Cheaters become repeaters. In the previous installment, I’ve already pointed out where history repeats itself (See Post #2591). It’s also worth pointing out that “cheating is not an accident. It’s a choice.” Gamblers often see cheating as a way to beat the system, so it’s an encouraged practice. If you can get away with doing it, it’s considered fair game. This is why states like Hawaii and Utah have completely banned all forms of gambling. Critics argue that it “leads to increased political corruption, compulsive gambling, and higher crime rates.” Others feel that there is a Mafia or organized crime influence. Dating back to Roman times, gambling was periodically outlawed, but exceptions were made for holidays. Even today’s laws waver with the wind. 

Gambling in the States dates back to 1612 when King James (not LeBron) established the first lottery in Britian, an event that would play a key role in the funding of the Jamestown Colony.  Similar public and private lotteries played a vital role in U.S. development, leading to our country’s first public buildings, colleges, roads, canals, and religious structures. In 1776, the First Continental Congress approved a lottery to kickstart the Revolutionary War.

British settlers brought their passion for horse racing to the New World that soon led to 1665 construction of the first racetrack on Long Island, New York.  Then, it was Westward Ho! as expansion spurred a rise in poker and other card games. San Francisco took advantage by licensing limited forms of gambling while many other gambling establishments were frequently ignored by authorities. Beginning in 1787, gambling was largely outlawed but was permitted to raise revenue via lotteries or raffles. Naturally, scandals began to surface. By the end of the 1830s, there was a state-to-state push to ban gambling activities. Oddly, even today, lotteries remain banned in Nevada. The invention of the steamboat blurred the state gambling regulations and quickly gained a reputation for dishonest gaming through the emergence of crafty “riverboat gamblers.” 

Following the Civil War, legal lotteries reemerged to fund Reconstruction in the American South. Ironically, whenever there’s a need for money, gambling all of a sudden becomes tolerable, and cheaters once again prosper. State constitutions were rewritten, and bans lifted, or the rules simply ignored. Casino-style games became popular but fell out of favor since the odds were rigged in favor of the operator. Poker games were more difficult to fix. Lottery scandals created more gambling suspicion, especially when word spread that Louisiana Lottery officials tried to pay off the state legislature. 

Lottery fraud has become commonplace. Several common techniques include using a forged, altered or stolen ticket. There are also many examples of insider fraud, involving employees or agents who exploit their positions. Unsurprisingly, scammers take advantage after informing their victims of falsified prize winnings. Scam, cheat, repeat!

The Twentieth Century marked the expansion of legalized gambling. Changes in the law allowed Nevada to emerge as a gambling destination, while Indiana reversed course. The popular French Lick sight, where the mob hung out in May each year to bet on the Indy 500 and Kentucky Derby, became a ghost resort. Instead, the desert began to draw the crowds. In 1964, state lotteries also began to get popular again. Atlantic City New Jersey also capitalized on becoming a legal gambling destination. Slowly, casinos began to pop-up around the country as other states followed suit, as did the Indigenous Nations where U.S regulations did not apply. As of 2022, only the states of Hawaii and Utah did not agree that the revenue benefits outweighed the potential harm. Anymore, however, you can gamble on your phone or computer, visit a nearby betting parlor, or work with a licensed broker. This same individual, not too long ago, was referred to in a derogatory sense as a “bookie.” By the way, I need to call my guy. 

Next, we’ll look at University of Michigan football, with repeated allegations of cheating, even in transition between coaches. 

To be continued….

 

 

 

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