Meaning of policy shop | Babel Free

Definitions

A gambling place where punters could bet on the numbers which would be drawn in lotteries.

US, historical, obsolete

Examples

“1856, New York (State) Legislature: Senate, Documents of the Senate of the State of New York, Volume 2, page 212, In lottery and policy shops do they not generally stick⟳ up an exchange⟳ sign⟳, and hold⟳ out “stationery sold here,” so that persons who did not understand⟳ it would suppose⟳ they sold stationery?”

“The policy-shops draw⟳ from the people, especially the poor and ignorant, hundreds of thousands of dollars every year.”

“1901, New York (State) Legislature: Assembly, Documents of the Assembly of the State of New York, Volume 28, page 2031, Policy is open⟳, but policy, of course — it is harder to get⟳ into policy shops than it is into any other sort⟳ of gambling, […] .”

“In New York and Philadelphia, the number⟳ of policy shops during this time period ranged from 600 to 1,000, with numerous outlets in other major cities.”

CEFR level