the time of these fights.
History of illegal gambling in sports uncovers that cockfighting was illegal and banned by most states the United States during the 1800s. It remains illegal currently in 48 states. Legal issues in Minnesota makes any king of gambling bet Illegal. Thus any type of card game where you’ve got to spend to participate in a game and possess possibilities to win money 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 deals with the funding of internet gambling not the actual act of betting.