“The machine maker claims they are “amusement devices” similar to getting tickets at the arcade to buy things later,” explained Grant Rahmeyer of Rah Law. But if you have a loser coming next you can’t get to a winner without placing the losing bet. So, you know if it’s a winner or a loser before you play. Here’s where the grey area comes in some of these machines reveal the outcome of a bet before you spin the wheel. It’s specific about slot machines, “ A person commits the offense of possession of a gambling device if, with knowledge of the character thereof, he or she manufactures, sells, transports, places or possesses, or conducts or negotiates any transaction affecting or designed to affect ownership, custody or use of a slot machine.” Missouri state law says it is illegal to have gambling machines outside a regulated casino. It has what’s called an Illegal Gaming Investigations Unit. For other situations, The Missouri Highway Patrol considers machines outside a casino illegal. That’s the subject of this week’s Fact Finders: Are gambling machines allowed in gas stations? Louis area lawmaker Rasheen Aldridge plans to file a bill to address all the gambling machines you see in gas stations.
