Why was the Federal Wire Act of 1961 originally passed?

[andr3w321]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Federal_Wire_Act

Seems like this piece of legislation from 1961 is the root cause of all this BS. Why was it originally passed? I'm guessing to keep the sports betting in Vegas and AC where there are no sports teams that could supposedly be "ruined" by legalized sports betting? Is this right? Or did the govt just want some piece of legislation to go after the mob or something? If you can't get 'em for murder get 'em for book making. If the govt is so opposed to book making why don't they just make that illegal instead of the roundabout method of making accepting bets over the phone across state lines illegal. I don't get it.

[richmhv]

It was an anti-Mafia move. Remember RFK was attorney general then and decided to go after the Mafia. Bookmaking is illegal in all states except NV, but those are state laws. Federal law usually only comes into play when things become interstate. Also sports betting apart from horseracing is the least acceptable form of gambling in the US, thanks to the Black Sox scandal.

[PotRipper888]

Michael Corleone had amassed a huge nefarious criminal empire and controlled sports gambling throughout the USA. Through a system of capo regimes, soldiers and "button men" he was buffered from any visible connection with these crimes. There were alot of buffers!

The wire act was necessary to break up this empire and end the Corleone family's grip on gambling in America

[DrewOnTilt]

Originally Posted by PotRipper888

Michael Corleone had amassed a huge nefarious criminal empire and controlled sports gambling throughout the USA. Through a system of capo regimes, soldiers and "button men" he was buffered from any visible connection with these crimes. There were alot of buffers!

The wire act was necessary to break up this empire and end the Corleone family's grip on gambling in America

It's sad that I didn't catch on to the sarcasm here without looking up "Michael Corleone" in Wikipedia.

[BigAlK]

Originally Posted by DrewOnTilt

It's sad that I didn't catch on to the sarcasm here without looking up "Michael Corleone" in Wikipedia.

Kids.

[RGC2005]

The Wire Act was indeed passed to shut down the boiler room operations of organized crime. In 1961 satellite and internet communications did not exist so Bookmakers and bettors relied completely on the mass media wire services and landline telephone systems. Speed of communications was a necessity to get bets in before the lines changed. Sportswriters and the few broadcasters back then were very very very popular people.
It is hard today to even imagine what it was like when a "Long Distance" call came in. Heck I am 43 and remember how my dad would put the whole house on lockdown when he was expecting a call from family out west.
It is a different world now and the Wire Act should be looked at by the Supreme Court and probably will be eventually. But for now the DOJ just loves it so much.

[TeflonDawg]

Originally Posted by RGC2005

It is a different world now and the Wire Act should be looked at by the Supreme Court and probably will be eventually. But for now the DOJ just loves it so much.

Which is incredibly ridiculous, whether you are for or against online poker.

To still not be up-to-date with the current times (i.e. the internet) makes it debateable that we are a backwards country. This whole "gray area" thing is just plain embarrasing when you can look across the pond and see what they have. But of course, money trumps common sense to the powers that be.

[Lego05]

Originally Posted by RGC2005

It is a different world now and the Wire Act should be looked at by the Supreme Court and probably will be eventually. But for now the DOJ just loves it so much.

Supreme Court can't do anything about the wire act. If it is to be changed that is up to Congress.

[RGC2005]

All it takes is one case and one ruling. It is called "Legislation from the Bench".