STATUTES. Of39 



17 & 18 Vict. Cap. 38. 

 An Act for the Suppression of Gaming Houses. 



Whereas divers statutes have been made from time to time 

 for the prevention of unlawful gaming ; and particularly by 

 the act of the session holden in the eighth and ninth years of 8 «fe 9 Vict. 

 her majesty, chapter one hundred and nine, powers are given ^' l*^^- 

 to justices of the peace in places beyond the metropolitan 

 police district to authorize constables, and to either of the 

 commissioners of police within such district to authorize 

 superintendents belonging to the metropolitan police force, 

 to enter houses suspected to be kept as common gaming 

 houses, and to arrest all persons found therein : and it is 

 thereby enacted, that where any cards, dice, balls, counters, 

 tables or other instruments of gaming used in playing any 

 unlawful game shall be found in any house, room or place 

 suspected to be used as a common gaming house, and entered 

 under a warrant or order issued under the provisions of that 

 act, or about the person of any of those who shall be found 

 therein, it shall be evidence, until the contrary be made to 

 appear, that such house, room or place is used as a common 

 gaming house, and that the persons found in the room or 

 place where such tables or instruments of gaming shall have 

 been found were playing therein : and whereas the keepers 

 of common gaming houses contrive, by fortifying the entrances 

 to such houses, or by other means, to keep out the officers 

 authorized to enter the same until the instruments of gaming 

 have been removed or destroyed, so that no sufficient evidence 

 can be obtained to convict the offenders, who are thereby 

 encouraged to persist in the violation of the law ; and whereas 

 it is expedient that the law shall be made more efficient for 

 the suppression of gaming houses ; be it therefore enacted by 

 the Queen's most excellent majesty, by and with the advice 

 and consent of the lords spiritual and temporal, and commons, 

 in this present parliament assembled, and by the authority of 

 the same as follows : 



1. Any person who shall wilfully prevent any constable or Penalty on 

 officer authorized under the provisions of the said act of the persons ob- 

 eighth and ninth years of her majesty to enter any house, structmg the 

 room or place, from entering the same or any part thereof, constables 

 or who shall obstruct or delay any such constable or officer authorized 

 in so entering, and any person who, by any bolt, bar, chain to enter any 

 or other contrivance shall secure any external or internal house sus- 

 door of or means of access to any house, room or place so P^^*^*^ *o ^® 

 authorized to be entered, or shall use any means or contriv- gamine- 

 ance whatsoever for the purpose of preventing, obstructing house.° 

 or delaying the entry of any constable or officer authorized 

 as aforesaid into any such house, room or place, or any part 



