Risk for Player Becoming a Sub-Agent

[cincy]

If someone is a player at a pay per head shop and the agent tells the player to bring in some friends and he will give the player a percentage back on the loses on the people he brings to the agent. If the player does this, does this basically put the player at the same level as the illegal bookie/agent, since the player may make a small amount of money on the losses of the people he referred? The player basically becomes a sub-agent to the master agent.

I do not believe it is illegal to be a player that wagers through an illegal bookie/agent and I have never heard of a player being arrested simply for placing bets with an illegal bookie. But I think it is illegal to be the bookie/agent who makes the juice on the bets and does the pay/collects with his customers.

Regardless of what the hell is legal, does the player who referred people and makes a small amount of money on their loses have any real risk of being arrested as a illegal bookie. Have any players who only referred a handful of people to a bookie and only made a small amount of money from the losses ever been arrested?

[YorkHunt]

Your pretty much acting as a bookie to get referrals monies back for referring someone to him. And any payment he makes to you for doing that, your pretty much considered involved in racketeering as well.

[onacloud]

Yes word it however you want but it is ILLEGAL

[cincy]

Yeah I have never done this and I would not really want to make money on my friends loses anyway since i would hope that my friends would win. But an agent did offer this one time when I never even asked for a percentage back on their loses. I wondered why the agent would offer this when I never asked. Maybe the agent wants to give the player a small percentage of referred player loses so he has something to hold over the player.

[princecharles]

I have a friend who got pinched for just this.
DeFacto rule/law is be a 'player' all you like, no risk. As soon as you collect or payout for even one other player, law enforcement will see you as a target. They had him on a taped phone call. Doesn't matter if it's a friend, you made no money on the deal, etc.

Similar with drugs. Users are at the very bottom of the totem pole. At worst depending on your state simple possession. However if someone GIVES drugs (no money changes hands) to another person, that is considered dealing and or distribution.

[dangerfish]

I have a friend who got pinched for just this.
DeFacto rule/law is be a 'player' all you like, no risk. As soon as you collect or payout for even one other player, law enforcement will see you as a target. They had him on a taped phone call. Doesn't matter if it's a friend, you made no money on the deal, etc.

Similar with drugs. Users are at the very bottom of the totem pole. At worst depending on your state simple possession. However if someone GIVES drugs (no money changes hands) to another person, that is considered dealing and or distribution.

What happened to your friend that got pinched? Was he part of a larger investigation?

[Trident]

What happened to your friend that got pinched? Was he part of a larger investigation?

If caught would be a slap on the wrist but would have to pay for a lawyer, have record etc, biggest worry would be the IRS who would most likely come after you.

What you will make versus the risk of trouble down the road isn't worth it if you ask me.

[touchback]

Small fry... they just gonna squeeze you for information on primary agent. Pain in the ass... yes. Doing time, no. Maybe fine and some probation if they even bother...

[Sdotbold]

I doubt any real operation would have people posting shit on the Internet. You'll be fine

[Frogger]

Law enforcement will never bother a player unless you are stealing from your job to pay for something crazy like that.

[Fred Flintstone]

I have known a few "players" that have been pinched in investigations and they have to go through all they same shit as the bookmaker-


If they have you on tape taking an envelope you are considered an agent until proven otherwise-


The call it an incident for the courts-

Let's not be naive- Cops are stupid- they just want to make a case-


They # 1 thing that will get you pinched as a bookmaker is making threats-

after that is making it worth there time to pinch you- which means they think they can score a big payday for the cops and the DA office-


It is like anything else- it has to be worth it to go after you- if your a small guy and stay clean- don't threaten anyone and treat your clients good you will never be bothered-

[princecharles]

What happened to your friend that got pinched? Was he part of a larger investigation?

It was no fuking field day for him, I can tell you that.
He ended up getting his 'punishment' via legal fees, a fine,
Huge fights with his players, etc.

[HedgeHog]

Each person needs to weigh this as a risk vs reward scenario. Becoming a bookie or his agent, for me, is certainly not worth placing a bullseye on my back. I can see why others might venture into this field ($$$), but I just feel I'm too pretty for prison.