Page:United States Statutes at Large Volume 75.djvu/531

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STAT.]

PUBLIC LAW 87-216-SEPT. 13, 1961

491

Public Law 87-216 AN ACT

To amend chapter 50 of title 18, United States Code, with respect to the transmission of bets, wagers, and related information.

September 13, 1961

[S. 1656]

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 1081 wagering inforof title 18 of the United States Code is amended by adding the "Transmission. following paragraph: ^3 Stat. 92. "The term 'wire communication facility' means any and all instru- cation facuu"'^^" mentalities, personnel, and services (among other things, the receipt, forwarding, or delivery of communications) used or useful in the transmission of writings, signs, pictures, and sounds of all kinds by aid of wire, cable, or other like connection between the points of origin and reception of such transmission." 18 SEC. 2, Chapter 50 of such title is amended by adding thereto a new 1083. u s e 1081section 1084 as follows: "§ 1084. Transmission of wagering information; penalties "(a) Whoever being engaged in the business of betting or wagering knowingly uses a wire communication facility for the transmission in interstate or foreign commerce of bets or wagers or information assisting in the placing of bets or wagers on any sporting event or contest, or for the transmission of a wire communication which entitles the recipient to receive money or credit as a result of bets or wagers, or for information assisting in the placing of bets or wagers, shall be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned not more than two years, or both. "(b) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prevent the transmission in interstate or foreign commerce of information for use in news reporting of sporting events or contests, or for the transmission of information assisting in the placing of bets or w agers on a sporting event or contest from a State where betting on that sporting event or contest is legal into a State in which such betting is legal. "(c) Nothing contained in this section shall create immunity from criminal prosecution under any laws of any State, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, territory, possession, or the District of Columbia. " (d) When any common carrier, subject to the jurisdiction of the Federal Communications Commission, is notified in writing by a Federal, State, or local law enforcement agency, acting within its jurisdiction, that any facility furnished by it is being used or will be used for the purpose of transmitting or receiving gambling information in interstate or foreign commerce in violation of Federal, State or local law, it shall discontinue or refuse, the leasing, furnishing, or maintaining of such facility, after reasonable notice to the subscriber, but no damages, penalty or forfeiture, civil or criminal, shall be found against any common carrier for any act done in compliance with any notice received from a law enforcement agency. Nothing in this section shall be deemed to prejudice the right of any person affected thereby to secure an appropriate determination, as otherwise provided by law, in a Federal court or in a State or local tribunal or agency, that such facility should not be discontinued or removed, or should be restored." SEC. 3. The analysis preceding section 1081 of such title is amended by adding the following item: "Sec. 1084. Transmission of wagering information; penalties."

Approved September 13, 1961.

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