illegal gambling
Underground games of chance
Illegal gambling is wagering or betting that violates laws governing games of chance, sports betting, or other forms of gaming.
What qualifies as illegal varies widely by jurisdiction—poker games, online casinos, or sports books may be perfectly legal in one place and criminal in another.
The term often distinguishes underground operations from licensed, regulated gambling.
He was arrested for running an illegal gambling ring out of the back room.
- bookmakingSetting gambling odds
- taking actionInitiating purposeful effort
- unlicensedWithout official permit
- off the booksUnreported to authorities
- organized crimeStructured illegal enterprise
money laundering · numbers racket · prohibited · extortion · racketeering · vig · loan sharking · underground economy · underground casino · addiction · juice · online platforms · sports betting · numbers · bookie · cockfighting · card counting · point shaving
- crimerobbery, accomplice, alibi, burglary, conspiracy
- crimesarson, burglary, robbery, kidnapping, vandalism
- gamblinggamble, casinos, casino, bets, betting
- organized crimemafia, mob, the mob, syndicate, crime syndicate
- racketeeringracketeering, protection racket, loan sharking, extortion, numbers racket
- vicevice, debauchery, prostitution, depravity, immorality
illegal gamblingstate lottery
Government-operated prize drawing
tribal casino · pari-mutuel betting · horse racing · charity raffle
illegal gamblingsavings account
Interest-bearing bank holding
government bonds · guaranteed income · pension fund · certificate of deposit · financial planning