Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas says that six businesses in Kansas City have been closed as a result of the city’s ongoing enforcement and ban of illegal gambling machines.
The mayor’s announcement comes just days after Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson’s office partnered with Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway’s office to hold such businesses accountable.
Mayor Lucas said that 30 citations were issued for ordinance violations, like operating without a proper license, in addition to the six closures. He also shared that the Kansas City Public Safety Task Force has been working with store owners in the city to get illegal machines removed for the past month.
“Unregulated slot machines have operated openly in Kansas City for years, contributing to increasing risk of crime in neighborhoods and preying on vulnerable residents,” the mayor’s post reads.
