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 along with other standards have already been changing and these changes are actually described as “Waves”. The first of such waves was in the Colonial Period that lasted up until the 1800s. The next wave took place at the end of the US Civil war till the early 20th century. The third of such waves started in the Great Depression till date.
Sports gambling has long been illegal in the US. 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 only a harmless hobby. Gambling was likened to the frontier spirit as both 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 while in the 1920s and 1930s. Organized bookmaking systems were set up by organized crime throughout 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 wire services to prevent gamblers from taking any benefit from delays by making sure they posted winning wagers before formal results were out.
The Federal Government of the usa cracked upon mobsters and organized crime over the 1950s and forced them out of the Nevada Casino gambling industry. But this did not deter the organized crime mobsters who took over illegal bookmaking. Law Enforcement authorities do acknowledge that independent bookies are functioning within the nation yet it is evident that organized crime still controls all of the big bucks in betting.
Animal fights furthermore have a long history the United States despite the bad reputation it’s got. Most animal fights involve dog fights and cock fights that have become popular with street gangs and large numbers of weapons and money 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 over the 1800s. It remains illegal currently in 48 states. The law in Minnesota makes any king of gambling bet Illegal. Thus any type of card game where one has to spend to take part in a game and possess possibilities to win money is a “bet” and thus also thought to be illegal gambling. It is important to note that the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 only deals with the funding of internet gambling not the specific act of betting.