Legalize VLTs at more public venues?

By State Rep. J. Eggleston
One of the issues that has received discussion at the capitol is video lottery terminals (VLTs). VLTs are basically the video slot machines you see in casinos these days; except they have started cropping up in convenience stores and gas stations in our state.
Law enforcement feels they are illegal since our laws specify that gambling can only occur in casinos, but their manpower is tied up investigating more serious crimes. Also, the makers of VLTs claim they are legal. Here’s why.
In a traditional slot machine, you are gambling that the next spin will be a winner. But a VLT tells you whether the next spin will be a winner or a loser BEFORE you put in your money. This distinction is why VLT makers claim that playing a VLT is not gambling. So, if you know the next spin is a loser, why play? Because you want to know (and are gambling on) what will happen in the spin after the next.
There are several interested parties involved in this debate. The casinos do not like VLTs since they cut into their business. VLT makers want them legalized claiming a free market right to produce their product. Government groups favor legalizing and taxing VLTs to get more money for their budgets.
Veterans groups are mixed since some VLTs have now been installed in some American Legion halls helping their funding. But some claim the untaxed, unregulated VLT business hurts participation in the lottery, which funds veterans’ programs. The store owners like them since it increases their foot traffic and they get a cut of the proceeds.
And then there are the opinions of ordinary citizens. Some feel freedom loving Americans should be able to do what they want with their money, while others feel gambling is an addictive bad habit that leads to societal decay and they don’t want their Love’s Truck Stop turned into a Harrah’s Casino.
So, what do you think? Are VLTs gambling machines? Should Missouri legalize, tax, and regulate them for use in truck stops, convenience stores, and public areas like the Power & Light District in KC? Or should Missouri ban and remove them, and only have gambling with the lottery and casinos?
Let me know at [email protected]. I’d love to hear from you. If you want to read up, the House bills on this topic are HB2030 and HB2088.