A federal judge on Friday ruled that slot machines that have operated for years in bars, restaurants and convenience stores across Missouri are illegal gambling devices under state law.
The decision by U.S. District Judge John Ross lands as lawmakers debate whether to legalize the machines — and as Attorney General Catherine Hanaway has vowed to shut them down.
Ross’s 25-page ruling also follows an October federal jury verdict ordering one of the most prominent operators, Wildwood-based Torch Electronics, to pay $500,000 to a competitor that said it lost business after Torch repeatedly claimed its games were not gambling devices and therefore were lawful.
