NCJ Number
64628
Date Published
1979
Length
23 pages
Annotation
FOCUSING ON POLICE CONSTRAINTS IN ENFORCING GAMBLING LAWS, THIS REVIEW DISCUSSES STATE LAWS THAT PROHIBIT GAMBLING, DEFINES VARIOUS FORMS OF ILLICIT GAMBLING, AND OUTLINES SOME GAMBLING ENFORCEMENT TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES.
Abstract
A DISCUSSION OF THE THREE MAJOR TYPES OF ILLEGAL GAMBLING OPERATIONS--BOOKMAKING (TAKING BETS ON SPORTS EVENTS AND/OR HORSE RACES), NUMBERS (TAKING BETS ON WHAT NUMBER WILL BE SELECTED OR OCCUR IN SOME RANDOM WAY), AND COMMERCIAL (ILLEGAL) CARD OR CASINO GAMES--SHOWS HOW EACH GAME OPERATES AND THE PROFITS WHICH CAN BE MADE. MOST STATES OUTLAW COMMERCIAL GAMBLING THAT PROFITS FROM AN ILLEGAL GAMBLING BUSINESS, INCLUDING BOOKMAKING OPERATIONS, LOTTERIES, OR CARD AND DICE GAMES. SERIOUS OFFENSES SUCH AS 'KEEPING A GAMING TABLE' ARE FELONIES OR HIGH MISDEMEANORS IN MOST STATES. PENALTIES FOR CONVICTIONS VARY WIDELY AMONG STATES AS DO ARREST AND CONVICTION RATES AMONG DIFFERENT CITIES. BECAUSE OF SEVERE FISCAL PRESSURES ON STATE BUDGETS, MANY STATES ARE LOOKING TO LEGALIZED GAMBLING AS AN ALTERNATIVE SOURCE OF REVENUE. SINCE 1963, 13 STATES HAVE BEGUN LOTTERY OPERATIONS, 2 STATES HAVE SET UP JAI ALAI ARENAS, AND NEW JERSEY HAS LEGALIZED CASINO GAMBLING IN ATLANTIC CITY. HOWEVER STRINGENT THESE STATES' GAMBLING LAWS ARE, MOST CRIMINAL JUSTICE EXPERTS AGREE THAT GAMBLING LAWS ARE USUALLY NOT ENFORCED SINCE AMERICANS ENJOY GAMBLING AND ARE APATHETIC TO LAW ENFORCEMENT EFFORTS. MOREOVER, POLICE THEMSELVES DO NOT DEFINE ILLEGAL GAMBLING AS A SERIOUS OFFENSE, ALTHOUGH THEY SEE GAMBLING LAW ENFORCEMENT AS VITAL. CORRUPTION IS ALSO AN IMPORTANT CONSTRAINT ON LAW ENFORCEMENT; POLICE INTELLIGENCE SPECIALISTS USUALLY AGREE THAT CORRUPTION IS WIDESPREAD WHEREVER GAMBLING OPERATIONS FLOURISH. ALTHOUGH GAMBLING CORRUPTION IN SOME CITIES MAY PERVADE ALL OR MOST CRIMINAL JUSTICE AGENCIES, A MAJOR EFFORT TO CRACK DOWN ON THESE ACTIVITIES IS OFTEN NOT CONSIDERED BECAUSE OF MANPOWER SHORTAGES OR ADMINISTRATIVE INCOMPETENCE. ALSO, THE LACK OF COORDINATION IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM SERIOUSLY REDUCES THE ENFORCEABILITY OF GAMBLING LAWS. ALTHOUGH NATIONAL EFFORTS AGAINST ORGANIZED CRIME, INCLUDING GAMBLING ENFORCEMENT, HAVE FAILED, POLICE CAN BE SUCCESSFUL IF GIVEN EFFECTIVE TOOLS SUCH AS STRONG WIRETAPPING LAWS AND JUDICIAL UPGRADING OF THE IMPORTANCE OF GAMBLING VIOLATIONS (AS IN NEW JERSEY). REFERENCES AND TABULAR DATA ARE INCLUDED. (WJR)