Virtually all state laws define illegal gambling as having three basic elements – prize, chance and consideration. All three of these elements must be present for a promotion to be considered gambling. The job of sweepstakes creators is to eliminate one or more of these elements from every sweepstakes they prepare. Illegal gambling is a highly profitable business with a high risk and even though government agencies work hard to take action against illegal gambling rings the practice is still rife as.
A numbers racket is any unauthorized lottery or illegal gambling operation. Money laundering and other creative accounting practices that are misused in ways to disguise sources of illegal funds. Organized, coordinated, and repeated or regular theft operations, including: burglary, home invasion, robbery, identity theft, art theft, auto. Illegal gambling operations have been alleged to support organized crime and victimize participants, rather than benefit them. This is said to occur through cheating in the games provided.
Criminal Laws
Alcohol Law Enforcement Special Agents are directly responsible for enforcing criminal laws pertaining to alcohol, controlled substances, tobacco, lottery, bingo and gambling. North Carolina General Statutes pertaining to specific areas of criminal law may be found on the North Carolina General Assembly website.
§18B Alcoholic Beverages
§90 (Article 5) Controlled Substances
§14-313 Youth Access to Tobacco Products
§14 (Article 37) Lotteries, Gaming, Bingo and Raffles
Administrative Rules and Regulations
In addition to criminal laws, businesses who sell alcoholic beverages under a permit from the North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission (ABCC) or tickets under the North Carolina Education Lottery (NCEL) are subject to administrative rules that regulate those products and the locations at which those products are sold. Violation of criminal laws is a matter presided over by the criminal courts, whereas violations of administrative rules may result in actions such as fines, penalties, suspensions or revocations against a business that holds a permit issued by the regulating agency.
Gambling
ALE Special Agents are authorized to enforce the state's gambling laws. Gambling comes in many forms, such as illegal lotteries, Monte Carlo nights, racing pools, and video poker.
North Carolina law states that it is illegal for any person or organization to operate a game of chance or to play or bet on any game of chance that involves winning money, property or anything of value. Violators shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor. GS 14-292.
Slot Machines
Alcohol Law Enforcement Special Agents are directly responsible for enforcing criminal laws pertaining to alcohol, controlled substances, tobacco, lottery, bingo and gambling. North Carolina General Statutes pertaining to specific areas of criminal law may be found on the North Carolina General Assembly website.
§18B Alcoholic Beverages
§90 (Article 5) Controlled Substances
§14-313 Youth Access to Tobacco Products
§14 (Article 37) Lotteries, Gaming, Bingo and Raffles
Administrative Rules and Regulations
In addition to criminal laws, businesses who sell alcoholic beverages under a permit from the North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission (ABCC) or tickets under the North Carolina Education Lottery (NCEL) are subject to administrative rules that regulate those products and the locations at which those products are sold. Violation of criminal laws is a matter presided over by the criminal courts, whereas violations of administrative rules may result in actions such as fines, penalties, suspensions or revocations against a business that holds a permit issued by the regulating agency.
Gambling
ALE Special Agents are authorized to enforce the state's gambling laws. Gambling comes in many forms, such as illegal lotteries, Monte Carlo nights, racing pools, and video poker.
North Carolina law states that it is illegal for any person or organization to operate a game of chance or to play or bet on any game of chance that involves winning money, property or anything of value. Violators shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor. GS 14-292.
Slot Machines
It is illegal to operate any slot machine or device where the user may become entitled to receive any money, credit, allowance, or any thing of value. A slot machine is a device where players insert coins, slugs, or tokens and the game of chance may result in winning money or something of value.
It is also illegal to manufacture, own, store, keep, possess, sell, rent, lease, let on shares, lend or give away, transport or to permit the operation of, any slot machine. It is also illegal to allow slot machines to be stored on one's property for use.
Operation or possession of slot machines GS 14-301
Punchboards and vending machines GS 14-302
Violation charges GS 14-303
Manufacture and Sale of slot machines GS 14- 304
Define Illegal Gambling Rules
Video Poker
As of July 1, 2007, Video Poker and Video Gaming Machines (VGMs) became illegal in North Carolina.
Define Illegal Gambling
Video Gaming Machines are defined as video poker games, video playing card games, video bingo games, video craps games, video keno games, video lotto games, eight liner games, Pot-Of-Gold games, and any video game based on or involving the random or chance matching of different pictures, words, numbers, or symbols not dependent on the skill or dexterity of the player. Video Gaming Machines require payment to activate play.
