The Association for Legalizing American Lotteries was an illegal lottery disguised as an organization in 1936.

History

Thomas George Lanphier, Sr. was president. They organized the Grand National Treasure Hunt and sold tickets for $1 disguised as "applications for membership" to circumvent the prohibition on lotteries. The prize for their third lottery was $37,500 (approximately $ today). The

United States Post Office The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the ...

charged them with fraud in 1936, the case was appealed in ''Association for Legalizing American Lotteries v. Goldman, 85 F.2d 67 (

United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (in case citations, 2d Cir.) is one of the thirteen United States Courts of Appeals. Its territory comprises the states of Connecticut, New York and Vermont. The court has appellate ju ...

1936)'' and was decided against the association on July 17, 1936.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Association for Legalizing American Lotteries Numbers game Circumvention