History of unlawful betting in sports
The USA has a long history of illegal gambling in sports. Gambling scandals and political control have led to the prohibition and regulating sports gambling in the USA. Laws that connected with sports gambling along with other standards have been changing and the changes are actually described as “Waves”. The earliest of these waves was during the Colonial Period that lasted till the 1800s. The second wave took place at the end of the US Civil war till 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 while in the Colonial era were adopted towards sports and 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 hobby. Gambling was likened to the frontier spirit as both of them involved opportunism, risk taking and high expectations.
Illegal sports gambling has always been associated with mobsters and organized crime in the United States. Illegal sports gambling became 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 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 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 forced them outside the Nevada Casino gambling industry. But this would not dissuade the organized crime mobsters who took over illegal bookmaking. Law Enforcement authorities do acknowledge that independent bookies are functioning within the nation but it is obvious that organized crime still controls all 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 include dog fights and cock fights that have become favored by street gangs and big amounts of weapons and money usually are present in the course of these fights.
History of illegal gambling in sports uncovers that cockfighting was illegal and banned by nearly all states in the US during the 1800s. It remains 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 pay to participate 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 actual act of betting.