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Mass. General Laws c.271

Crimes against public policy

This page links to an unofficial version of each section of c. 271. Please note that sections that appear missing have been either reserved for future use or repealed.

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§1 Gaming or betting; forfeiture 

Amended by St.2022, c.173, § 10, effective August 10, 2022

§1A ''House'', ''building'' and ''place'' including ship or vessel 
§2 Gaming or betting in public conveyance or place or while trespassing in private place; arrest without warrant 

Amended by St.2022, c.173, § 11, effective August 10, 2022

§3 Innholders and others keeping or suffering implements to be used for gaming 

Amended by St.2022, c.173, § 12, effective August 10, 2022

§4 Gaming in inns and other occupied places; use of billiard table, bowling alley or other implement for gaming 
§5 Gaming, lottery, pool or betting houses; tables or apparatus for gaming 

Amended by St.2022, c.173, § 13, effective August 10, 2022

§5A Gambling devices; forfeiture; antique slot machines 

Amended by St.2022, c.173, § 14, effective August 10, 2022

§5B Unlawful possession of electronic machine or device for conducting or promoting sweepstakes through entertaining display; lawful exceptions; penalty 

Amended by St.2022, c.173, § 15, effective August 10, 2022

§6 Gaming relative to cattle shows, military muster or public gathering; arrest without warrant 
§6A Plans under which purchasers agree to obtain more purchasers; injunction; receivers 
§6B Skilo and similar games 
§7 Lotteries; disposal of property by chance 
§7A Raffles and bazaars; conduct by certain organizations 
§8 Permitting lotteries, raffles and games of chance in buildings 

Amended by St.2022, c.173, § 16, effective August 10, 2022

§9 Lottery tickets; sale, or possession 
§10 Subsequent offenses within five years of conviction 
§10A Arrest without warrant 
§11 Lottery tickets; advertising 
§12 False lottery tickets; creation, sale, or possession 
§13 Lottery tickets, tokens or shares deemed false 
§14 Forfeiture of money, prizes, or other property disposed of by chance; recovery 
§15 Lottery for money drawn out of commonwealth; aiding or promoting 
§16 Tickets of lottery described in Sec. 15; sale or possession 
§16A Organizing or promoting gambling facilities or services 
§17 Place for registering bets or dealing in pools; owner or occupant; custodian or depository 

Amended by St.2022, c.173, § 17, effective August 10, 2022

§17A Telephones; use for gaming purposes 

Amended by St.2022, c.173, § 18, effective August 10, 2022

§17B Use of electronic communications records in ongoing criminal investigations; subpoena of records 
§18 Policy lotteries or shops; production, sale or possession of lottery tickets or tokens 
§19 Production, advertisement or delivery of tickets; receipt of money; prima facie evidence 

Amended by St.2022, c.173, § 19, effective August 10, 2022

§20 Tickets, memoranda, books and sheets; nuisance; possession; concealment 

Amended by St.2022, c.173, § 20, effective August 10, 2022

§21 Words, figures or characters referring to game or contest; prima facie evidence; proof 
§22 Delivery to or from a person engaged in a lottery or other illegal gaming 
§22A Whist or bridge for charitable and similar purposes 
§22B Beano; sale of lottery tickets 
§23 Oath and warrant to enter gaming or lottery place, arrest persons and seize implements and materials; disposal of articles 

Amended by St.2022, c.173, § 21, effective August 10, 2022

§24 Race tracks; owners, proprietors of, or persons present 
§25 Obstructions barring access to gaming places; removal; lien of expenses 
§26 Subsequent obstructions; removal; punishment; lien 
§27 Judicial notice of methods and character of lotteries, policy games, pools and betting; prima facie evidence 

Amended by St.2022, c.173, § 22, effective August 10, 2022

§28 Lotteries or illegal gaming; complaints and indictments 

Amended by St.2022, c.173, § 23, effective August 10, 2022

§29 Sale, exchange or disposition of property; misrepresentation 
§30 Trading stamps or similar devices; sale or delivery 
§31 Racing horses for bets or stakes 
§31A Racing results or information; transmission for unlawful purposes 
§32 Horse racing; fraud 
§33 Race grounds in towns 
§34 Race grounds as nuisance; abatement 
§35 Definition of words and phrases used in Secs. 35 to 38 
§36 Bucketing contracts; keeper of shop; domestic and foreign corporations 
§37 Prohibited contracts; price quotations 
§38 Purchases and sales of securities or commodities; written statement 
§39 Gifts to influence business affairs; threats 
§39A Gifts to influence action of participants in, and others connected with, a game or contest 
§40 Appointment, reinstatement or discharge of employee of public service corporation or racing licensee on recommendation of public officer, officer elect or candidate 
§41 Offices not public offices under Sec. 40 
§42 Boxing matches or exhibitions; betting or selling pools 

Amended by St.2022, c.173, § 24, effective August 10, 2022

§43 Solicitation, disclosure, receipt or use of information concerning public assistance 
§44 Hospital or sanitarium patient; settlement, release or statement; admissibility 
§46 Discarded containers originally used for refrigerative purposes; removal of doors 
§47 Telephones; gambling convictions; approval for installation; notices of convictions and removals 
§48 Civil service preparatory courses; advertisement 
§49 Criminal usury 
§50 Sale of research papers, etc.; taking of examinations for another at educational institutions 
§51 Taking or transmitting images of crime victims by first responders 

Added by St.2022, c. 146, effective November 2, 2022

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