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COMMISSION ON THE REVIEW OF THE NATIONAL POLICY TOWARD GAMBLING - FBI (FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION), FCC (FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION) AND POSTAL HEARINGS HELD AT WASHINGTON, DC ON JUNE 16, 1974

NCJ Number
46282
Author(s)
ANON
Date Published
1974
Length
171 pages
Annotation
A TRANSCRIPT IS PROVIDED OF THE TESTIMONY OF THE REPRESENTATIVES OF VARIOUS FEDERAL AGENCIES WITH REGARD TO THEIR INDIVIDUAL ROLES IN THE REGULATION OF GAMBLING.
Abstract
REPRESENTATIVES OF THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (FBI), THE FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION (FCC), AND THE U.S. POSTAL SERVICE PRESENTED BOTH PREPARED STATEMENTS AND DIRECT TESTIMONY TO THE COMMISSION DURING THE FOURTH, FIFTH, AND SIXTH SERIES OF ITS PUBLIC HEARINGS ON VARIOUS ASPECTS OF GAMBLING AND GAMBLING REGULATIONS. THREE PREVIOUS SERIES TOOK TESTIMONY FROM PARTIES INTERESTED IN STATE LOTTERIES, THE JUSTICE DEPARTMENT, AND THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE. IN EACH SERIES, THE INDIVIDUAL SPOKESPERSONS DETAILED THE HISTORY OF THEIR INVOLVEMENT IN THE REGULATION OF CERTAIN ASPECTS OF GAMBLING AND THE CONTINUING NATURE OF THEIR RESPECTIVE EFFORTS. THE DEVELOPMENT, IMPLEMENTATION, AND SCOPE OF THEIR REGULATORY POWERS WERE REVIEWED. FOR EXAMPLE, THE FBI HAD NO JURISDICTION OVER ANY ASPECT OF GAMBLING UNTIL 1961 WHEN CONGRESS ENACTED STATUTES BANNING THE INTERSTATE TRANSPORTATION OF GAMBLING EQUIPMENT, INTERSTATE TRANSPORTION IN AID OF RACKETEERING, AND INTERSTATE TRANSPORTATION OF WAGERING INFORMATION. THE SCOPE AND EFFECT OF THE FBI EFFORTS UNDERTAKEN WITH RESPECT TO THESE AND OTHER LEGISLATIVE AND ADMINISTRATIVE POLICIES ARE DISCUSSED. UNLIKE THE FBI, WHOSE GAMBLING REGULATORY FUNCTION IS AIMED AT ALL FACETS OF GAMBLING, ESPECIALLY AS REGARDS ORGANIZED CRIME, THE REGULATORY ROLE OF THE FCC AND THE POSTAL SERVICE GREW OUT OF THE USE OF THE AIRWAYS AND THE MAILS BY NONSTATE-RUN QUASI-LEGAL LOTTERIES. HOWEVER, SINCE THE MID-1960'S THE FCC HAS BEEN INCREASINGLY DRAWN INTO THE PROBLEMS CREATED BY THE CONFLICT BETWEEN THE GROWING NUMBER OF STATES CONDUCTING STATE-SPONSORED LOTTERIES, WHILE THE POSTAL INSPECTION SERVICE CONTINUES TO INVESTIGATE VIOLATIONS OF THE POSTAL LOTTERY STATUTE WHICH PROHIBITS THE MAILING OF CERTAIN PROSCRIBED MATERIAL IN CONNECTION WITH THE OPERATION OF A LOTTERY. THE NATURE AND EFFECT OF THEIR RESPECTIVE REGULATORY EFFORTS ARE EXAMINED. (KBL)