Missouri Lottery Archives

Thursday’s Missouri House hearing on alleged illegal slots expected to draw crowd

October 9, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

The Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Missouri Prosecutors Association will testify Thursday in Jefferson City before a House gaming committee investigating the issue of alleged illegal slot machines.

State Rep. Dirk Deaton, R-Noel, speaks at the August 22, 2019 Missouri House Special Interim Committee on Gaming hearing. State Rep. Robert Ross, R-Yukon, is behind him. (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

A large crowd is expected to attend the House Special Interim Committee on Gaming hearing, which begins at noon at the Statehouse.

The committee will hear testimony from Missouri State Highway Patrol Lieutenant Justin McCullough and from Missouri Prosecutors Association legal counsel Steve Sokoloff.

During the committee’s last hearing in September, Missouri Lottery Executive Director May Scheve Reardon testified that illegal slot machines are hurting public education in the Show-Me State. She says the I-44 corridor has many of them, and told lawmakers about one Lottery sales representative whose territory goes from St. James to Lebanon.

“Down that I-44 corridor in six months, her route alone was down $800,000. That’s an estimated $3.2 million sales lost for six months,” Scheve Reardon testified on September 5.

Alleged illegal slot machines can be found in bars, restaurants, gas stations and convenience stores.

Committee Chairman Dan Shaul, R-Imperial, tells Missourinet that illegal slot machines cost Missouri education at least $50 million last year. He says the illegal machines “are everywhere” in the state and in his district in eastern Missouri’s Jefferson County.

“But I think what we have to worry about is not what happened last year, it’s what’s going to happen next year because this is not a plateau. We are going to continue to see the loss,” Chairman Shaul told Missourinet after the September hearing.

Missouri Gaming Commission Executive Director David Grothaus testified in August that any illegal gaming machines used in Missouri negatively impact casinos and the state Lottery, reducing taxes and funding for education and veterans. Grothaus has called for the state to develop a coordinated effort to stop illegal slot machines.

Grothaus notes there’s one pending criminal case in western Missouri’s Platte County, in the Kansas City area.

Thursday is also your first opportunity to testify before the committee, and House officials have encouraged those who want to testify to call ahead. The hearing is expected to last for two to three hours.

Anyone who wants to testify Thursday should call E.J. Fleischmann in Chairman Shaul’s office. That number is (573) 751-2504.

Hearing on illegal slot machines expected to draw crowd to Missouri Capitol (AUDIO)

September 22, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

Missouri House officials are expecting a crowd to attend an October public hearing at the Statehouse in Jefferson City about alleged illegal slot machines, and are urging those who want to testify to call ahead.

Missouri House Special Interim Committee on Gaming Chairman Dan Shaul, R-Imperial, and State Rep. LaKeySha Bosley, D-St. Louis, speak on August 22, 2019 in Jefferson City (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

House Special Interim Committee on Gaming Chairman Dan Shaul, R-Imperial, tells Missourinet the committee will take public testimony on October 10 at noon.

“And I think we’re going to hear some of the stories on how we can fix it, what we can do and what we can and what we shouldn’t do,” Chairman Shaul says.

Shaul says the illegal machines “are everywhere” in the state and in his district in eastern Missouri’s Jefferson County.

They can be found in bars, restaurants, gas stations and convenience stores. Chairman Shaul tells Missourinet illegal slot machines cost Missouri education at least $50 million in 2018.

“But I think what we have to worry about is not what happened last year, it’s what’s going to happen next year because this is not a plateau. We are going to continue to see the loss,” says Shaul.

Missouri Lottery Executive Director May Scheve Reardon testifies the alleged illegal machines can be found across the state, adding that the I-44 corridor between St. James and Lebanon has many of them. She testified this month before the House committee, saying the illegal machines are hurting public education in the Show-Me State.

Missouri Gaming Commission Executive Director David Grothaus has also testified before the committee, saying that any illegal gaming machines used in Missouri negatively impact casinos and the state Lottery, reducing taxes and funding for education and veterans.

The October 10th hearing at the Statehouse is expected to last for two to three hours. Shaul’s office tells Missourinet those who call ahead will have the opportunity to speak first at the hearing. Anyone wanting to testify on the issue should call E.J. Fleischmann in Chairman Shaul’s office. That number is (573) 751-2504.

Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full interview with Missouri House Special Interim Committee on Gaming Chairman Dan Shaul, R-Imperial, which was recorded on September 5, 2019 at the Statehouse in Jefferson City:

Missouri Lottery: I-44 corridor highlights problem with illegal slot machines

September 6, 2019 By Brian Hauswirth

The Missouri Lottery’s executive director testified Thursday in Jefferson City that illegal slot machines are hurting public education in the Show-Me State.

The Missouri Lottery logo (courtesy of Missouri Lottery)

Former State Rep. May Scheve Reardon testified before a House interim committee, telling lawmakers there’s a major issue with illegal slot machines along the I-44 corridor. She talks about one Lottery sales representative whose territory goes from St. James to Lebanon.

“Down that I-44 corridor alone in six months, her route alone was down $800,000,” Scheve Reardon testifies. “That’s an estimated $3.2 million sales lost for six months.”

She says the average monthly Lottery sales lost, per retailer with the alleged illegal machines, is $90,000.

Illegal slot machines can be found in bars, restaurants, gas stations and convenience stores.

Scheve Reardon testified during a 90-minute hearing before the House Special Interim Committee on Gaming, which is chaired by State Rep. Dan Shaul, R-Imperial.

Shaul tells the audience that illegal slot machines cost Missouri education at least $50 million last year. He says the alleged illegal slot machines are hurting the Lottery, thereby impacting classrooms.

“The (Missouri) Lottery is losing revenue here, because of these alleged illegal machines. So are the (Missouri’s 13) casinos, so is everybody across that’s funding the state. The state is losing money because of these,” says Shaul.

Missouri House Special Interim Committee on Gaming Chairman Dan Shaul, R-Imperial, speaks on August 22, 2019 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)

Chairman Shaul tells Missourinet the public will have the opportunity to testify at the next hearing, which is October 10 in Jefferson City.

Thursday’s hearing was the committee’s second in two weeks. The Missouri Gaming Commission testified before the committee on August 22, saying the state needs a coordinated effort to stop the illegal machines.

“We’re trying to coordinate efforts among law enforcement and prosecutors, trying to educate prosecutors on how to prosecute those cases,” Gaming Commission Executive Director David Grothaus testified in August.

Grothaus notes there’s one pending criminal case in western Missouri’s Platte County, in the Kansas City area.

Scheve Reardon says the Missouri Lottery generated more than $306 million for education in fiscal year 2018.