LA

[CornerBoy]

There are so many gamblers in Malibu, pacific palisades, santa monica, bel-air, bev hills, WEst hollywood Encino and the WHOLE VALLEY. IF the ny mob could organize book/shark activity there it would be huge. Don't tell me that studio execs don't gamble? i know a lot of ppl there that play and its with joe schmoes. Why do the ny families or chicago eschew this type of money? I know in beverly hills the police force is strong and takes no shit but the other areas???

[JoelTurner]

There aren’t that many Italians here. I live in Thousand Oaks and I don’t know a single person who’s actually of Italian descent and not like 16% Italian.

People gamble but, anecdotally, it’s at people houses. I’ve never heard of any under ground gambling at restaurants. A lot of people go to Vegas which is only a few hours away.

The mafia moving in would be pretty bizarre especially since they wouldn’t have any street presence

[PolackTony]

FWIW, following the indictment of LA boss Dominic Brooklier in 1978, Chicago reportedly attempted to move in and re-organize LCN rackets like gambling and juice in SoCal. This seems to have mainly been spearheaded by Paulie Schiro and Joey Hansen under Tony Spilotro, and Vito Spillone, who was probably under Frank "The Horse" Buccieri, Palm Springs-based brother of deceased Chicago captain Fifi Buccieri. Spillone and his guys wound up getting pinched in 1984 and convicted in '86 on racketeering and extortion charges for running a big juice loan operation out of his grocery store in South El Monte. In 1986 Tony and Michael Spilotro, of course, got whacked out back in Chicago. It would seem that Chicago's attempt to establish a major racket presence in SoCal failed, likely due at least in part to what Joel highlighted above, presumably also why the local "outfit" in LA had declined so much by that time; the lack of the kind of entrenched Italian communities that the mob depended on "Back East". Especially blue-collar rackets like juice and extortion, in a place like LA it just seems that it was way too easy for them to get exposed and shut down by LE. They didn't have anything like the kind of street/community culture that the mob flourished within back in Chicago (and which assumed that people in the community typically don't go to the cops, understand how the game works, know how to mind their own business, are terrified of crossing the mob, etc), not to mention the dense networks of connections to local LE, judges, politicians, etc.

[PaddyWhack]

https://www.dailynews.com/2021/11/12/la ... -them/amp/

[CornerBoy]

There aren’t that many Italians here. I live in Thousand Oaks and I don’t know a single person who’s actually of Italian descent and not like 16% Italian.

People gamble but, anecdotally, it’s at people houses. I’ve never heard of any under ground gambling at restaurants. A lot of people go to Vegas which is only a few hours away.

The mafia moving in would be pretty bizarre especially since they wouldn’t have any street presence

you don't think a guy that fits in could hang at bar at the 4 seasons at thousand oaks? ) nice area and hotel btw

Take thousand oaks for example, im not saying they're could be social clubs, i mean could someone standardize the gambling and money lending if they kept it violence free or even JUST gambling. for instance, don't you think the top guys at say UCLA medical center gamble? just a random place i dont them lol. a guy could set up shop at Riviera CC or Hillcrest CC Brentwood CC and on and on. Maybe not Riviera......

[JoelTurner]

The people at country clubs are by far the most likely demographic to go the authorities. I know people who belong to Sunset Hills and they’d call the cops if their neighbors lawn is overgrown.

Black and Latino communities don’t do that. While they wouldn’t go to the police, it still wouldn’t be easy to set up shop in their neighborhoods. Without any street power, your operations would be vulnerable.

If a mobster wanted to get involved in gambling in the LA area, their best bet would poker machines in lower-end bars. Other than gambling, the sex industry (escort services, strip clubs, massage parlors, etc.) and shylocking would be the most lucrative crimes for them.

[CornerBoy]

hi joel- i mean friendly wagers via off shore website- no rough stuff- if they don't pay, you eat it and just shut them off. So many ppl gamble west of Doheny and even east to a smaller degree

[Stroccos]

There are so many gamblers in Malibu, pacific palisades, santa monica, bel-air, bev hills, WEst hollywood Encino and the WHOLE VALLEY. IF the ny mob could organize book/shark activity there it would be huge. Don't tell me that studio execs don't gamble? i know a lot of ppl there that play and its with joe schmoes. Why do the ny families or chicago eschew this type of money? I know in beverly hills the police force is strong and takes no shit but the other areas???

You can even bring your under ground poker into the casino and then get a cut of it

[CornerBoy]

Hi Stroccos- don't what you meant by that-thanks

[Stroccos]

Hi Stroccos- don't what you meant by that-thanks

In California You can literally run a gambling operation at one of the casinos , you split the money with the casino

[Wiseguy]

If we're seeing a contraction of mob presence in areas much closer to NY, I wouldn't expect to see much of anything on the other side of the country.

[CornerBoy]

Hi Stroccos- don't what you meant by that-thanks

In California You can literally run a gambling operation at one of the casinos , you split the money with the casino

you mean one of the indian casinos?

[CornerBoy]

wiseguy= im speaking hypothetically

[JerryB]

One of the reasons LCN never recovered in L.A. in the late 70's was due to LAPD's OCID (Organized Crime and Intelligence Division). Just one example of many: For years and years, one of the squads of OCID had an office in the LAX LAPD sub-station. Their job was to do a meet and greet with all arriving LCN members/associates when they arrived at the airport. OCID relied heavily on FBI and other municipal and State LE agencies (and other CI sources) giving them a head's up on who was coming in. Otherwise, once someone in L.A. was identified as LCN in any way, OCID would be all over them like a cheap suit.

There are still a lot of solo practitioner handbooks in L.A. with no ties to OC. These guys exist because they don't do direct business with strangers, they keep a very low profile, don't get greedy and if someone stiffs them on action, they don't go after them, whatsoever. Since country clubs were brought up, I'll also point out that handbooks are well known by players at country clubs or at public municipal courses and act generally like regular solid citizen types, because for the most part, IMO, they are, except for taking hand book.

[The Greek]

Every illegal card game in LA is run by the Armenians. 10% rake per pot up to $25-50 depending on the stakes. They're catered with buffets and girls. They move around obviously. There's a really popular one near me that is usually on Ventura Blvd between Studio City and Woodland Hills. Rake is too high though and the dealers are in on the scam. I happily drive to Huslter or The Bike or HP. As far as betting goes every one of my friends bets sports illegally so it goes on obviously. Coincidentally on the ballot today is a measure that would allow sports betting at Indian Casinos only. All the card rooms are lobbying against it.