Missouri’s newly minted attorney general signaled a hands-off approach Tuesday to the spread of illegal gambling across the state.
Moments after being sworn in as the state’s 44th attorney general, Republican Andrew Bailey told reporters that thousands of unregulated and untaxed slot machines are the responsibility of local jurisdictions.
“That is an issue that’s up to local law enforcement investigators and local prosecutors,” said Bailey, who was appointed to the vacant post by Gov. Mike Parson.
That posture is similar to one adopted by Bailey’s predecessor, U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt, who could have issued an advisory opinion on the legality of the gambling devices as they began to flood gas stations, liquor stores and other establishments in recent years.
