At the height of the Mafia’s power and influence across the United States the FBI stated that among the many moneymaking rackets controlled by the mob, the majority of its rank-n-file membership and key associates engaged in all forms of gambling rackets.

That gambling was without a doubt the mob’s number one moneymaker. They ranked loan-sharking and narcotics as number two and three on the scale, respectively. The myriad of other rackets they operated ran behind those three accordingly.

But that was back then and this is now.

So, the question is…Nowadays, with the changing demographics over the last fifty years or so, how do those same three rackets rank today?

Between gambling, loansharking and narcotics. Which would you say the majority of organized crime figures engage in first and foremost? Rank them in order, according to which ones you believe are most prominent.

And for that matter, if you feel there is another racket thats more prominent today for their general membership, by all means mention it as well.

When you say "best," I think not only about profit but about safety--the likelyhood that you'll be able to live and enjoy your profits. By that measure, gambling (and I include loansharking with gambling because the two go hand in hand) wins. Sure, drugs are fantastically profitable, but their very profitability attracts extreme competitiveness--and the extreme violence that goes with it. Drugs also attract the most law enforcement attention and results in the longest prison sentences--conviction of carrying hard narcotics with intent to sell is still life without parole in New York State. Gambling/loansharking is not without risks from ruthless competitor, but the overall risks are smaller because gambling has always been pretty much tolerated in society, even before off-track betting, legal casinos and lotteries became widespread. Loansharking often results in violence, but is seldom lethal--the shark still has to get paid eventually.

Vito Corleone said it best when he rejected Virgil Solozzo's partnership offer: "It's true that I have a lot of friends in politics. But they wouldn't be friendly very long if they knew that my business is drugs, instead of gambling--which they regard as a harmless vice. But drugs is a dirty business."

Good response TB.

And yes, "Best" racket, IMO at least, would have to include the profitability as well as the danger involved in any given activity. And traditionally, I agree. Gambling usually won out. Shylocking also...drugs was always dangerous.

But, today, in 2023, with the gambling rackets largely gutted and no longer the monolithic and profitable racket the mob once enjoyed. THATS the real question I pose.

Today, what's more prevalent? Whats still profitable, etc. Who's the reigning king of rackets. Is it still gambling? Or is it now loansharking, narcotics, or something else, for the vast majority of the current crop of racketeers?

Online Gambling. You use fake site for make people bets and send their money to off shore counts. If you have associates with informatic skill can also create mobile apps.
I agree with Turnbull but maybe selling weeds can be profitable with no risk of long sentences.
Even the counterfeiting of luxury items such as clothes, watches etc is very profitable or illegal download of film and album made many money.

High end prostitution. Raunchy no strings attached sex with wealthy clients will always be a serious $$$$ maker. Profits from narcotics also go hand in hand with this racket, especially good quality cocaine.

Yes, sex had always been a major commodity. But especially today that so many other rackets have fallen by the wayside. Prosititution has become an even bigger earn for those who dabble in it. Unfortunately for the Italian mob, the flesh racket nowadays has been taken over, and is proliferated by, asian organized crime, on both coasts.

The big drug brokers make millions from one shipment.

I don't know if this qualifies as a "racket" but I think construction must be their biggest money maker today. All the guys that are linked to different companies, working on big projects between each other must be raking it in. And other than them having power in that industry there's not many reasons to commit any crimes doing it yet they still seem to keep getting caught up. Like those Gambino's in the Bronx had multi-million $ construction projects going yet they're still forging id cards and whatever else they were doing, they can't stop themselves!

After typing all this out I re-read you said about ranking those 3. In regards to that I would expect loan sharking to have moved to the top by now, they should have been loaning out left and right during the pandemic and would be reaping the benefits of that now right about now. Gambling must be fading. Drugs can be as big as they want it to be but it seems like they're still staying out of it in the grand scheme

Drugs are most profitable, but most drug guys end up dead or in prison.

Gambling is by no means fading, I don't care how legal it becomes. That's a big myth. There will always be big mob gambling rackets. Hell, even multi-million dollar non-Mafia gambling rackets are getting busted, like we saw in Pittsburgh. Don't think for one second that's the only one. Loansharking will never die out either, I don't care if they put a payday loan place or a bank on every street corner, it ain't going away. There's too many people out there with shitty credit who can't get a legitimate loan. And even if they do, who's to say they got as big of a loan as they needed? Plus all the paperwork involved? Please!

The best racket is payday loans. They charge $15-$30 for a two week loan of $100; a loanshark charges 6%/week. Annual percentage rate on payday loans riuns to $780%--and it's completely legal.

I don't agree, I think it has to fade/be fading. If someone can log onto their phone or laptop place a bet direct from their bank account with clearer odds, cash out options etc why would they waste their time working with an illegal bookie. I personally see no point except an illegal bookie will give you credit/a loan so there will still be a market for the hardcore gambling addicts. But working with them will have it's headaches cause they've spunked all their money and can't pay you. It will still exist in some capacity but they will lose a lot of customers. Particularly as older generations pass on and it's all kids who have grown up with technology since they were born.

LOL. You ain't kidding' TB. The whopping interests rates "Pay Day Loan" companies charge, sometimes topping out at over 1500% annually, make what the "alleged" mob shylocks charge (156-260% per year) look benign by comparison.

Yet, so-called "Pay Day Loans" are completely legal, and the corner shylock gets pinched...Go figure? It's a stacked deck. And like the man once said, "Do as I say, don't do as I do!" Lol

I think that about sums it up!

Brovelli, I think you made a very astute observation, and I completely agree with you...100%, on all points.

1000% correct. I agree with you H. There is NO racket profit structure as lucrative as drugs (in all its forms.) But that said, it's also one of the most dangerous occupations for the underworld, both in the jail time meted out, and the greed and deadliness of the players involved.

I still say loansharking and construction rackets.

IMO, construction is still a niche' racket not widely engaged in by the majority of guys. But loansharking? Now thats another thing. In many ways, it's overtaken gambling as a more widely practiced racket and primary source of income for the mob.

I still say that illegal gambling won't fade away, and also the mob is still involved in legal gambling. I remember reading where Italian authorities said that the Mafia in Italy made more money from the gambling industry when they legalized it. Now grant it, in America it may not be as big of a moneymaker as when it was when it was all completely illegal. But it's not going away. I'll be here to say I told you so when another big gambling bust is reported on this blog.

I think some of you are forgetting that the government has a vested interest in keeping organized crime alive. If they completely eradicated it, agencies like the FBI, DEA, and OCTF would be rendered obsolete.

You're right, more often than not when a guy/guys are getting busted even this year gambling is on the indictment. Just longer term I don't see how they survive unless they start up their own legal gambling businesses and compete. This is on the assumption that NY/NJ / America keeps going further into legalization of gambling.

My general impression is that guys who seem to have or be making big money are in construction/property. A lot of Gambinos seem to be: Campos crew, Camuso, Lorenzo Mannino, Fillipelli, that Chris the Plumber Genovese guy was apparently making big money with his plumbing business before he made another ton of money with the lottery thing he was doing. I expect a lot of guys under the radar we're not hearing about are investing in/controlling businesses/property and are making good money. But you may be right, it could be just a few guys making big money rather than a lot of them.

Gambling and loansharking, the bread and butter
Vast amounts of money can be made through it and the time u receive for crimes like that are not substantial

I expect that you're correct in that. But thats only for the more business savvy type guys. And again, despite how profitable the construction biz can be. there's only so much of that to go around. So IMO, it's still limited.

True. IMO, but although those two are still staples for OC, neither one is nearly as lucrative as it was many years back.

Cigarettes are legal, but there's still a big market in selling stolen, untaxed cigarettes. Point is that legalization doesn't necessarily mean the end of a racket.

The prostitution racket is so sophisticated these days that even though its forbidden in many countries, still it works almost legally. I mean they even changed the old terms such as "prostitute" or "hooker" with new stuff such as "escort" or "starlette" lol

In America (as I'm sure elsewhere all over the world) where prostitution isn't already legal, then its big illegal business.

What do they say? Its the oldest profession? Lol

Auto theft was a mainstay racket of American Mafia since the Twenties, altough It has ebbed and flowed with the advent of technology. During the Seventies in New York, you couldn't own a Caddilac unless you were connected or related to someone who was. The risk/reward as opposed to some of the other rackets made it more palatable than narcotics and still profitable. Nowadays, they use laptops to steal RF frequencies from the car fob in your house and the next thing you know, your Range Rover or Cayenne Turbo is on its way to Brazilia or Rio.

Best racket? Politics if you’re the party in power at a given time