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Is betting illegal?

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05-23-2008 , 04:47 AM

GambleAB

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Join Date: Mar 2004 Posts: 2,556

I was having a discussion with a friend of mine just now and we are disagreeing on whether making a private bet between two people on something inconsequential is illegal or not.

Not anything organized or of any sort of consequence, we're talking about if one person turns to another and says "want to bet $5 that this coin will turn up heads after I flip it". Is that technically breaking any sort of US/state law?

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05-23-2008 , 06:45 AM

illeagle

banned

Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 2,631

Depends on the state afaik. That sort of bet would be legal in Texas.

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05-23-2008 , 10:51 AM

econophile

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what is legal?

what is illegal?

what is barely legal?

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05-23-2008 , 11:04 AM

TheTROLL

old hand

Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 1,412

lol @ Land of the Free

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05-23-2008 , 11:10 AM

daryn

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yep. lol @ it

....

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05-23-2008 , 01:19 PM

KurtSF

Lucky Number Seven

Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 16,471

legal in all 50 states AFAIK

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05-23-2008 , 01:33 PM

J.A.Sucker

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Join Date: Sep 2002 Posts: 3,522

Quote:

Originally Posted by econophile

what is legal?

what is illegal?

what is barely legal?

I don't know about the first two, but rest assured, I am 100% familiar with the last.

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05-23-2008 , 01:59 PM

dinopoker

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I know a lot about this. The elements of illegal gambling are:

1) prize - what you win
2) chance - luck
3) consideration - what you bet

All three must be present or the act cannot legally be called 'gambling'. Flipping a coin for money may therefore be illegal. However, if your friend said he could flip a coin and make it land on heads, and you bet him that he could not, then that would be legal. Nice, huh?

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05-23-2008 , 02:21 PM

gumpzilla

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Quote:

Originally Posted by econophile

what is legal?

what is illegal?

what is barely legal?

My interest in the Sasha Baron Cohen oeuvre has waned, but this still rules.

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05-23-2008 , 03:30 PM

#10

RoundTower

ɹǝʍoʇpunoɹ

Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 14,562

Quote:

Originally Posted by dinopoker

I know a lot about this. The elements of illegal gambling are:

1) prize - what you win
2) chance - luck
3) consideration - what you bet

no, those are the elements of gambling, which OP probably could have guessed.

the elements of illegal gambling are

1) gambling - see above
2) illegal - there is a law forbidding it

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05-23-2008 , 03:45 PM

#11

CORed

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Gambling laws vary considerably from state to state. Some states, such as Colorado, where I live, allow social gambling. In Colorado, as long as the people involved in a wager have a "social relationship" (whatever that might mean), and nobody's taking a cut, it's legal, So a prop bet of some kind between two friends, a golf ber, or a home poker game where no rake is taken, are all legal. However, a poker game with a rake, or with a dealer working for tips, is illegal. In some states, pretty much any wager is illegal, although this is pretty much unenforceable, unless a crybaby sore loser decides to file a complaint.

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05-23-2008 , 05:30 PM

#12

dtemp

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Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 3,554

Yeah, what cored said. It varies state to state. Although, usually as long as there isn't a house (i.e. a business profiting from this) nobody really cares.

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05-24-2008 , 12:51 AM

#13

Tony_P

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Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 12,024

Quote:

Originally Posted by dinopoker

God, stupid people like you are what ruin good forums.

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05-24-2008 , 01:49 AM

#14

I_AM_EVIL

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Quote:

Originally Posted by dinopoker

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Originally Posted by Tony_P

God, stupid people like you are what ruin good forums.

Why did you call him stupid? He said he knows a lot about it so that must mean he's an expert.

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05-24-2008 , 04:59 AM

#15

ThawrighT

journeyman

Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 354

Quote:

Originally Posted by GambleAB

Heh - did you guys bet on what the law was?

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05-24-2008 , 05:41 AM

#16

gobbo

Trust the fat man.

Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 15,623

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Originally Posted by ThawrighT

Heh - did you guys bet on what the law was?

I hope he did, it's win/win. Either you win or your friend goes to jail and you never have to pay!

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05-24-2008 , 10:06 AM

#17

jawhoo

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Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 2,571

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Originally Posted by CORed

This is true, it's state to state. After trying to set up a school poker tournament in New Hampshire, I can tell you that any poker, rake or not, is illegal unless 51% goes to charity. Live Free or Die my ass.

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05-24-2008 , 01:52 PM

#18

daryn

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Quote:

Originally Posted by jawhoo

hmm.. the solution seems clear. host a game. rake 1 cent every 100 pots, and then give 51%, or even 100% of the proceeds to charity.

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