Let's say you live in a mid-sized city that has some action. Pretend for a second that it's Rochester...or Scranton...or anything of the like.

Are you going to place your action with the small town bookie (and they're still there) that you've known for the last 20 years. The guy you can meet in the same spot, as he wears the same jacket, and has the same opening line -- or are you going to place your action with someone you've never met before? It's not like some NY wiseguy can just show up in his Cadillac and start handing out business cards. Every city has a vice. Just because LCN isn't there doesn't mean that there's not a good place to wet your whistle on a Friday and place your action for Sunday. Same with drugs, cards, numbers and about anything else you can think of. Catering to someone's weaknesses is a universal truth -- not a mafia one.

I've lived in some of those small-time areas without LCN -- Vegas, Buffalo, etc. And even without LCN, there's known people who you can drop a slip off with or use their website. Why would I change up that routine for someone who I don't know from the glory hole in the wall?