Missouri state Rep. Crystal Quade, House minority leader, recently introduced House Bill 2835 to legalize and regulate gambling machines that have proliferated throughout the state.
According to outlet KY3, Quade, who’s running for governor, said, “I have been contacted for quite some time by constituents all across the state about these slot machines. No matter where you go, whether it’s a gas station or walking through your neighborhood, they are everywhere. It’s quite a problem. Unfortunately, nobody is doing anything about them. Unregulated slot machines are not going away, and it’s past time for the legislature to act.”
Quade’s bill would limit businesses to a maximum of five machines, located in a private area inaccessible to children. The proposal also would tax the games, generating an estimated $500 million in annual state revenue. Quade said the funds would be divided between education and public safety. “I think those are places that Missourians would be very happy to see this money go,” she said, per KY3. The proposal has not yet reached a committee.
Quade’s measure also would allow individual cities to impose their own bans on the machines. Springfield recently became the first Missouri city to ban the games.
Quade told KY3, “What Springfield has done by banning them is great for municipalities who want to do that. I know there are arguments depending on which side of the issue folks are on, but they’re already illegal in my book. However, by regulating them we can limit them and do more to get them out of our residential neighborhoods. The language in my bill is different than some of the others that have been proposed, but we allow for municipalities to ban them or regulate them. I believe the local levels should be able to decide what their communities look like and my bill would absolutely not get in the way of that.”
Springfield’s ban on the games led to a lawsuit filed by Torch Electronics, which owns the machines. Torch attorney Chuck Hatfield said his client preferred the issue to be decided at the state level. “Missouri gaming laws are out of date and are vague in some areas. Our overall position on this is the legislature needs to address it,” he said.
Hatfield also noted Springfield’s ban doesn’t cover the lack of uniformity regarding the machines. He said, “So you’ve got convenience stores inside the city limits and some a mile away that are outside the city limits. So they’re legal outside the city limits and illegal inside the city limits? That’s not a way to regulate. This needs to be addressed at the state level, not the city level.”
Quade’s bill also would legalize and regulate sports betting, which is not allowed in Missouri but is permitted in neighboring states including Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Kentucky, Illinois and Tennessee (but not in Oklahoma).
The professional sports franchises in the state− St. Louis Cardinals, St. Louis Blues, St. Louis CITY SC, Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas City Royals and Kansas City Current—are leading a ballot initiative to legalize sports wagering.
Quade told KY3, “Citizens utilize the ballot initiative when the legislature is not doing what they’re asking them to do. And we know sports wagering has been a big priority for lots of folks for a very long time. And that’s only increased since our neighboring states have legalized.”
Currently, four House bills and four Senate bills have been filed regarding gaming and sports wagering.
