Editing Fortune-telling (section)

==Legality==
{{See also|Legality of fortune-telling}}
In 1982, the sociologists Danny L., and Lin Jorgensen found that, "when it is reasonable, [fortune tellers] comply with local laws and purchase a business license."<ref name="ReferenceA"/> However, in the [[United States]], a variety of local and state laws restrict fortune telling, require the licensing or bonding of fortune tellers, or make necessary the use of terminology that avoids the term "fortune teller" in favor of terms such as "spiritual advisor" or "psychic consultant." There are also laws that outright forbid the practice in certain districts.

For instance, fortune telling is a class B [[misdemeanor]] in the state of [[New York (state)|New York]]. Under New York State law, S 165.35:
{{blockquote|A person is guilty of fortune telling when, for a fee or compensation which he directly or indirectly solicits or receives, he claims or pretends to tell fortunes, or holds himself out as being able, by claimed or pretended use of occult powers, to answer questions or give advice on personal matters or to exercise, influence or affect evil spirits or curses; except that this section does not apply to a person who engages in the aforedescribed conduct as part of a show or exhibition solely for the purpose of entertainment or amusement.<ref>[http://public.leginfo.state.ny.us/menugetf.cgi?COMMONQUERY=LAWS Leginfo.state.ny.us]</ref>}}

Lawmakers who wrote this statute acknowledged that fortune tellers do not restrict themselves to "a show or exhibition solely for the purpose of entertainment or amusement" and that people will continue to seek out fortune tellers even though fortune tellers operate in violation of the law. In the states of [[Minnesota]], [[North Carolina]], [[Oklahoma]], [[Pennsylvania]], and [[Wisconsin]], all forms of fortune-telling are illegal.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://secularhumanism.org/2003/06/the-first-amendment-is-for-fortune-tellers-too/ | title=The First Amendment is for Fortune-tellers, Too &#124; Free Inquiry | date=2 June 2003 }}</ref>

In [[Australia]], fortune-telling is illegal in [[South Australia]] and the [[Northern Territory]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://theconversation.com/did-they-see-it-coming-how-fortune-telling-took-hold-in-australia-with-women-as-clients-and-criminals-130134 | title=Did they see it coming? How fortune-telling took hold in Australia - with women as clients and criminals | date=3 February 2020 }}</ref>

[[Saudi Arabia]] also bans the practice outright, considering fortune telling to be sorcery and thus contrary to Islamic teaching and [[Shariah|jurisprudence]]. It has been punishable by death.<ref>[http://www.pattayadailynews.com/en/2010/04/01/fortune-teller-faces-execution-in-saudi-arabia/ Fortune Teller Faces Execution in Saudi Arabia] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100404123731/http://www.pattayadailynews.com/en/2010/04/01/fortune-teller-faces-execution-in-saudi-arabia/ |date=4 April 2010 }} [http://www.pattayadailynews.com ''pattayadailynews.com''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210623144816/http://pattayadailynews.com/ |date=23 June 2021 }} 1 April 2010 retrieved 17 July 2010</ref>

In the [[United Kingdom]], there was The Fraudulent Mediums Act 1951 which prohibited a person from claiming to be a fortune teller in order to make money for another reason than the purpose of entertainment. This act was repealed in 2008, and replaced by The Consumer Protection Act.{{citation needed|date=November 2024}}