Plano Illegal Gambling Bust Is Good News & Big $$ For CityIt was a bust 12 years in the making. Authorities in Plano have taken down a major illegal gambling operation worth billions of dollars. Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott announced this afternoon announcing that HEST Technologies pleaded guilty to engaging in organized criminal activity for gambling offenses. Its president, Chris. Federal law defines illegal gambling activity as a violation of the law of the state in which it is conducted, where the act involves five or more people who conduct, finance, manage, supervise. The strict regulations on nearly all forms of gambling have led many people to use loopholes, legal machinations and in some cases pure lies to bypass them. Due to the increasing popularity as well as highly profitable nature of gambling, an illegal and semi-legal gambling industry worth billions of dollars exists in Texas. While the potential. Type/Code: Summary: State Code Section(s) PEN.10.47; CIV.6: Definition of Gambling: A person commits an offense if he makes a bet on the partial or final result of a game or contest or on the performance of a participant in a game or contest; makes a bet on the result of any political nomination, appointment, or election or on the degree of success of any nominee, appointee, or candidate;.

Although gambling is a multi-billion-dollar industry, the state of Texas has traditionally taken a hard line stance against the industry. “Texas Hold ‘Em”, the extremely sought after casino game is regularly played in poker tournaments around the world offering millions in cash prizes. The game derives its name from Texas but the Lone Star state forbids people from playing it for economic benefit.

The strict regulations on nearly all forms of gambling have led many people to use loopholes, legal machinations and in some cases pure lies to bypass them. Due to the increasing popularity as well as highly profitable nature of gambling, an illegal and semi-legal gambling industry worth billions of dollars exists in Texas. While the potential profits might encourage some to engage in illegal gambling activities, the legal consequences might be quite sobering.

Laws Surrounding Game Rooms and Eight-Liner Machines

The Texas Penal Code strictly forbids most forms of gambling. Chapter 47 of the code specifically forbids betting money or anything else of value on the outcome of a card game or any game of chance.

According to section 47.02, a person commits an offense if he or she:

• Makes a bet on the partial or final result of a game or contest or on the performance of a participant in a game or contest
• Makes a bet on the result of any political nomination, appointment, or election or on the degree of success of any nominee, appointee, or candidate
• Gambles for cash or other valuable products at a game played using cards, dice, or other gambling paraphernalia

An offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor.

Section 47.03 criminalizes the intentional promotion of gambling activities. This makes it illegal to:

• Operate or participate in the earnings of a gambling place
• Engage in bookmaking
• Hold anything of value or offered to bet with the aim of making a profit
• Sell chances on the partial or final result of or on the margin of victory in any game or contest or on the performance of any participant in any game or contest
• Set up or promote any lottery or offers with the aim of making a profit

An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor.

Section 47.04 prohibits one from using or allowing others to use property owned or controlled by him for gambling purposes with the aim of gaining profits. This is considered a Class A misdemeanor.

Knowingly communicating gambling information with the aim of making a profit is also criminalized under section 47.05 of the penal code. This includes the communication of information about bets, betting odds, or changes in betting odds or knowingly providing, installing, or maintaining equipment for the transmission or receipt of such information.

Section 47.06 further penalizes the possession of equipment or gambling devices that might be used to communicate the kind of information forbidden under section 47.05. Offenses under both sections are classified as Class A misdemeanors.

Defenses Against Gambling Charges

Though these gambling laws might appear harsh, with the aid of a good lawyer it is possible to mount successful defenses should one ever face such charges in a court of law. Some defenses that attorneys might advance include:

• The accused engaged in gambling in a private place
• No person received any economic benefits apart from personal winnings
• Except for the advantage of skill or luck, the chances of winning and risks of losing were equal for all parties involved
• The gambling activity is allowed by a separate law such as the State Lottery Act and the Texas Racing Act
• The accused owned or possessed gambling equipment with the aim of transporting it to another jurisdiction where possession of such equipment is legal.

The Problem of Eight-Liners

Section 47.01 of the Penal Code gives the definition of a gambling device. It defines many popular devices used in the games of chance including slot machines, roulette wheels, electronic poker or blackjack machines, and keno machines.

This section legalizes such gaming devices, provided they’re installed purely for entertainment purposes and give out winnings in form of prizes other than cash. The value of these prizes must also be either $5 or not surpass 10 times their purchase price, whichever figure is lower.

This exception to the law has fueled a rise in underground gambling activity across Texas with many operators seeking to make a profit by exploiting this legal loophole. For example, machines known as eight-liners have been growing in popularity all over the state with installations in both public places and private residences. Although they claim to be legitimate businesses, they would be deemed illegal if properly scrutinized by inspectors.

Such devices can easily be programmed to substitute cash payouts with other items such as home appliances. These prizes can then be exchanged for cash, thereby bypassing the strict ban against gambling for economic benefit. Some even configure them to pay out in cash while fooling gambling inspectors that they’re still operating within the law.

Gambling Penalties

Gambling for economic benefit in Texas might lead to some heavy penalties for those involved. Section 47 of the Texas Penal Code classifies the crimes as class A and C misdemeanors. The penalties for such crimes are:

• A fine of up to $500
• Community service and probation

These penalties are applicable for class C misdemeanors.

Class A misdemeanors attract penalties of:

• Up to one year in county jail
• A fine of up to $4000

Attitudes Towards Game Rooms

While the legislative and law enforcement institutions in Texas continue to take a hard-line stance against gambling activities, civilians have shown a willingness to embrace relaxed gambling laws. In an effort to have some peace of mind, some Texas residents spend a lot of money traveling to other states where gambling for profit is allowed. The continued popularity of underground game rooms and explosion of online casinos is also a signal that the people would not mindless restrictive gambling laws.

Recently, some game rooms have gone to court seeking a proper interpretation of gambling laws, especially in cases where state laws seem to clash with federal laws. Some clubs operate in legal gray zones by interpreting the law in a way that suits their financial needs. For example, while gambling for economic benefit is strictly prohibited, these clubs make money by renting seats, charging by the hour, charging for the use of facilities inside the game room, and selling food and drinks at higher than normal profit margins.

Want to Know More about Texas Game Room Laws?

If you’ve been charged with breaking game room related laws, we will use the resources at our disposal to ensure the most favorable outcome for you. If you’re venturing into owning a game room, we will clear up any confusion or anxiety you might have about breaking the law.

The Law Office of Matthew D. Sharp has all the answers to your questions. Our highly experienced attorneys and dedicated team of legal experts leave nothing to chance in ensuring you get the best legal representation in Texas.

Lester Ben Binion (November 20, 1904 – December 5, 1989) was an American gambling icon, career criminal, and convicted murderer who established illegal gambling operations in the Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas area. He would later relocate to Nevada, where gambling was legal, and open the successful Binion's Horseshoe casino in downtown Las Vegas.

Early history[edit]

Binion was born and raised in Pilot Grove, Texas in Grayson County, north of Dallas. His parents initially kept him out of school due to poor health. His father, a horse trader, let him accompany him on trips. While the outdoor life restored his health, Binion never had any formal education.^[1] As he traveled with his father, the young man learned to gamble, a favorite pastime when horse traders met up with farmers and merchants during county fair trade days.^[2]

Criminal history[edit]

Binion's FBI file reveals a criminal history dating back to 1924, listing offenses such as theft, carrying concealed weapons, and two murder convictions.^[3]

Binion moved to El Paso when he was 18, where he began moonshining during the Prohibition Era.^[4] A year later, Binion moved to Dallas where he again set up moonshining operations, for which he was twice convicted.^[5] In addition to his moonshining, in 1928, Binion opened up an even more lucrative numbers game.^[6]

In 1931, Binion was convicted of shooting and killing an African Americanrum-runner, Frank Bolding, 'cowboy style.'^[7] This was the origin of Binion's 'Cowboy' nickname.^[8] Binion received a two-year suspended sentence.^[8]

In 1936, Binion established a network of private dice games at several Dallas hotels, including the Southland Hotel in downtown Dallas. This came to be known as the Southland Syndicate.^[9] By the end of 1936, Binion had gained control of most gambling operations in Dallas, with protection from a powerful local politician.^[10]

In 1936, Binion and a henchman killed a numbers operator and competitor, Ben Frieden, emptying their pistols into him. Binion then allegedly shot himself in the shoulder and turned himself in to police, claiming that Frieden had shot him first. Binion was indicted, but the indictment was later dismissed on the grounds that Binion had acted in self-defense.^[11] In 1938, Binion and another henchmen allegedly killed Sam Murray, another of Binion's competitors in the gambling rackets. Binion was never indicted for this murder, and charges were dropped against his henchmen.^[10]

By the early 1940s, Binion had become the reigning mob boss of Dallas. He then sought to take over the gambling rackets in Fort Worth. The local mob boss of that city, Lewis Tindell, was murdered shortly afterwards.^[12]

The Chicago Outfit made a successful move into Dallas after World War II. With the 1946 election of a Dallas County Sheriff Steve Gutherie, Binion lost his fix with the local government and fled to Las Vegas.^[13]

While in Dallas, Binion had begun a long-running feud with Herbert Noble, a small-time Dallas gambler, which continued after Binion moved to Las Vegas. Binion demanded that Noble increase his payoff to Binion from 25 to 40 percent, which Noble refused to do.^[14] Binion posted a reward on Noble's scalp that eventually reached $25,000 and control of a Dallas crap game.^[7] Noble survived numerous attempts on his life, sometimes narrowly escaping with gunshot wounds. In November 1949, Noble's wife was killed in a car bombing intended for him.^[7] In retaliation, Noble planned to fly his private plane to Las Vegas to bomb Binion's house, but was restrained by local law enforcement before he could execute his plan.^[7] In August 1951, as Herbert Noble drove up to his mailbox, a bomb exploded nearby, killing him instantly.^[15]

Binion lost his gambling license in 1951, and was sentenced to a five-year term in 1953 at Leavenworth federal penitentiary for tax evasion.^[16]

Casino years[edit]

In Las Vegas, Binion became a partner of the Las Vegas Club casino, but left after a year due to licensing problems after the casino relocated.^[17] In 1951, Benny purchased the building which had previously housed the Las Vegas Club, and opened it as the Westerner Gambling House and Saloon.^[18]

In 1951, he purchased the Eldorado Club and the Apache Hotel, opening them as Binion's Horseshoe casino, which immediately became popular because of the high limits on bets. He initially set a crapstable limit of $500, ten times higher than the limit at his competitors of the time.^[19] As a result of outdoing the competition, Binion received death threats, although eventually casinos raised their limits to keep up with him. Additionally, the Horseshoe would allow a bet of any size from a player as long as the bet was no larger than the player's initial bet.^[20]

Binion was in the vanguard of Las Vegas casino innovation. He was the first in the downtown Glitter Gulch to replace sawdust-covered floors with carpeting, the first to dispatch limousines to transport customers to and from the casino, and the first to offer free drinks to players.^[19] Although comps were standard for high rollers, Binion gave them to all players.^[21] He also shied away from the gaudy performing acts typical of other Las Vegas casinos.^[19]

Binion said he followed a simple philosophy when serving his customers: 'Good food, good whiskey cheap, and a good gamble.'^[19][22]

Binion was known to be generous to patrons. For many years the Horseshoe had a late night $2 steak special, with most of the meat for the steaks coming from cattle on Binion's ranches in Montana. The Horseshoe is also believed to be the first major casino to offer 100-times-odds at craps (a patron with a bet on the pass or don't-pass lines could take or lay up to 100 times their bet in odds).^{[citation needed]} The Horseshoe was one of the more profitable casinos in town.^[20]

One of the tourist attractions in Binion's was a large horseshoe with $1 million in $10,000 bills, embedded in plastic.

After his trial and conviction in 1953, to cover back taxes and legal costs, Binion sold a majority share in the Horseshoe to fellow gambler and New Orleans oilman Joe W. Brown.^[23] Binion’s family regained controlling interest in the Horseshoe in 1957, but did not regain full control until 1964.^[24] Benny was never allowed to hold a gaming license afterwards. Instead, his son Jack became the licensee, with Benny assuming the title of Director of Public Relations.^[25]

Binion styled himself a cowboy throughout his life. He almost never wore a necktie, and used gold coins as buttons on his cowboy shirts. Despite being technically barred from owning guns, he carried at least one pistol all his life, and kept a sawed-off shotgun close by. His office was a booth in the downstairs restaurant, and he knew many of his customers by name.

Poker[edit]

Benny Binion didn’t consider himself very good at poker, and did not really engage that frequently in competition and private cash games, preferring organizing them. He was however inducted posthumously in 1990 to the Poker Hall of Fame for his contribution to the Poker world.^[26]

Family[edit]

Binion and his wife, Teddy Jane, had five children: two sons, Jack and Ted, and three daughters, Barbara, Brenda and Becky.

Jack and Ted took over as president and casino manager, respectively, in 1964. Benny's wife, Teddy Jane, managed the casino cage until her death in 1994. In 1998, Binion's daughter, Becky, took over the presidency after a legal battle, and Jack moved on to other gambling interests. Becky's presidency saw the casino sink into debt. In 2004, federal agents seized $1 million from the Horseshoe's bankroll to satisfy unpaid union benefits, forcing its closure and eventual sale to Harrah's Entertainment. It now operates as Binion's Gambling Hall and Hotel under the ownership of TLC Gaming Group.

Ted was under nearly constant scrutiny from the Nevada Gaming Commission from 1986 onwards for his involvement in drugs and associating with known mob figures. His gaming license was revoked in 1989, and he died in mysterious circumstances about a decade later. Ted's live-in girlfriend (Sandra Murphy) and a man with whom she was having an affair (Rick Tabish) were charged and convicted of his murder, but the verdict was later overturned. They were retried and acquitted.^[27]

Legacy[edit]

Illegal Gambling Dallas Texas Riots

In January 1949, Binion arranged for Johnny Moss and 'Nick the Greek' Dandalos to play a head-to-head poker tournament which ended up lasting five months, with Nick the Greek ultimately losing a reported two million dollars. The 42-year-old Moss had to take breaks to sleep occasionally, during which the Greek, then 57, went over to the craps table and played. After the final hand, and losing millions of dollars, Nick the Greek uttered one of the most famous poker quotes of all time, 'Mr. Moss, I have to let you go.' (This is disputed as fact and is most likely a myth. Binion didn't operate a casino until 1951 in Las Vegas.)

After years of arranging heads-up matches between high-stakes players, the seed of an idea grew. Binion invited six high-rollers he knew to play in a tournament in 1970. They would compete for cash at the table, after which they would vote on a winner. Johnny Moss, then 63, was voted champion by his younger competition and received a small trophy. The next year, a freeze-out format with a $10,000 buy-in was introduced, and the World Series of Poker was born.

Binion's creation of the World Series helped the game of poker spread and become popular. He actually underestimated how popular it would become: in 1973, he dared to speculate that someday the tournament may have 50 or more entrants; the 2006 main event alone had 8773 entrants.

Benny never forgot his Texas roots and was a key player in getting the National Finals Rodeo to move to Las Vegas. He never forgot the cowboys after they arrived; he always paid the entry fees for all of the cowboys for their championship event. When the casino closed, Boyd Gaming took up the tradition that Binion started by continuing to pay all the entry fees. Every year during the NFR there is a large rodeo stock auction called 'Benny Binion's World Famous Bucking Horse and Bull Sale.'

Benny Binion was also the owner of a horse named 'Nigger' (later referred to as 'Benny Binion's Gelding') who was the 1946, 1947 and 1948 National Cutting Horse Association (NCHA) World Champion.^[28] Bred by Binion, ridden and trained by George Glascock, the solid black 15 hand gelding is the only horse to capture the NCHA World Championship three years in a row.^[29]

Death[edit]

Binion died of heart failure at the age of 85 on December 5, 1989 in Las Vegas.^[30] Poker great 'Amarillo Slim' Preston suggested as an epitaph, 'He was either the gentlest bad guy or the baddest good guy you'd ever seen.'^[31] He was posthumously inducted into the Poker Hall of Fame in 1990.

In popular culture[edit]

Relativity Media bought the screen rights to the book Blood Aces: The Wild Ride Of Benny Binion to be written for the screen by Cliff Dorfman, which will be a biopic on Binion's life.^[32]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^Doug Swanson. Blood Aces, (New York: Penguin Books, 2014), pp. 7-9. ISBN9780143127581
2. ^Doug Swanson. Blood Aces, (New York: Penguin Books, 2014), pp. 12-13. ISBN9780143127581
3. ^Reid, Ed, and Ovid Demaris. 1963. The Green Felt Jungle. Buccaneer Books, p. 154; Jay Robert Nash, World Encyclopedia of Organized Crime (1993). Da Capo Press
4. ^Doug Swanson. Blood Aces, (New York: Penguin Books, 2014), p. 13-14. ISBN9780143127581
5. ^Doug Swanson. Blood Aces, (New York: Penguin Books, 2014), p. 23. ISBN9780143127581
6. ^Doug Swanson. Blood Aces, (New York: Penguin Books, 2014), p. 27. ISBN9780143127581
7. ^ ^abcdGary Cartwright, Benny and the Boys, Texas Monthly, October 1991
8. ^ ^abDoug Swanson. Blood Aces, (New York: Penguin Books, 2014), p. 25. ISBN9780143127581
9. ^Doug Swanson. Blood Aces, (New York: Penguin Books, 2014), pp. 52-53. ISBN9780143127581
10. ^ ^abReid, Ed, and Ovid Demaris. 1963. The Green Felt Jungle. Buccaneer Books, pp. 156-157.
11. ^Doug Swanson. Blood Aces, (New York: Penguin Books, 2014), pp. 45-47. ISBN9780143127581
12. ^Reid, Ed, and Ovid Demaris. 1963. The Green Felt Jungle. Buccaneer Books, p. 158.
13. ^Reid, Ed, and Ovid Demaris. 1963. The Green Felt Jungle. Buccaneer Books, p. 160.
14. ^Doug Swanson. Blood Aces, (New York: Penguin Books, 2014), pp. 74-75. ISBN9780143127581
15. ^Reid, Ed, and Ovid Demaris. 1963. The Green Felt Jungle. Buccaneer Books, pp. 157-176.
16. ^Reid, Ed, and Ovid Demaris. 1963. The Green Felt Jungle. Buccaneer Books, pp. 176-177.
17. ^Doug Swanson. Blood Aces, (New York: Penguin Books, 2014), p. 120. ISBN9780143127581
18. ^Doug Swanson. Blood Aces, (New York: Penguin Books, 2014), p. 121. ISBN9780143127581
19. ^ ^abcdLinda Chase. Picturing Las Vegas, (Layton: Gibbs Smith, 2009), p. 17. ISBN9781423604884
20. ^ ^abA. D. Hopkins, Benny Binion, Las Vegas Review-Journal, February 7, 1999
21. ^Jack Sheehan. The Players: The Men Who Made Las Vegas, (University of Nevada Press, 1997), p. 62. ISBN087417306X
22. ^Oral History, Lester 'Benny' Binion, University of Nevada, Reno, 1976
23. ^Doug Swanson. Blood Aces, (New York: Penguin Books, 2014), p. 214-15. ISBN9780143127581
24. ^Retrospective on Horseshoe's history from UNLV Center for Gaming Research
25. ^Doug Swanson. Blood Aces, (New York: Penguin Books, 2014), p. 246. ISBN9780143127581
26. ^'Benny Binion's Life: Biggest Profits, Losses and Net Worth'. Somuchpoker. January 24, 2020. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
27. ^'Las Vegas City Life'. Archived from the original on September 4, 2012. Retrieved April 2, 2007.
28. ^Michelson, Miles. 'Nigger'. www.allbreedpedigree.com. Retrieved December 11, 2017.
29. ^Sage, Dean (1961). Training and riding the cutting horse. Western Horseman. p. 12.
30. ^'Benny Binion Is Dead; Casino Owner Was 85'. The New York Times. December 27, 1989. Archived from the original on September 17, 2014. Retrieved September 17, 2014.
31. ^''The Baddest Good Guy You'd Ever Seen''. The New York Times. December 24, 2005.
32. ^Fleming, Mike. 'Relativity Buys 'Blood Aces'; Story Of Benny Binion, The Cowboy-Gangster-Killer Who Hatched World Series Of Poker'. Deadline. Retrieved January 13, 2015.

Further reading[edit]

Illegal Gambling Dallas Texas Attorneys

• Ann Arnold. 1998. Gamblers & Gangsters: Fort Worth's Jacksboro Highway in the 1940s & 1950s Eakin Press
• Cathy Scott. 2000. Death in the Desert: The Ted Binion Homicide Case 1st Book Library
• Jim Gatewood. 2002. Benny Binion: The legend of Benny Binion, Dallas gambler and mob boss Mullaney Corp
• Jay Robert Nash, 1993. World Encyclopedia of Organized Crime Da Capo Press
• Ed Reid and Ovid Demaris. 1963. The Green Felt Jungle Buccaneer Books
• Gary Sleeper. 2006. I'll Do My Own Damn Killin': Benny Binion, Herbert Noble, and the Texas Gambling War Barricade Books
• Doug J. Swanson. 2014. Blood Aces: The Wild Ride of Benny Binion, The Texas Gangster Who Created Las Vegas Poker, Penguin ISBN9780698163508

Illegal Gambling Dallas Tx

External links[edit]

Illegal Gambling Dallas Texas Crime