History of illegal betting in sports
The United States 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 already been changing and the changes are actually named “Waves”. The first of these waves was during 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 20th century. The 3rd of such waves started during the Great Depression till date.
Sports gambling has long been illegal in the US. Puritan attitudes while in the Colonial era were adopted towards sports and also other gambling, possession of cards, gaming tables, dice etc. Down the line it was only allowed if this was not a trade but only innocent recreation. Early settlers had the view that gambling was just a harmless hobby. Gambling was likened to the frontier spirit as each of them involved opportunism, risk taking and high expectations.
Illegal sports betting has always been linked to 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 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 of all the casino betting business. Mobsters operated illegal nationwide wire services Trans America Wire and Continental Wire Service. Mobsters like the infamous Al Capone put in place their own wire services to stop gamblers from taking any benefit of delays by making sure they posted winning bets before formal results were out.
The Federal Government of the US cracked upon 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 yet it is evident that organized crime still manages all of the big money in betting.
Animal fights also have a long history in the US despite the not so good reputation it has. Most animal fights involve dog fights and cock fights which are today popular with street gangs and large numbers of weapons and money usually are present at the time 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 is still illegal today in 48 states. The law 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 chances to win cash is a “bet” and thus also considered to be illegal gambling. It is essential to note that the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 only refers to the funding of internet gambling not the specific act of betting.