Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-73not60

§1083 Transportation Between Shore and Ship; Penalties

Title 18 › Part I— CRIMES › Chapter 50— GAMBLING › § 1083

Last updated Apr 5, 2026|Official source

Summary

You may not use a boat to carry people between a place in the United States and a gambling ship that is outside any State’s control. The rule does not apply if people are being moved to or from a vessel during an emergency to protect life or property. The Secretary of the Treasury must make rules to enforce this. Owners or charterers who break it pay $200 for each passenger carried. The captain or person in charge pays $300. Those penalties become a claim against the vessel and can be enforced in federal court. The Secretary can reduce or cancel the penalties.

Full Legal Text

Title 18, §1083

Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)It shall be unlawful to operate or use, or to permit the operation or use of, a vessel for the carriage or transportation, or for any part of the carriage or transportation, either directly or indirectly, of any passengers, for hire or otherwise, between a point or place within the United States and a gambling ship which is not within the jurisdiction of any State. This section does not apply to any carriage or transportation to or from a vessel in case of emergency involving the safety or protection of life or property.

(b)The Secretary of the Treasury shall prescribe necessary and reasonable rules and regulations to enforce this section and to prevent violations of its provisions.For the operation or use of any vessel in violation of this section or of any rule or regulation issued hereunder, the owner or charterer of such vessel shall be subject to a civil penalty of $200 for each passenger carried or transported in violation of such provisions, and the master or other person in charge of such vessel shall be subject to a civil penalty of $300. Such penalty shall constitute a lien on such vessel, and proceedings to enforce such lien may be brought summarily by way of libel in any court of the United States having jurisdiction thereof. The Secretary of the Treasury may mitigate or remit any of the penalties provided by this section on such terms as he deems proper.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

18 U.S.C. § 1083

Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal Procedure

Last Updated

Apr 5, 2026

Release point: 119-73not60