Organized Crime in Sports

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Introduction

Depending on which source you feel can be the most trusted, illegal gambling in the United States involves $80 billion to $580 billion annually. Most evidence points to the involvement of Organized Crime in this situation, but, contrary to popular belief, the organized crime is not just Italian, but includes French, Russian, German, Japanese and Chinese gangs. This paper will analyze the situation of organized crime in sports by discussing: A) The Scope of the problem, B) History, C) Organized Crime control, D) Can it be Controlled?

Scope of the Problem

America is a sports-loving nation and there is strong fan support for many different types of teams -- baseball, football, basketball, and hockey. Gambling on the outcome of sports events is, however, not a uniquely American institution, since history records gambling on races as long ago as 2,500 years.

In the introduction of this paper, a range of $80 billion to $580 billion was mentioned as the scope of illegal sports gambling. The upper figure is probably more the figures of “legal sports gambling.” Despite its popularity, sports wagering in America is legal only in Nevada and Oregon. Nevada has 142 legal sports books that allow wagering on professional and amateur sports while Oregon’s program is connected with its Lottery and only allows gambling on pro football games without the spread. The Nevada Gaming Commission reports that sports wagering in these books averages between $2 billion to $3 billion per year. One major strip casino, the Tropicana, said that in the year 2000, betting on amateur events accounted for 33 percent of its book revenue.

Although much of the illegal sports gambling centers on professional sports and horse r...

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...tates House, Organized Crime in Sports. U.S. Congress. House. Select Committee on Crime. Organized Crime in Sports (racing). Hearings. May 9-July 27, 1972. 1973. 92d Congress, 2d Session.

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