#Missouri State Highway Patrol

J&J Ventures and Accel Entertainment are backing a proposed legislation that would bring slot machines to Missouri gas stations, truck stops and bars. J&V has contributed more than $100,000 to politicians in the past five years. Acel Entertainment has pumped $130,00 into the campaign accounts of Missouri lawmakers since 2019. Torch Electronics and Warrenton Oil are also pushing unregulated slot machine into businesses across the state. They are suing the Missouri State Highway Patrol. They funneled $350, 000 into six political action committees tied to lobbyist Steve Tilley.

Missouri has received almost 100 reports on illegal slot machines since the beginning of 2022. The state has no legislation to control and tax such machines. Missouri State Highway Patrol takes up the cases and investigates them further.

In the first 10 days of legal sports betting in Kansas, people made almost $40 million in bets. The state's share of the revenue is $23,335. Lottery expects the take to get bigger as promotional free plays and credits dry up and cash takes their place. In the majority of major cities, especially from Kansas City east, the mob used to control the sports booking. Now, illegal gambling in the city is largely a thing of past. In June, Missouri State Highway Patrol discovered what it described as casino-style slot machines in a gas station in southwest Missouri.

Senator compares slot machine-style games to illegal drug dealers. Torch Electronics lobbyist said opponents of the unregulated machines were on a mission against a single small business. Senate Bill 632 would seek to crack down on the thousands of unregulated gaming devices that have flooded the state in recent years. It would state clearly that an illegal gambling device is one not regulated by state gambling authorities that involves cash payouts. The bill would also ban individuals and companies convicted of illegal gaming from participating in any future expansion of legal video gambling in the State.

Nearly 300 people have asked Missouri gambling regulators to investigate potentially illegal slot machines. The games operate similarly to casino slot machine. They are unregulated and there are no consumer protections to prevent low payouts. There are also no resources available for addicted gamblers.  The gaming commission launched its own investigation of the allegedly illegal machines, while other complaints were referred to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Missouri Gaming Association wants legislative action to stop the spread of illegal slot machines. The association estimates there are at least 14,000 illegal machines in use statewide. There are 16,500 legal ones in Missouri's 13 casinos. Senate Bill 10 did not advance past the committee stage. It would have targeted businesses that keep illegal machine more than 10 days after one is found. Right now, it's up to the Missouri Highway Patrol to investigate illegal devices.  The patrol confiscated 50 devices from two businesses in the Springfield area in June. They were used to play slot games.

Steve Tilley is no longer registered to lobby for Gaming and Leisure Properties Inc., which owns the real estate for six casinos in the St. Louis region. Tilly updated his lobbyist registration with the Missouri Ethics Commission on Monday to show the relationship had been severed.

Missouri Senate defeated a bill to expand gambling in the state. The bill also would have restricted unregulated devices that offer cash prizes to players. Some prosecutors have attacked the devices as illegal and others have refused to file charges over them. The biggest push for new gambling regulations has been in Senate, while similar bills in House have yet to receive a hearing.