Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway said Wednesday that the state's biggest supplier of video gambling machines is pulling out the devices later this week.
Hanaway said Wildwood-based Torch Electronics is suspending operations of the devices, which resemble slot machines, on Friday. A federal judge has ruled the devices, found in bars, convenience stores and fraternal organizations, are illegal gambling machines.
The company is in the process of appealing U.S. District Judge John Ross' ruling. Torch Electronics spokesman Gregg Keller declined to comment Wednesday about the company's plans for the machines.
"Torch's agreement to proactively halt these operations signals clearly that there has never been a gray market," Hanaway said in a statement. "While this is a tremendous step forward for Missouri, our office will continue to investigate and seek enforcement action against other operators, manufacturers, and retail stores facilitating this illegal activity."
Hanaway is alluding to how her office and local prosecutors, including St. Louis County Prosecutor Melissa Price Smith, are pursuing legal action against businesses that house the machines.
The machines have been a flashpoint in Missouri politics for years. The state's casinos have fought the devices, especially since they aren't regulated or taxed the same way.
Defenders of the machines say they're not gambling devices, primarily because they provide players with an option of knowing the outcome of a spin beforehand. And some lawmakers have sought to legalize and tax the machines, attempts that have often run into passionate opposition.
Such bills are being considered in the current legislative session, though whether they can find a path to passage before adjournment in May is unclear.
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