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Title 15, Commerce and TradeRelease 119-102

§1177 Confiscation of Gambling Devices and Means of Transportation; Laws Governing

Title 15 › CHAPTER 24 — TRANSPORTATION OF GAMBLING DEVICES › § 1177

Last updated Aug 21, 2026|Official source

Summary

Any gambling machine or equipment that is moved, made, fixed, sold, received, owned, or used in violation of these rules must be taken and kept by the U.S. government. The same rules that apply to customs seizures of ships, vehicles, goods, and luggage — including how they are seized, forfeited, sold, returned or reduced, how claims are settled, and how people who report violations are paid — apply to these gambling device cases so long as they fit and do not conflict. Tasks that customs collectors normally do for those seizures will be done for gambling devices by officers or agents the Attorney General appoints.

Full Legal Text

Title 15, §1177

Commerce and Trade, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

Any gambling device transported, delivered, shipped, manufactured, reconditioned, repaired, sold, disposed of, received, possessed, or used in violation of the provisions of this chapter shall be seized and forfeited to the United States. All provisions of law relating to the seizure, summary and judicial forfeiture, and condemnation of vessels, vehicles, merchandise, and baggage for violation of the customs laws; the disposition of such vessels, vehicles, merchandise, and baggage or the proceeds from the sale thereof; the remission or mitigation of such forfeitures; and the compromise of claims and the award of compensation to informers in respect of such forfeitures shall apply to seizures and forfeitures incurred, or alleged to have been incurred, under the provisions of this chapter, insofar as applicable and not inconsistent with the provisions hereof: Provided, That such duties as are imposed upon the collector of customs or any other person with respect to the seizure and forfeiture of vessels, vehicles, merchandise, and baggage under the customs laws shall be performed with respect to seizures and forfeitures of gambling devices under this chapter by such officers, agents, or other persons as may be authorized or designated for that purpose by the Attorney General.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Executive Documents

Transfer of Functions

Offices of collector of customs, comptroller of customs, surveyor of customs, and appraiser of merchandise in Bureau of Customs of Department of the Treasury to which appointments were required to be made by President with advice and consent of Senate ordered abolished with such offices to be terminated not later than Dec. 31, 1966, by Reorg. Plan No. 1 of 1965, eff.
May 25, 1965, 30 F.R. 7035, 79 Stat. 1317, set out in the Appendix to Title 5, Government Organization and Employees. Functions of offices eliminated were already vested in Secretary of the Treasury by Reorg. Plan No. 26 of 1950, eff.
July 31, 1950, 15 F.R. 4935, 64 Stat. 1280, set out in the Appendix to Title 5.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

15 U.S.C. § 1177

Title 15, Commerce and Trade

Last Updated

Aug 21, 2026

Release point: 119-102