Chap. 545.—An ACT to prevent gambling and selling or making books, pools
or mutuals within the commonwealth of Virginia.

Approved February 29, 1896.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That it shall
be unlawful for any person or persons, or association of persons, cor-
poration or corporations to occupy any ground or room, shed, booth,
tent, tenement, or building, or any part thereof, erected on the grounds
of any agricultutural association, grange association, base-ball park,
driving or riding club or association, public or private parks, or else-
where within the limits of this commonwealth, with books, apparatus
or paraphernalia for the purpose of recording bets or wagers, or of
selling or making books, pools or mutuals upon the result of any
game of baseball, football, or the tria! of speed or power of endurance
of any animal or beast, or being the owner, lessee, or occupant of any
room, shed, booth, tent, tenement, building or grounds, or part thereof,
knowingly to permit the same to be used for making bets on any game
or games of base-ball, foot-ball, or trial of speed or power of endurance
of any animal or beast, or therein or thereon, to keep, exhibit, or
employ, or permit to be kept, exhibited, or employed any device or
apparatus for the purpose of recording or registering such bets or
wagers or the selling or making of such books, pools or mutuals, or
to become the custodian or depository for gain, hire or reward of any
money, property or thing of value, bet or wagered, or to be wagered
or bet, contrary to the provisions of this act, or to receive, register,
record, forward or purport or pretend to forward to or for any race-
course, any money, thing or consideration of value offered for the pur-
pose of being bet or wagered upon the speed or power of endurance
of any animal or beast, or for any person or persons to occupy any
place, building or grounds, or part thereof, with books, paper, appa-
ratus or paraphernalia for the purpose of receiving, recording or reg-
istering any bets or wagers, or to aid, assist or abet in any manner
whatsoever in any of the acts forbidden by this statute.

2. That nothing in this act shall be construed to prevent agricul-
tural associations and riding and driving clubs or associations offer-
ing @ purse or premium at such trials of speed of animals or beasts
as may be held by them.

3. That any person or persons, or association of persons, corpora-
tion or corporations violating the provisions of this act shall, on con-
viction thereof, be fined not less than one hundred dollars nor more
than one thousand dollars, one-half of which shall be paid to the in-
former, and be imprisoned not less than six months nor more than
one year in jail.

4, All acts or parts of acts inconsistent with this act are hereby
repealed.

5. This act shall be in force from its passage.