The Missouri House could debate legislation this week that would regulate video lottery machines, or VLT’s.
The unregulated machines are commonly found in bars, restaurants, convenience stores and other businesses across the state. Erin Schrimpf is a lobbyist with Illinois-based J&J Ventures Gaming, which supports the bill.
“It addresses kind of basically setting up a regulatory framework where VLT’s are legal and regulated,” she told Missourinet. “They (would) generate significant tax revenue. (The bill) provides an avenue for small businesses like bars, restaurants, truck stops, veterans halls, to still have these devices as long as they are licensed and approved by the Missouri lottery.”
HB 970 is sponsored by State Rep. Bill Hardwick, R-Dixon. It has already been passed by two Missouri House committees.
“It cracks down on these illegal gambling devices, while generating tax revenue, creating revenue for small businesses and also kind of creating other lines of revenue to support public education and veteran services in the state,” Schrimpf said.
Torch Electronics, which owns many of the unregulated VLT’s in Missouri, also supports the bill. Opponents argue that even regulated machines would still prey on the poor, on people with gambling addictions, or both.
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