What is registering bets?
To register bets legally means:
- Keeping a place for registering
- Keeping a place for buying or selling pools
- Being present AND involved in registering
- Being present AND involved in buying or selling pools
What is the law on registering bets?
Commonwealth law states:
“Whoever keeps a building [or] room with apparatus[es], books, [or] any device for registering bets [or] buying or selling pools upon the result of a trial or contest of skill, speed or endurance [or] a game [or] competition…or whoever is present in [any] place…engaged in such business or employment…shall be punished…”
In other words, if a person keeps:
…with:
- Apparatuses
- Books
- Any device for registering
- Any device for buying or selling pools
…upon the result of a trial or contest of:
- Skill
- Speed
- Endurance
- A game
- Competition
…OR whoever is present in any place engaged in such business or employment, is committing a crime.
What does the government have to show to prove someone is registering bets unlawfully?
In order to convict a defendant of the offense of registering bets, the Commonwealth must prove beyond a reasonable doubt EITHER:
- That the defendant knowingly kept a:
…in which there were books or devices for:
- Registering bets
- Buying or selling pools upon:
- A contest of skill
- Contest of speed
- A contest of endurance
- A game
- A competition
- That the defendant was present in a place where he or she was knowingly involved in the business of:
- Registering
- Buying or selling pools upon:
- A contest of skill
- Contest of speed
- A contest of endurance
- A game
- A competition
Note that in order for a defendant to be convicted of registering bets, he or she must ALWAYS have some connection, beyond an unwitting (i.e. unintentional) presence, with a place of illicit gambling.
IF YOU OR A LOVED ONE HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH A REGISTERING BETS, AND YOU NEED AN EXPERIENCED CRIMINAL DEFENSE LAWYER WORKING ON YOUR SIDE TO PROTECT YOUR RIGHTS, PLEASE CONTACT CRIMINAL DEFENSE ATTORNEY WILLIAM J. BARABINO.
CALL 781-393-5900 TO LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR AVAILABLE DEFENSES.
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