Gambling and Crime Go Hand In Hand

Whether you are heavily involved, or play once in a while, or never play gambling games, we will be analysing the general view of the sport. Gambling, in general, has been widely viewed as a criminal activity. It is said, that gambling and crime go hand-in-hand. But why is that? In this article, we will be learning about all the different reasons why gambling is considered crooked. 

Before we start, in case you haven’t done so, check out the latest online gambling news. On that page, you will be able to access all the hottest stories online. Similar to this one, the gambling news reports on what’s going on in the betting world. Now, we will be looking at various reasons why gambling is looked at as a dark side.

Gambling and Crime In Money Laundering

A reason behind the concept that gambling is evil, may date back to Al Capone in the 1920’s. The mobster used gambling as a way of money laundering. Money laundering is a technique which is used to try to avoid the law by separating crooked money.

Let’s say, an individual claims a hefty amount of stolen money. Before he can use the cash, he must separate it, possibly invest in the market or go to casinos to hide the presence of the cash. In a casino, he can buy a huge stack of chips, play a couple of rounds, then cash out. Cashing out will only show that he has won his big stash and this is why gambling is considered a form of money laundering.

The Mobs and Gangs

Another reason why gambling and crime match each other so well, is because of historical gangs. Even after Las Vegas made casinos legal, mobs still would get involved. One of the most famous mobsters is Bugsy Siegel. He built the Flamengo hotel and started the concept of a gambling resort. This in turn, caused many more mob families to head over to Vegas.

The Modern Link of Gambling and Crime

Nowadays, gambling is still given a cold eye to. That is down to the fact that despite increasing employment, there is still a negative it gives. If a new casino comes into town, not only does employment increase, but also the local economy becomes stronger.

However, the negative side is that 2-5% of gamblers become addicted. Gambling addicts usually steal things, causing minor crimes in order to fund their habit. Another negative, is that gambling is also associated with alcoholism which can lead to drunkenness.

All in all, gambling and crime is back in the old ages. Nowadays, the two don’t share the same importance in one another. Gambling is still considered negative by those, who are not happy with the effects it may draw out on the vulnerable.