The United States 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 USA. Laws that connected with sports gambling and other standards have already been changing and the changes have been described as “Waves”. The first of these waves was during the Colonial Period that lasted up until the 1800s. The next wave took place following the US Civil war up until the early Twentieth century. The third of these waves started in the Great Depression till date.
Sports gambling has always been illegal in America. Puritan attitudes during the Colonial era were adopted towards sports and also other gambling, possession of cards, gaming tables, dice etc. Later on 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 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 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 during this period.
In 1931 Nevada legalized casino gambling and here too organized crime took control over all the casino betting business. Mobsters controlled 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 getting any benefit from delays by making sure they posted winning wagers before formal results were out.
The Federal Government of the US cracked down on mobsters and organized crime during the 1950s and drove them outside 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 evident that organized crime still controls all the big bucks in betting.
Animal fights also have a long history the United States in spite of the bad reputation it has. Most animal fights involve dog fights and cock fights which are today favored by street gangs and large amounts of weapons and money are usually present in the course 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 remains illegal currently in 48 states. Legal issues in Minnesota makes any king of gambling bet Illegal. Thus any sort of card game where you’ve got to pay to take part in a game and possess chances to win money is a “bet” and thus also considered 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.
