{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/59.1-397.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/59.1-397.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/59.1-397.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/59.1-397.html"}],"law_id":63315,"edition_id":1,"section_id":63315,"structure_id":15234,"section_number":"59.1-397","catch_line":"Unlawful transmission of information","history":"1988, c. 855.","full_text":"Any person who knowingly transmits information as to the progress or results of a horse race, or information as to wagers, betting odds, post or off times, or jockey changes in any race by any means whatsoever for the purposes of carrying on illegal gambling operations as defined in \u00a7 18.2-325, or to a person engaged in illegal gambling operations shall be guilty of a Class 4 felony.\n\t\tThis section shall not be construed to prohibit a newspaper from printing such results or information as news, or any television or radio station from telecasting or broadcasting such results or information as news. This section shall not be so construed as to place in jeopardy any common carrier or its agents performing operations within the scope of a public franchise, or any gambling operation authorized by law.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":230719,"text":"Any person who knowingly transmits information as to the progress or results of a horse race, or information as to wagers, betting odds, post or off times, or jockey changes in any race by any means whatsoever for the purposes of carrying on illegal gambling operations as defined in \u00a7 18.2-325, or to a person engaged in illegal gambling operations shall be guilty of a Class 4 felony.\n\t\tThis section shall not be construed to prohibit a newspaper from printing such results or information as news, or any television or radio station from telecasting or broadcasting such results or information as news. This section shall not be so construed as to place in jeopardy any common carrier or its agents performing operations within the scope of a public franchise, or any gambling operation authorized by law.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":15234,"edition_id":1,"name":"Criminal Penalties","identifier":"6","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13336,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:53:13","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:53:13","permalink":{"id":261217,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15234,"identifier":"6","token":"59.1\/29\/6","url":"\/59.1\/29\/6\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13336,"edition_id":1,"name":"Horse Racing and Pari-Mutuel Wagering","identifier":"29","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12809,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:40","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:40","permalink":{"id":261047,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13336,"identifier":"29","token":"59.1\/29","url":"\/59.1\/29\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12809,"edition_id":1,"name":"Trade and Commerce","identifier":"59.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:54","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:54","permalink":{"id":259521,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12809,"identifier":"59.1","token":"59.1","url":"\/59.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":76932,"structure_id":15234,"section_number":"59.1-395","catch_line":"Unlawful conduct of wagering","url":"\/59.1-395\/","token":"59.1\/29\/6\/59.1-395","metadata":false},{"id":58000,"structure_id":15234,"section_number":"59.1-396","catch_line":"Fraudulent use of credential","url":"\/59.1-396\/","token":"59.1\/29\/6\/59.1-396","metadata":false},{"id":63315,"structure_id":15234,"section_number":"59.1-397","catch_line":"Unlawful transmission of information","url":"\/59.1-397\/","token":"59.1\/29\/6\/59.1-397","metadata":false},{"id":71643,"structure_id":15234,"section_number":"59.1-398","catch_line":"Touting","url":"\/59.1-398\/","token":"59.1\/29\/6\/59.1-398","metadata":false},{"id":67671,"structure_id":15234,"section_number":"59.1-399","catch_line":"Bribing of a jockey, driver or other participant","url":"\/59.1-399\/","token":"59.1\/29\/6\/59.1-399","metadata":false},{"id":79191,"structure_id":15234,"section_number":"59.1-400","catch_line":"Prohibited acts, administration of drugs, etc.; penalty","url":"\/59.1-400\/","token":"59.1\/29\/6\/59.1-400","metadata":false},{"id":84953,"structure_id":15234,"section_number":"59.1-401","catch_line":"Possessing drugs","url":"\/59.1-401\/","token":"59.1\/29\/6\/59.1-401","metadata":false},{"id":76870,"structure_id":15234,"section_number":"59.1-402","catch_line":"Racing under false name; penalty","url":"\/59.1-402\/","token":"59.1\/29\/6\/59.1-402","metadata":false},{"id":72053,"structure_id":15234,"section_number":"59.1-403","catch_line":"Prohibition on persons under 21 years of age; penalty","url":"\/59.1-403\/","token":"59.1\/29\/6\/59.1-403","metadata":false},{"id":71353,"structure_id":15234,"section_number":"59.1-404","catch_line":"Repealed","url":"\/59.1-404\/","token":"59.1\/29\/6\/59.1-404","metadata":false},{"id":75023,"structure_id":15234,"section_number":"59.1-405","catch_line":"Conspiracies and attempts to commit violations","url":"\/59.1-405\/","token":"59.1\/29\/6\/59.1-405","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":58000,"structure_id":15234,"section_number":"59.1-396","catch_line":"Fraudulent use of credential","url":"\/59.1-396\/","token":"59.1\/29\/6\/59.1-396","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":71643,"structure_id":15234,"section_number":"59.1-398","catch_line":"Touting","url":"\/59.1-398\/","token":"59.1\/29\/6\/59.1-398","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/59.1-397\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1988. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 855 of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. Unfortunately, the 1988 \u201cActs\u201d aren\u2019t available online.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":74036,"section_number":"18.2-325","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/18.2-325\/"}],"permalink":{"id":261227,"object_type":"law","relational_id":63315,"identifier":"59.1-397","token":"59.1\/29\/6\/59.1-397","url":"\/59.1-397\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/59.1-397\/","token":"59.1\/29\/6\/59.1-397","dublin_core":{"Title":"Unlawful transmission of information","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 59.1-397","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

Any person<\/span> who knowingly transmits information as to the progress or results of a horse race, or information as to wagers, betting odds, post or off times, or jockey changes in any race by any means whatsoever for the purposes of carrying on illegal gambling operations as defined in \u00a7 18.2-325<\/a>, or to a person<\/span> engaged in illegal gambling operations shall be guilty of a Class 4 felony<\/span>.\n\t\tThis section shall not be construed to prohibit a newspaper from printing such results or information as news, or any television or radio station from telecasting or broadcasting such results or information as news. This section shall not be so construed as to place in jeopardy any common carrier or its agents performing operations within the scope of a public franchise, or any gambling operation authorized by law<\/span>.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nUNLAWFUL TRANSMISSION OF INFORMATION (\u00a7 59.1-397)\n\nAny person who knowingly transmits information as to the progress or results of\na horse race, or information as to wagers, betting odds, post or off times, or\njockey changes in any race by any means whatsoever for the purposes of carrying\non illegal gambling operations as defined in \u00a7 18.2-325, or to a person engaged\nin illegal gambling operations shall be guilty of a Class 4 felony.\n\t\tThis section shall not be construed to prohibit a newspaper from printing such\nresults or information as news, or any television or radio station from\ntelecasting or broadcasting such results or information as news. This section\nshall not be so construed as to place in jeopardy any common carrier or its\nagents performing operations within the scope of a public franchise, or any\ngambling operation authorized by law.\n\nHISTORY: 1988, c. 855.","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}}