St. Louis County enforcement targets illegal gaming machines

The Missouri attorney general and St. Louis County prosecuting attorney are teaming up to crack down on illegal gaming machines.

Attorney General Catherine Hanaway and St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Melissa Price Smith announced the coordinated enforcement initiative March 4. The initiative will remove illegal gambling devices from businesses throughout St. Louis County.

The initiative comes after a Feb. 13 ruling by federal Judge John A. Ross of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri that confirmed that unregulated “gray market” machines, like those typically found in gas stations, bars and convenience stores, constitute illegal gambling devises under state law. Both the attorney general’s office and prosecuting attorney’s office issued a final warning to all owners and operators.

The ruling is the latest development in a series of back-and-forth litigation between TNT Amusements and Torch Electronics.

Any person or business in possession of an illegal gambling machine in the county that meetings the definition of a “gambling device’ under state statute Chapter 572 must have their machines removed or permanently disabled by June 1. Failure to comply will result in prosecution.

“When businesses profit from illegal gambling, they are not only ignoring the law; they put their communities at risk by creating magnets for additional criminal activity,” Hanaway stated in a press release. “My office applauds St. Louis County for upholding the rule of law and we will work collaboratively with local officials to hold any business accountable for engaging in unlawful activity.”

Under state law, a gambling device is any machine that requires a player to wager money on a game of chance in which the outcome is not entirely determined by the player’s skill. Recent court rulings have further clarified that many “no-chance” or “video lottery” terminals currently in use meet the definition of these prohibited devices.

“Our priority is the safety and integrity of our community. By setting this June 1 deadline, we are providing a clear window for voluntary compliance. After that date, my office will move forward with criminal charges against those who continue to violate state gambling statutes,” stated Price Smith.