NCJ Number
10455
Date Published
1972
Length
118 pages
Annotation
REVIEW OF ILLEGAL SPORTS, POOL AND NUMBERS BETTING WITH SUGGESTIONS FOR A WORKABLE LEGAL NUMBERS GAME.
Abstract
WHILE MANY STATES ARE ORGANIZING LEGAL LOTTERIES, FEW HAVE ADDRESSED THEMSELVES TO THE QUESTION OF LEGALIZING OTHER FORMS OF GAMBLING. THE FUND FOR THE CITY OF NEW YORK UNDERTOOK THIS STUDY OF THE FEASIBILITY AND IMPLICATIONS OF LEGALIZING SPORTS BETTING AND THE NUMBERS GAME IN NEW YORK. THE STUDY NOTES THAT THE THREE OBJECTIVES MOST OFTEN CITED FOR LEGAL GAMBLING - TO INHIBIT ORGANIZED CRIME, REDUCE POLICE CORRUPTION, AND PROVIDE SUBSTANTIAL REVENUE - ARE IN IMPORTANT RESPECTS COMPETITIVE. ITS PRIMARY CONCLUSION IS THAT GAMBLING SHOULD BE LEGALIZED AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT TOOL TO FIGHT ORGANIZED CRIME AND CORRUPTION AND NOT AS A REVENUE MEASURE. IN REACHING THIS CONCLUSION, THE AUTHORS EXAMINED THE CURRENT GAMBLING PRACTICES OF NEW YORKERS AS WELL AS PUBLIC ATTITUDES TOWARD ILLICIT GAMES. THE ORGANIZATION OF ILLEGAL WAGERING IN NEW YORK CITY IS DISCUSSED IN DEPTH, WITH PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE FINANCIAL AND OPERATIONAL STRUCTURE OF THE NUMBERS GAME. THIS IS CONTRASTED TO THE MORE AMORPHOUS FORMS OF ORGANIZATION USED IN STRAIGHT SPORTS BETTING OR PARTICIPATION POOLS. THE AUTHORS CONCLUDE THAT THE NUMBERS GAME IS THE MOST ADAPTABLE AND PRESENTS A DETAILED DESIGN FOR A COMPETITIVE AND LEGAL NUMBERS GAME WHICH COULD PROVIDE LARGER PAYOFFS THAN THE CURRENT ILLEGAL GAME AND COULD BE CONTROLLED BY INDEPENDENT COMMUNITY CORPORATIONS UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF A CENTRAL BOARD. THIS WELL RESEARCHED DOCUMENT IS A VALUABLE CONTRIBUTION TO UNDERSTANDING THE OPERATION OF ILLEGAL GAMBLING AND OFFERS ONE POSSIBILITY OF COMBATTING IT. (SNI ABSTRACT)