JEFFERSON CITY — Attorney General Catherine Hanaway was joined Tuesday by Columbia Police Chief Jill Schlude during a news conference on illegal gaming machines.
In four different counties, 35 illegal gaming machines were seized during a simultaneous sting operation, which retrieved nearly $59,000. Ten of those machines were seized in Boone County with the coordination of local law enforcement, including the Columbia Police Department. While Hanaway said this is a huge step for mid-Missouri, she is still receiving reports of active machines.
Illegal gaming machines, which became popular in gas stations and convenience stores in recent years, have been seen by some as more dangerous due to a lack of security, surveillance systems and trained staff. The unlicensed gaming machines were declared illegal in a federal court ruling in February.
“This remains a high priority for our office in conjunction with the Highway Patrol and all these local departments, because these machines are illegal, but they also become an attractive place for other criminal activity,” Hanaway said.
Schlude outlined recent actions taken by the Police Department and what the next phase of enforcement actions will look like.
In February, the Columbia Police Department conducted an audit of businesses throughout the city and identified 25 locations with illegal gaming machines after the federal ruling declared them illegal. After a follow-up audit done earlier this month, only two locations were found with illegal machines.
“They create environments where large amounts of cash are exchanged with little security and minimal safeguards,” Schlude said. “In Columbia, we have seen firsthand how widespread this problem has become.”
Schlude said that on April 9, 2025, in Columbia, a man playing a gaming machine at a convenience store was followed to his vehicle and robbed at gunpoint after cashing in his winnings.
“Incidents like this demonstrate that these locations have become magnets for criminal activity and even violence,” Schlude said.
In addition to Hanaway’s stance against illegal gaming machines, a bill that would legalize similar machines was shut down last week when a Senate committee unanimously voted down HB 2989, the “Missouri Video Lottery Regulatory Act.” This bill would have created a regulatory framework and taxing system to allow new gaming machines to remain in businesses.
“The number one priority of this attorney general’s office is to reduce crime in Missouri,” Hanaway said. “This is going to be a long and challenging fight to shut down these illegal slot machines.”
Torch Electronics, an electronic gaming company based in Missouri, has suspended and turned off nearly all of its machines in the state to avoid prosecution. Hanaway said roughly 60% of the illegal gaming machines are owned by Torch.
The state of Missouri and Torch Electronics are currently negotiating a settlement.