NCJ Number: 83192 Title: Illegal Gambling in New York – A Case Study in the Operation, Structure, and Regulation of an Illegal Market Author(s): P Reuter; J Rubinstein Corporate Author: Policy Sciences Ctr, Inc
United States of America
Date Published: 1982 Page Count: 265 Sponsoring Agency: National Institute of Justice (NIJ)
Washington, DC 20531
National Institute of Justice/
Rockville, MD 20849
Policy Sciences Ctr, Inc
New York, NY 10007
Superintendent of Documents, GPO
Washington, DC 20402
US Dept of Justice NIJ Pub
Washington, DC 20531
Grant Number: 77-NI-99-0051 Sale Source: Superintendent of Documents, GPO
Washington, DC 20402
United States of America

National Institute of Justice/
NCJRS paper reproduction
Box 6000, Dept F
Rockville, MD 20849
United States of America Document: PDF Language: English Country: United States of America Annotation: Empirical research into New York City area illegal gambling markets–Numbers and bookmaking–indicates less direct Mafia involvement than believed and suggests a new approach to police intelligence-gathering and analysis aimed at controlling organized crime. Abstract: Financial records of illegal gambling operations, informal interviews, and police files failed to support the predominant assumption of centralized Mafia control over the Numbers and bookmaking markets. While there was Mafia financial involvement in the Numbers operations, members did not control market entry or regular pricing policies, nor direct individual operations. Numbers banks were found to operate on a much smaller and more variable profit margin than has been assumed, due to cheating by clerks and managers, uneven betting distributions, and problems in collecting balances. Regarding bookmaking, organized crime was also found to play a role in this market, but again there was no evidence of domination or direct control over individual operations. Instead, Mafia members were involved primarily as financiers; their influence was not exclusive, since bookmakers borrowed from a variety of sources. As with Numbers, findings on bookmaking profit levels contradicted assumptions about their lucrative nature. Profit margins were often extremely low, and bookmakers frequently experienced long-term financial problems, even repeated bankruptcies. Following these analyses, the authors present a detailed discussion of gambling law enforcement issues and conclude with a special analysis of police intelligence gathering and its use. Intelligence is currently collected for compiling evidence to successfully prosecute cases. The authors recommend that the intelligence gathering process be used instead to acquire information for shaping policy to control organized crime. They also recommend that police departments recruit highly trained intelligence specialists since current staff lack these critical skills. Tables, figures, footnotes, and about 80 references are included. Appendixes provide information on loansharking, betting preferences in the Numbers game, and illegal gambling in other cities. Index Term(s): Illegal gaming/gambling; Loan sharking; Mob infiltration; New York; Off-track betting; Organized crime; Police intelligence operations; Sports events betting To cite this abstract, use the following link:
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