§ 22–1701. Lotteries; promotion; sale or possession of tickets.
If any person shall within the District keep, set up, or promote, or be concerned as owner, agent, or clerk, or in any other manner, in managing, carrying on, promoting, or advertising, directly or indirectly, any policy lottery, policy shop, or any lottery, or shall sell or transfer any chance, right, or interest, tangible or intangible, in any policy lottery, or any lottery or shall sell or transfer any ticket, certificate, bill, token, or other device, purporting or intended to guarantee or assure to any person or entitle him or her to a chance of drawing or obtaining a prize to be drawn in any lottery, or in a game or device commonly known as policy lottery or policy or shall sell or transfer, or have in his or her possession for the purpose of sale or transfer, a chance or ticket in or share of a ticket in any lottery or any such bill, certificate, token, or other device, he or she shall be fined upon conviction of each said offense not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01 or be imprisoned not more than 3 years, or both. The possession of any copy or record of any such chance, right, or interest, or of any such ticket, certificate, bill, token, or other device shall be prima facie evidence that the possessor of such copy or record did, at the time and place of such possession, keep, set up, or promote, or was at such time and place concerned as owner, agent, or clerk, or otherwise in managing, carrying on, promoting, or advertising a policy lottery, policy shop, or lottery.
§ 22–1702. Possession of lottery or policy tickets.
If any person shall, within the District of Columbia, knowingly have in his or her possession or under his control, any record, notation, receipt, ticket, certificate, bill, slip, token, paper, or writing, current or not current, used or to be used in violating the provisions of § 22-1701, § 22-1704, or § 22-1708, he or she shall, upon conviction of each such offense, be fined not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01 or be imprisoned for not more than 180 days, or both. For the purpose of this section, possession of any record, notation, receipt, ticket, certificate, bill, slip, token, paper, or writing shall be presumed to be knowing possession thereof.
§ 22–1703. Permitting sale of lottery tickets on premises.
If any person shall knowingly permit, on any premises under his or her control in the District, the sale of any chance or ticket in or share of a ticket in any lottery or policy lottery, or shall knowingly permit any lottery or policy lottery, or policy shop on such premises, he or she shall be fined not less than $50 and not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01, or be imprisoned not more than 180 days, or both.
§ 22–1704. Gaming; setting up gaming table; inducing play.
(a) Whoever shall in the District set up or keep any gaming table, or any house, vessel, or place, on land or water, for the purpose of gaming, or gambling device commonly called A B C, faro bank, E O, roulette, equality, keno, thimbles, or little joker, or any kind of gaming table or gambling device adapted, devised, and designed for the purpose of playing any game of chance for money or property, or shall induce, entice, and permit any person to bet or play at or upon any such gaming table or gambling device, or on the side of or against the keeper thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for a term of not more than 5 years and, in addition, may be fined not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01. For the purposes of this section, the term “gambling device” shall not include slot machines manufactured before 1952, intended for exhibition or private use by the owner, and not used for gambling purposes. The term “slot machine” means a mechanical device, an essential part of which is a drum or reel which bears an insignia and which when operated may deliver, as a result of the application of an element of chance, a token, money, or property, or by operation of which a person may become entitled to receive, as a result of this application of an element of chance, a token, money, or property.
(b) It shall be unlawful to install or operate a game of skill machine in the District except as permitted by subchapter III of Chapter 6 of Title 36. Whoever shall install or operate a game of skill machine in the District in violation of subchapter III of Chapter 6 of Title 36 shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be imprisoned for not more than180 days or fined not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01, or both.
§ 22–1705. Gambling premises; definition; prohibition against maintaining; forfeiture; liens; deposit of moneys in Treasury; penalty; subsequent offenses.
(a) Any house, building, vessel, shed, booth, shelter, vehicle, enclosure, room, lot, or other premises in the District of Columbia, used or to be used in violating the provisions of § 22-1701 or § 22-1704, shall be deemed “gambling premises” for the purpose of this section.
(b) It shall be unlawful for any person in the District of Columbia knowingly, as owner, lessee, agent, employee, operator, occupant, or otherwise, to maintain, or aid, or permit the maintaining of any gambling premises.
(c) All moneys, vehicles, furnishings, fixtures, equipment, stock (including, without limitation, furnishings and fixtures adaptable to nongambling uses, and equipment and stock for printing, recording, computing, transporting, safekeeping, or communication), or other things of value used or to be used in:
(1) Carrying on or conducting any lottery, or the game or device commonly known as a policy lottery or policy, contrary to the provisions of § 22-1701;
(2) Setting up or keeping any gaming table, bank, or device contrary to the provisions of § 22-1704; or
(3) Maintaining any gambling premises shall be subject to forfeiture consistent with the standards and procedures set forth in D.C. Law 20-278.
(d) Whoever violates this section shall be imprisoned not more than 180 days or fined not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01, or both, unless the violation occurs after the person has been convicted of a violation of this section, in which case the person may be imprisoned for not more than 5 years, or fined not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01, or both.
§ 22–1706. Three-card monte and confidence games.
Whoever shall in the District deal, play, or practice, or be in any manner accessory to the dealing or practicing, of the confidence game or swindle known as 3-card monte, or of any such game, play, or practice, or any other confidence game, play, or practice, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall be punished by a fine not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01 and by imprisonment for not more than 180 days.
§ 22–1707. “Gaming table” defined.
All games, devices, or contrivances at which money or any other thing shall be bet or wagered shall be deemed a gaming table within the meaning of §§ 22-1704 to 22-1706; and the courts shall construe said sections liberally, so as to prevent the mischief intended to be guarded against.
§ 22–1708. Gambling pools and bookmaking; athletic contest defined.
It shall be unlawful for any person, or association of persons, within the District of Columbia to purchase, possess, own, or acquire any chance, right, or interest, tangible or intangible, in any policy lottery or any lottery, or to make or place a bet or wager, accept a bet or wager, gamble or make books or pools on the result of any athletic contest. For the purpose of this section, the term “athletic contest” means any of the following, wherever held or to be held: a football, baseball, softball, basketball, hockey, or polo game, or a tennis, golf, or wrestling match, or a tennis or golf tournament, or a prize fight or boxing match, or a trotting or running race of horses, or a running race of dogs, or any other athletic or sporting event or contest. Any person or association of persons violating this section shall be fined not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01 or imprisoned not more than 180 days, or both.
§ 22–1709. Bucketing, and bucket-shopping and bucket-shops; definitions. [Repealed]
Repealed.
§ 22–1710. Penalty for bucketing or keeping bucket-shop. [Repealed]
Repealed.
§ 22–1711. Penalty for communicating, receiving, exhibiting, or displaying quotations of prices. [Repealed]
Repealed.
§ 22–1712. Bucketing; written statement to be furnished; contents. [Repealed]
Repealed.
§ 22–1713. Corrupt influence in connection with athletic contests.
(a) It shall be unlawful to pay or give, or to agree to pay or give, or to promise or offer, any valuable thing to any individual:
(1) With intent to influence such individual to lose or cause to be lost, or to attempt to lose or cause to be lost, or to limit or attempt to limit such individual or his or her team’s margin of victory or score in, any professional or amateur athletic contest in which such individual is or may be a contestant or participant; or
(2) With intent to influence such individual, in the case of any professional or amateur athletic contest in connection with which such individual (as a manager, coach, owner, second, jockey, trainer, handler, groom, or otherwise) has or will have any duty or responsibility with respect to a contestant, participant, or team who or which is engaging or may engage therein, to cause or attempt to cause:
(A) The loss of such athletic contest by such contestant, participant, or team; or
(B) The margin of victory or score of such contestant, participant, or team to be limited; or
(3) With intent to influence such individual, in the case of any professional or amateur athletic contest in connection with which such individual is to be or may be a referee, judge, umpire, linesman, starter, timekeeper, or other similar official, to cause or attempt to cause:
(A) The loss of such athletic contest by any contestant, participant, or team who or which is engaging or may engage therein; or
(B) The margin of victory or score of any such contestant, participant, or team to be limited.
(b) It shall be unlawful for any individual to solicit or accept, or to agree to accept, any valuable thing or a promise or offer of any valuable thing:
(1) To influence such individual to lose or cause to be lost, or to attempt to lose or cause to be lost, or to limit or attempt to limit such individual or his or her team’s margin of victory or score in, any professional or amateur athletic contest in which such individual is or may be a contestant or participant; or
(2) To influence such individual, in the case of any professional or amateur athletic contest in connection with which such individual (as a manager, coach, owner, second, jockey, trainer, handler, groom, or otherwise) has or will have any duty or responsibility with respect to a contestant, participant, or team who or which is engaging or may engage therein, to cause or attempt to cause:
(A) The loss of such athletic contest by such contestant, participant, or team; or
(B) The margin of victory or score of such contestant, participant, or team to be limited; or
(3) To influence such individual, in the case of any professional or amateur athletic contest in connection with which such individual is to be or may be a referee, judge, umpire, linesman, starter, timekeeper, or other similar official, to cause or attempt to cause:
(A) The loss of such athletic contest by any contestant, participant, or team who or which is engaging or may engage therein; or
(B) The margin of victory or score of any such contestant, participant, or team to be limited.
(c) Whoever violates any provision of subsection (a) of this section shall be guilty of a felony, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment for not less than 1 year nor more than 5 years and by a fine of not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01.
(d) Whoever violates any provision of subsection (b) of this section shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished by imprisonment for not more than 1 year and by a fine of not more than the amount set forth in § 22-3571.01.
(e) As used in this section, the term “athletic contest” means any of the following, wherever held or to be held: a football, baseball, softball, basketball, hockey, or polo game, or a tennis or wrestling match, or a prize fight or boxing match, or a horse race or any other athletic or sporting event or contest.
(f) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the giving or offering of any bonus or extra compensation to any manager, coach, or professional player, or to any league, association, or conference for the purpose of encouraging such manager, coach, or player to a higher degree of skill, ability, or diligence in the performance of his or her duties.
§ 22–1714. Immunity of witnesses; record.
(a) Whenever, in the judgment of the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, the testimony of any witness, or the production of books, papers, or other records or documents, by any witness, in any case or proceeding involving a violation of this subchapter before any grand jury or a court in the District of Columbia, is necessary in the public interest, such witness shall not be excused from testifying or from producing books, papers, and other records and documents on the grounds that the testimony or evidence, documentary or otherwise, required of such witness may tend to incriminate such witness, or subject such witness to penalty or forfeiture; but such witness shall not be prosecuted or subject to any penalty or forfeiture for or on account of any transaction, matter, or thing concerning which such witness is compelled, after having claimed his or her privilege against self-incrimination, to testify or produce evidence, documentary or otherwise; except that such witness so testifying shall not be exempt from prosecution and punishment for perjury or contempt committed in so testifying.
(b) The judgment of the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia that any testimony, or the production of any books, papers, or other records or documents, is necessary in the public interest shall be confirmed in a written communication over the signature of the United States Attorney for the District of Columbia, addressed to the grand jury or the court in the District of Columbia concerned, and shall be made a part of the record of the case or proceeding in which such testimony or evidence is given.
§ 22–1715. Presence in illegal establishments. [Repealed]
Repealed.
Subchapter II. Lotteries and Gambling General Legalization.
§ 22–1716. Statement of purpose.
It is the purpose of this subchapter to legalize lotteries, daily numbers games, bingo, raffles, Monte Carlo night parties, and sports wagering, which activities are to be conducted only by the District of Columbia and only those licensed by the District of Columbia and subject to the jurisdiction, authority, and control of the District of Columbia. These activities will provide revenue to the District of Columbia and will provide the citizens of the District of Columbia financial benefits.
§ 22–1717. Permissible gambling activities.
Nothing in subchapter I of this chapter shall be construed to prohibit the operation of or participation in lotteries and/or daily numbers games operated by and for the benefit of the District of Columbia by the Office of Lottery and Gaming, including bingo, raffles, and Monte Carlo night parties organized for educational and charitable purposes, regulated by the Office of Lottery and Gaming, or sports wagering regulated, licensed, or operated by the Office of Lottery and Gaming.[]
§ 22–1718. Advertising and promotion; sale and possession of lottery and numbers tickets and slips.
(a) Nothing in subchapter I of this chapter shall be construed to prohibit the advertising and promotion of excepted permissible gambling activities pursuant to § 22-1717, hereof, including, but not limited to, the sale, by agents authorized by the District of Columbia, and the possession of tickets, certificates, or slips for lottery and daily numbers games excepted and permissible pursuant to § 22-1717, the sale, lease, purchase, or possession of tickets, slips, certificates, or cards for bingo, raffles, and Monte Carlo night parties, excepted and permissible pursuant to § 22-1717, or the sale, lease, purchase, or possession of tickets, slips, certificates, or cards for sports wagering excepted and permissible pursuant to [§ 22-1717].
(b) Nothing in § 22-1701 shall prohibit advertising a lottery by the Maryland State Lottery so long as Maryland does not prohibit advertising or otherwise publishing an account of a lottery by the District of Columbia.
