{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/18.2-331.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/18.2-331.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/18.2-331.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/18.2-331.html"}],"law_id":67229,"edition_id":1,"section_id":67229,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-331","catch_line":"Illegal possession, etc., of gambling device; penalty","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7\u00a7 18.1-323, 18.1-329, 18.1-330; 1960, c. 358; 1962, c. 633; 1964, c. 371; 1975, cc. 14, 15.","full_text":"A person is guilty of illegal possession of a gambling device when he manufactures, sells, transports, rents, gives away, places or possesses, or conducts or negotiates any transaction affecting or designed to affect ownership, custody or use of any gambling device, believing or having reason to believe that the same is to be used in the advancement of unlawful gambling activity. Violation of any provision of this section shall constitute a Class 1 misdemeanor.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":243682,"text":"A person is guilty of illegal possession of a gambling device when he manufactures, sells, transports, rents, gives away, places or possesses, or conducts or negotiates any transaction affecting or designed to affect ownership, custody or use of any gambling device, believing or having reason to believe that the same is to be used in the advancement of unlawful gambling activity. Violation of any provision of this section shall constitute a Class 1 misdemeanor.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":14815,"edition_id":1,"name":"Gambling","identifier":"1","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":14022,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:50:07","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:50:07","permalink":{"id":167395,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14815,"identifier":"1","token":"18.2\/8\/1","url":"\/18.2\/8\/1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":14022,"edition_id":1,"name":"Crimes Involving Morals and Decency","identifier":"8","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12972,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:46:37","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:46:37","permalink":{"id":167393,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14022,"identifier":"8","token":"18.2\/8","url":"\/18.2\/8\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12972,"edition_id":1,"name":"Crimes and Offenses Generally","identifier":"18.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:05","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:05","permalink":{"id":164139,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12972,"identifier":"18.2","token":"18.2","url":"\/18.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":74036,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-325","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/18.2-325\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-325","metadata":false},{"id":59721,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-325.1","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/18.2-325.1\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-325.1","metadata":false},{"id":66964,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-326","catch_line":"Penalty for illegal gambling","url":"\/18.2-326\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-326","metadata":false},{"id":58713,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-327","catch_line":"Winning by fraud; penalty","url":"\/18.2-327\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-327","metadata":false},{"id":68030,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-328","catch_line":"Conducting illegal gambling operation; penalties","url":"\/18.2-328\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-328","metadata":false},{"id":62357,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-329","catch_line":"Owners, etc., of gambling place permitting its continuance; penalty","url":"\/18.2-329\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-329","metadata":false},{"id":84536,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-330","catch_line":"Accessories to gambling activity; penalty","url":"\/18.2-330\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-330","metadata":false},{"id":67229,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-331","catch_line":"Illegal possession, etc., of gambling device; penalty","url":"\/18.2-331\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-331","metadata":false},{"id":76128,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-331.1","catch_line":"Operation of gambling devices at unregulated locations; civil penalty","url":"\/18.2-331.1\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-331.1","metadata":false},{"id":68753,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-332","catch_line":"Certain acts not deemed \"consideration\" in prosecution under this article","url":"\/18.2-332\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-332","metadata":false},{"id":66159,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-333","catch_line":"Exceptions to article; certain sporting events","url":"\/18.2-333\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-333","metadata":false},{"id":71922,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-334","catch_line":"Exception to article; private residences","url":"\/18.2-334\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-334","metadata":false},{"id":82604,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-334.1","catch_line":"Defeated at referendum","url":"\/18.2-334.1\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-334.1","metadata":false},{"id":74691,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-334.2","catch_line":"Same; bingo games, raffles, duck races, and Texas Hold'em poker tournaments conducted by certain organizations","url":"\/18.2-334.2\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-334.2","metadata":false},{"id":56658,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-334.3","catch_line":"Exemptions to article","url":"\/18.2-334.3\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-334.3","metadata":false},{"id":83291,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-334.4","catch_line":"Exemptions to article; pari-mutuel wagering","url":"\/18.2-334.4\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-334.4","metadata":false},{"id":78964,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-334.5","catch_line":"Exemptions to article; certain gaming operations","url":"\/18.2-334.5\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-334.5","metadata":false},{"id":73596,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-334.6","catch_line":"Exemptions to article; amusement devices","url":"\/18.2-334.6\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-334.6","metadata":false},{"id":70558,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-335","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/18.2-335\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-335","metadata":false},{"id":73018,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-336","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/18.2-336\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-336","metadata":false},{"id":58107,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-337","catch_line":"Immunity of witnesses from prosecution","url":"\/18.2-337\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-337","metadata":false},{"id":58992,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-338","catch_line":"Enforcement of \u00a7 18.2-331 by Governor and Attorney General","url":"\/18.2-338\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-338","metadata":false},{"id":81435,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-339","catch_line":"Enjoining offenses relating to gambling","url":"\/18.2-339\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-339","metadata":false},{"id":61538,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-340","catch_line":"County ordinances prohibiting illegal gambling","url":"\/18.2-340\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-340","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":84536,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-330","catch_line":"Accessories to gambling activity; penalty","url":"\/18.2-330\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-330","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":76128,"structure_id":14815,"section_number":"18.2-331.1","catch_line":"Operation of gambling devices at unregulated locations; civil penalty","url":"\/18.2-331.1\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-331.1","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/18.2-331\/","history_text":"<p>The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 4 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1960, chapter 358; in 1962, chapter 633; in 1964, chapter 371; in 1975, chapters 14 and 15.<\/p>","references":[{"id":58992,"section_number":"18.2-338","catch_line":"Enforcement of \u00a7 18.2-331 by Governor and Attorney General","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-338\/"},{"id":70174,"section_number":"4.1-226","catch_line":"Grounds for which Board shall suspend or revoke licenses","order_by":null,"url":"\/4.1-226\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":167425,"object_type":"law","relational_id":67229,"identifier":"18.2-331","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-331","url":"\/18.2-331\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/18.2-331\/","token":"18.2\/8\/1\/18.2-331","dublin_core":{"Title":"Illegal possession, etc., of gambling device; penalty","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 18.2-331","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section><p>A person is guilty of illegal <span class=\"dictionary\">possession<\/span> of a gambling device when he manufactures, sells, transports, rents, gives away, places or possesses, or conducts or negotiates any transaction affecting or designed to affect ownership, <span class=\"dictionary\">custody<\/span> or use of any gambling device, believing or having reason to believe that the same is to be used in the advancement of unlawful gambling activity. Violation of any provision of this section shall constitute a Class 1 <span class=\"dictionary\">misdemeanor<\/span>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":"                                 CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nILLEGAL POSSESSION, ETC., OF GAMBLING DEVICE; PENALTY (\u00a7 18.2-331)\n\nA person is guilty of illegal possession of a gambling device when he\nmanufactures, sells, transports, rents, gives away, places or possesses, or\nconducts or negotiates any transaction affecting or designed to affect\nownership, custody or use of any gambling device, believing or having reason to\nbelieve that the same is to be used in the advancement of unlawful gambling\nactivity. Violation of any provision of this section shall constitute a Class 1\nmisdemeanor.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7\u00a7 18.1-323, 18.1-329, 18.1-330; 1960, c. 358; 1962, c.\n633; 1964, c. 371; 1975, cc. 14, 15.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}