In the USA are gambling debts the same as any other debts?Or is there a legal difference?

Question

I realise that in some places it might be very bad for your health if you don't pay your gambling debts :-)
But are they legally enforcible in law?
If you owe money to someone from a Poker game,for example,can he go to law and force you to pay?
Or is it considered as a "Debt of Honour" and no cocern of the Legal System?
Tia

Hi,Chris.
I didn't know that private poker games were illegal in most states!
We see them so often in films and on TV that we assume it's a common
practice.
I always think of the Poker game in "The Odd Couple" where one guy eats a hundred dollar bill in a sandwich and accuses his friends of stealing it.

Thanks for the other replies so far.
Very kind of you.

Thanks again!
Just love the bits about the baseball bats and the kneecaps!
English have a weird sense of humour!
Gambling is legal in the UK,so nobody bothers about the Bookies.
A few years ago I had a phase of betting "Each way trebles"
After a couple of weeks, a bet came up.
Went to the Bookies to collect.
He said:
"We don't take Each way trebles!
Screams of Righteous Indignation from me:
"You don't take 'em?"
"You don't take 'em?"
"You've been bloody well takin' 'em for two bloody weeks"
"Why didnt you tell me THEN?
You Bum!"
Much more in this fashion!
Anyway, the guy gets out his ledgers,counts up,gives me all my money back and also buys me a drink!
I actually felt sorry for the poor guy!
Loan sharks,however, have little sense of humour!
They use baseball bats (and you STILL owe the money!) Which I think is a bit "ungentlemanly"
Anyway,a "Gentleman" would use a Pickaxe-handle. Like Clint in Pale Rider.Wow! That's ironic use of bit of hickory :-)

Answer 1

This seems more like a legal question, rather than a question of credit. I would have to assume that gambling debts are not collectible by legal means unless they were incurred in an area where gambling is legal (Las Vegas, Reno, Atlantic City, etc.) Even then, it would depend on how the debts were inccurred. A local guy that runs numbers on the side probably wouldn't be able to collect upon his debts the same way a major casino operation would.

Basically, if you owe a casino money in an area where gambling is legal, you may be in hot water. Otherwise, I think you are safe... well safe from the law collecting your debts. The guy outside your house waiting to break your kneecaps is a different story.

Answer 2

Only in you are using your credit card to pay gambling debts.

If these are private debts, lenders would have no way of knowing how much debt you are in with your bookie.

But I agree, in some ways private gambling debts are worse for you then debts with creditors. Mainly because Visa does not use baseballs bats as a method of collection.

Answer 3

Depends, if from Casino, i'll be enforced in law as a credit card debt. If is a game between you and ur friend, it would be debt of honour.
If is a debt from ppl around that corner thats giving out deals from NBA game, backed by the mafia. i suggest you not to owe them anything. I know something tried to run away from their debt, and hes leg got broken before he can get on the airplane...

Answer 4

I would say if it was a private game it is between you and your fellow players. Since gambling, including private poker games is illegal in most states I do not think you would want to get the authorities involved.

Answer 5

I am sure the law would look at it the way as they would if you owed money on a drug buy. Out of their jurisdiction.

The law tends to stay with legal dealings.

Answer 6

Yes, there is a difference depending on state or federal law on gambling. Our website will tell you more:
http://www.recovergamblinglosses.com