vpFREE2 Forums

Re "Casino" TV show - illegal gambling?

#1

I was under the impression that it is illegal to gamble for money outside of
the regulated games in a casino. For example if a group of friends gathers
for a penny ante game of poker, and plays for money, this is technically
illegal (whether done in Nevada or another state). Similarly betting on sports
games (unless done in a regulated sports bet parlor in a legal casino) is
illegal - at least technically.
Now true, lots of people do these things, but they are techically illegal.

Ok - now we go to the newest episode of "Casino", filmed at the Golden
Nugget. In one scene the owners play gin rummy and one guy wins a bet of $10,000.
This is done in a private room - not under "regulated" casino conditions.
Point 1 - isn't this illegal? Point 2 - couldn't these owners of the Golden
Nugget lose their gaming license for this? Point 3 - $10,000 was exchanged -
did they file the necessary Federal papers for exchange of $10,000? Did the
winner report this on his Federal income tax?

Later we see band members playing poker - again - this is not in a legal
poker parlor inside the casino, instead it is a friendly game among buddies -
but they are playing for real money. Point 1 and Point 2 above.

I was surprised to see them televising these events. Although some of us
have questioned whether "Casino" isn't recording some staged events, it is
purporting to be a reality show. While casual gambling between friends does
occur throughout the U.S., it is technically illegal, and their have been cases
where people have been prosecuted (even for small games of poker).

So - aren't the owners of the Golden Nugget risking their gaming license if
nothing else?

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

#2

I do not know about Nevada. But in TEXAS you may gamble for money as long as
a third party does not make money off the gaming. In other words, no rake,
no vig, no money to the HOUSE or other third party. Thus, home card games
are legal in Texas, as long as the house does not take a cut of the action
or charge a fee. Bubba can bet Billy Joe a million dollars that the Rangers
will win the world series. As long as a third party does not get a cut,
it's a legal transaction. Therefore it is illegal to bet through a bookie
but an office pool where all the money is returned to the gamblers is legal
(in TEXAS)

···

----- Original Message -----
From: <misscraps@aol.com>
To: <vpFREE@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, July 13, 2004 5:11 PM
Subject: [vpFREE] Re "Casino" TV show - illegal gambling?

I was under the impression that it is illegal to gamble for money outside

of

the regulated games in a casino. For example if a group of friends

gathers

for a penny ante game of poker, and plays for money, this is technically
illegal (whether done in Nevada or another state). Similarly betting on

sports

games (unless done in a regulated sports bet parlor in a legal casino) is
illegal - at least technically.
Now true, lots of people do these things, but they are techically

illegal.

#3

The same rules apply in Ontario, and I believe that would also apply to most jurisdictions in Canada or the U.S.

Regards
A.P.

···

----- Original Message -----
  From: Rasti$ P. Rulz
  To: vpFREE@yahoogroups.com
  Sent: Tuesday, July 13, 2004 7:17 PM
  Subject: Re: [vpFREE] Re "Casino" TV show - illegal gambling?

  I do not know about Nevada. But in TEXAS you may gamble for money as long as
  a third party does not make money off the gaming. In other words, no rake,
  no vig, no money to the HOUSE or other third party. Thus, home card games
  are legal in Texas, as long as the house does not take a cut of the action
  or charge a fee. Bubba can bet Billy Joe a million dollars that the Rangers
  will win the world series. As long as a third party does not get a cut,
  it's a legal transaction. Therefore it is illegal to bet through a bookie
  but an office pool where all the money is returned to the gamblers is legal
  (in TEXAS)

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

#4

They should get them for racing through town too!!

···

--- misscraps@aol.com wrote:

I was under the impression that it is illegal to
gamble for money outside of
the regulated games in a casino. For example if a
group of friends gathers
for a penny ante game of poker, and plays for money,
this is technically
illegal (whether done in Nevada or another state).
Similarly betting on sports
games (unless done in a regulated sports bet parlor
in a legal casino) is
illegal - at least technically.
Now true, lots of people do these things, but they
are techically illegal.

Ok - now we go to the newest episode of "Casino",
filmed at the Golden
Nugget. In one scene the owners play gin rummy and
one guy wins a bet of $10,000.
This is done in a private room - not under
"regulated" casino conditions.
Point 1 - isn't this illegal? Point 2 - couldn't
these owners of the Golden
Nugget lose their gaming license for this? Point 3
- $10,000 was exchanged -
did they file the necessary Federal papers for
exchange of $10,000? Did the
winner report this on his Federal income tax?

Later we see band members playing poker - again -
this is not in a legal
poker parlor inside the casino, instead it is a
friendly game among buddies -
but they are playing for real money. Point 1 and
Point 2 above.

I was surprised to see them televising these events.
Although some of us
have questioned whether "Casino" isn't recording
some staged events, it is
purporting to be a reality show. While casual
gambling between friends does
occur throughout the U.S., it is technically
illegal, and their have been cases
where people have been prosecuted (even for small
games of poker).

So - aren't the owners of the Golden Nugget risking
their gaming license if
nothing else?

[Non-text portions of this message have been
removed]

#5

I thought the exact same thing on all three accounts. Even if
private games are allowed in Nevada, the exchange of $10,000 on the
gin rummy game was certainly a taxable event. Regardless of whether
either of the gambling incidents were legal, I don't think that a
provisional license establishment should be involved in such
matters. For God sake, why not just open a low limit reserved table
in the poker room to keep everything legal and above water?
On the subject of racing through town, while not directly related to
the casino, I could certainly see the gaming commission having a
problem with this, much like the Hard Rock's problem with their
advertising. They exhibited and broadcast reckless endangerment of
human life when driving like that. I don't think this is an image
that the commission wants associated with the gaming industry.

···

--- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, Richard Boozer <reboozer@y...> wrote:

They should get them for racing through town too!!

--- misscraps@a... wrote:
>
> I was under the impression that it is illegal to
> gamble for money outside of
> the regulated games in a casino. For example if a
> group of friends gathers
> for a penny ante game of poker, and plays for money,
> this is technically
> illegal (whether done in Nevada or another state).
> Similarly betting on sports
> games (unless done in a regulated sports bet parlor
> in a legal casino) is
> illegal - at least technically.
> Now true, lots of people do these things, but they
> are techically illegal.
>
> Ok - now we go to the newest episode of "Casino",
> filmed at the Golden
> Nugget. In one scene the owners play gin rummy and
> one guy wins a bet of $10,000.
> This is done in a private room - not under
> "regulated" casino conditions.
> Point 1 - isn't this illegal? Point 2 - couldn't
> these owners of the Golden
> Nugget lose their gaming license for this? Point 3
> - $10,000 was exchanged -
> did they file the necessary Federal papers for
> exchange of $10,000? Did the
> winner report this on his Federal income tax?
>
> Later we see band members playing poker - again -
> this is not in a legal
> poker parlor inside the casino, instead it is a
> friendly game among buddies -
> but they are playing for real money. Point 1 and
> Point 2 above.
>
> I was surprised to see them televising these events.
> Although some of us
> have questioned whether "Casino" isn't recording
> some staged events, it is
> purporting to be a reality show. While casual
> gambling between friends does
> occur throughout the U.S., it is technically
> illegal, and their have been cases
> where people have been prosecuted (even for small
> games of poker).
>
> So - aren't the owners of the Golden Nugget risking
> their gaming license if
> nothing else?
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been
> removed]
>
>

#6

I realize this is off-topic from the original post, but this show
seems totally contrived to me. The only thing I like about it is the
great aerial camera work featuring Downtown and the Strip. I watch
it with the sound off. OTOH, I do like "American Casino."

···

--- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, misscraps@a... wrote:
Although some of us have questioned whether "Casino" isn't recording
some staged events, it is purporting to be a reality show.

#7

Albert Pearson wrote:

The same rules apply in Ontario, and I believe that would also apply to most jurisdictions in Canada or the U.S.

Regards
A.P.
  From: Rasti$ P. Rulz
   I do not know about Nevada. But in TEXAS you may gamble for money as long as
  a third party does not make money off the gaming. In other words, no rake,
  no vig, no money to the HOUSE or other third party. Thus, home card games
  are legal in Texas, as long as the house does not take a cut of the action
  or charge a fee. Bubba can bet Billy Joe a million dollars that the Rangers
  will win the world series. As long as a third party does not get a cut,
  it's a legal transaction. Therefore it is illegal to bet through a bookie
  but an office pool where all the money is returned to the gamblers is legal
  (in TEXAS)

I can't speak for the rest of the country, but that's not the case in
Arkansas. Here, the players are committing an unclassified offense if
they gamble in someone's home -- punishable by a fine of from $10.00 to
$25.00, plus $50.00 court costs -- but the owner of the home is
committing a _felony_ for running a gambling house -- punishable by a
minimum of 1 year in prison and a max of 3 years in prison -- and I
don't see anything in the code that requires that they be receiving any
money from it either.

I'm sure the law will vary considerably among all of our states.

Bill Velek

···

  ----- Original Message -----

#8

Hey C'mon...........It's a TV SHOW!!! You folks don't believe that
Spiderman, The Matrix and that sort of stuff is real do ya? Why
should you expect realism in a TV show?

···

--- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, Richard Boozer <reboozer@y...> wrote:

They should get them for racing through town too!!

--- misscraps@a... wrote:
>
> I was under the impression that it is illegal to
> gamble for money outside of
> the regulated games in a casino. For example if a
> group of friends gathers

#9

I can't speak for the rest of the country, but that's not

the case in> Arkansas. Here, the players are committing an
unclassified offense if they gamble in someone's home -- punishable
by a fine of from $10.00 to $25.00, plus $50.00 court costs -- but
the owner of the home is committing a _felony_ for running a gambling
house -- punishable by a minimum of 1 year in prison and a max of 3
years in prison -- and I don't see anything in the code that
requires that they be receiving any money from it either.

I'm sure the law will vary considerably among all of our states.

Bill Velek

When I used to live in Mississippi there would be occasional news
reports about home poker games getting raided by the cops and the
participants would be charged with some type of gambling offence.
These "raids" always seemed to have some type of political motivation
behind them. Example: A local politician would find out about a
poker game that his rival political enemies were playing, and he
would send his sheriff buddy around to raid the game in order to make
his opponents look bad. I don't think that the local police normally
make a habit of going door to door looking for illegal poker games.

EE

···

--- In vpFREE@yahoogroups.com, Bill Velek <billvelek@a...> wrote:

#10

eecounter wrote:

... I don't think that the local police normally
make a habit of going door to door looking for illegal poker games.

Nor do they make a habit of going door to door looking for meth labs, either. They rely, in part, on informants, and other investigative work. But the fact is that small time cards games are not viewed as a major crime problem, and no doubt are far down the ladder of priorities, as they should be.

Bill