Casinos have always been connected with some sort of criminal activity and mafia. It was the case not only in movies or media but also in everyday life. Many gamblers are still wondering why casinos have so bad reputation and we are here to give some responses.
Money Laundering Issues
First of all, money laundering is one of the burning problems on the global level. People who receive money from such activities are not able to use these funds, without being observed by police or tax bodies. For these reasons, criminals come to the idea to make this money look legal in the eyes of the community.
Casinos are very good places to make this happen. People who visit casinos can purchase multiple chips, place several wagers, and claim their earnings. They can also turn to other individuals asking them for payment in chips and not be observed by others. Casinos are places with a significant flow of cash which is perfect for criminal groups who are dealing with money laundering. Criminals use gambling venues to literally clean the funds without creating any doubt.
Inclusion of Mobs
Looking back, mobsters were responsible for the financing of casino operation. They were included in the development of original venues by giving money for costly constructions. One of the most famous mobs who participated in casino creation was Bugsy Siegel, who took part in the development of the Flamingo Hotel.
It is also important to mention that different families were involved in partnerships with casinos. This created the picture that mobs made their fortune from casino activities rather than criminal inclusion. US authorities have successfully noticed the trend and passed the Act related to Corruption in 1970. With this law, the country has gotten the opportunity to fight against organized crime in a different way. The main prevention body which fights against the crime is FBI.
Connection Gambling-Crime In Modern Life
Today we can still see the close connection between casinos and mafia. It seems that there is a certain tradeoff between the two industries.
When the casino opens its doors in a certain region, it could lead to the creation of new jobs, a boost of economy and overall improvement. It could also decrease the crime rate and increase the success of businesses, with additional revenues for the state in the form of taxes.
Meanwhile, there are still some people with addictive behaviors and some of them are responsible for criminal acts, thefts, and other prohibited activities. Casinos are, on the other hand, connected with drinking and other issues which are also linked to the mafia.
Online Casinos Still Clean
While land-based casinos are closely linked to the mafia, online casinos are still away from such malversations. These casino platforms operate online any criminals are not interested in entering this kind of operation. Criminals cannot steal money from online sites because of high-security measures of these platforms. In addition to it, money laundering would be hard to conduct in online environment. That’s why online casinos are still clean and will remain in the future.
Ongoing Connection of Two Industries
But what is the reason for the present connection between casinos and mafia? Most people would say that level of excitement is still responsible for such ties. Gambling at casino venues is attractive and causes the same reactions in the brain such as criminal activity.
According to some researches, people who deal with criminals don’t do it necessarily for cash motives. It is the level of thrill which makes those individuals excited to engage in crime. There are also experts who conclude that crime can be prevented by reducing boredom.
Conclusion
As you can see, gambling and crime are still connected in some way. This connection is mainly the thing of the media, but people still believe in it. Still, it remains to be seen what will happen in the future regarding the same issue.
