Chapter 17. Gaming Transactions.
§ 16–1701. Invalidity of gaming contracts.
(a) A thing in action, judgment, mortgage, or other security or conveyance made and executed by a person in which any part of the consideration is for money or other valuable things won by playing at any game whatsoever, or by betting on the sides or hands of persons who play, or for the reimbursement or payment of any money knowingly lent or advanced for the purpose, or lent or advanced at the time and place of the play or bet, to a person so playing or betting or who, during the play, so plays or bets, is void except as provided by subsection (b) of this section.
(b) If the mortgage, security, or other conveyance affects real property, it shall inure to the sole benefit of, and devolve upon, the persons who might have, or be entitled to, the property, as if the person who executed the instrument had died immediately after its execution, or as if the instrument had been made to the persons so entitled after the death of the person who executed it. A grant or conveyance made for the purpose of preventing the real property from coming to, or devolving upon, the persons intended by this section to enjoy the property as herein provided is fraudulent and void.
(c) This section does not affect the validity of negotiable instruments embraced by subtitle I of Title 28.
§ 16–1702. Recovery of losses at gaming.
A person who, at any time or sitting, by playing at cards, dice or any other game, or by betting on the sides or hands of persons who play, loses to a person so playing or betting, a sum of money, or other valuable thing, amounting to $25 or more, and pays or delivers the money or thing, or any part thereof, may, within three months after the payment or delivery, sue for and recover the money, goods or other valuable thing, so lost and paid or delivered, or any part thereof, or the full value thereof, by a civil action, from the winner thereof, with costs. If the person who loses the money or other thing, does not, within three months actually and bona fide, and without collusion, sue, and with effect prosecute, therefor, any person may sue for, and recover treble the value of the money, goods, chattels, and other things, with costs of suit, by a civil action against the winner, one-half to the use of the plaintiff, the remainder to the use of the District of Columbia.
§ 16–1703. Relief from further penalty upon discovery and repayment of losses.
Upon the discovery and repayment of the money or other thing to be discovered and repaid as provided by section 16-1702 , the person who so discovers and repays shall be acquitted, indemnified, and discharged from any further or other punishment, forfeiture, or penalty, that he may have incurred by the playing for, or winning, the money or other thing so discovered and repaid.
§ 16–1704. Cheating at gambling.
Whoever, at any one time or sitting, by fraud or false pretense, while playing any game, or while having a share in a wager played for, or while betting on the sides or hands of persons who play, wins, or acquires to himself or to any other person, above the sum or value of $25, shall, upon conviction of the offense, forfeit five times the value of the sum of money or other thing so won, and shall be deemed infamous.
The penalty prescribed by this section may be recovered in a civil action by the persons specified by, and in the manner provided by, section 16-1702 .
