In response to the proliferation of unlicensed and unregulated video gambling machines in Missouri, state Rep. Denny Hoskins sponsored a bill that would legalize the games in fraternal and veterans organizations, truck stops and retail locations with liquor licenses.
The terminals would be connected to a centralized computer system overseen by the state lottery commission. Also, they would have to be located in a separate, supervised area accessible only to people age 21 or older; this provision is the reason the bill has bipartisan support. Hoskins said some of the existing games could be grandfathered in as long as they complied with the law.
In a statement, Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers Executive Director Marcus Prater said, “The regulated gaming industry has rarely been more united on a singular issue and now we have a tool to address the misinformation and deception that unregulated machine companies use to confound law enforcement, the courts and local citizens.”
