Federal · Title 15 — Commerce and Trade

15 U.S.C. § 1175: Specific jurisdictions within which manufacturing, repairing, selling, possessing, etc., prohibited; exceptions

Misdemeanor

What this law says, in plain English

Federal law prohibits manufacturing, repairing, selling, possessing, or using gambling devices in D.C., U.S. possessions, Indian country, and federal maritime areas, with limited exceptions for vessels meeting specific voyage criteria.

Read the full statutory text
It shall be unlawful to manufacture, recondition, repair, sell, transport, possess, or use any gambling device in the District of Columbia, in any possession of the United States, within Indian country as defined in section 1151 of title 18 or within the special maritime and territorial jurisdiction of the United States as defined in section 7 of title 18 , including on a vessel documented under chapter 121 of title 46 or documented under the laws of a foreign country. the repair, transport, possession, or use of a gambling device on a vessel that is not within the boundaries of any State or possession of the United States; use of the gambling device on a portion of that voyage is, by reason of subparagraph (A), not a violation of this section; and the gambling device remains on board that vessel while the vessel is within the boundaries of that State or possession; or the repair, transport, possession, or use of a gambling device on a vessel on a voyage that begins in the State of Indiana and that does not leave the territorial jurisdiction of that State, including such a voyage on Lake Michigan. Paragraph (1)(A) does not apply to the repair or use of a gambling device on a vessel that is on a voyage or segment of a voyage described in subparagraph (B) of this paragraph if the State or possession of the United States in which the voyage or segment begins and ends has enacted a statute the terms of which prohibit that repair or use on that voyage or segment. that begins and ends in the same State or possession of the United States, and during which the vessel does not make an intervening stop within the boundaries of another State or possession of the United States or a foreign country. that begins and ends in the same State; that is part of a voyage to another State or to a foreign country; and in which the vessel reaches the other State or foreign country within 3 days after leaving the State in which it begins. prohibit the use of a gambling device on a vessel while it is docked or anchored or while it is operating within 3 nautical miles of a port at which it is scheduled to call; and require the gambling devices to remain on board the vessel. includes a stop in Canada or in a State other than the State of Alaska; includes stops in at least 2 different ports situated in the State of Alaska; and is of at least 60 hours duration.

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This page is legal information, not legal advice. Code text is sourced from official publications and may lag amendments — always confirm at the official source linked above. Plain-English summaries and relationship data are AI-derived and reviewed on an ongoing basis; verify with a licensed attorney before acting.