SIKESTON, Mo. (KFVS) – Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway is targeting what she calls illegal gaming machines commonly seen in gas stations and bars, forcing some veterans organizations to remove the devices or risk penalties.
American Legion Commander James Walton said his post removed its gaming machines after the attorney general’s office seized 35 gas station slot machines and $58,000 in a recent sting operation.
“We call it a club room, some people call it a bar. Most of those places have machines, and if they don’t have the machines, the whole post could be in jeopardy,” Walton said.
Walton said the seizure served as a warning to his organization.
“I mean to me, that’s a shot fired over our head, that’s a warning shot, and we started to take notice of it. So basically, the stance in the state of Missouri is that these machines are illegal, and if you have them and you’re using them, you could have a significant penalty from the law,” Walton said.
Commander at the Sikeston VFW, Mike Johnson, said he does not condemn posts that keep the machines, but his post views them as destructive.
“Our take is that gambling can hurt some of the veterans that come out who already have problems dealing with life, and it’s easy to get addicted to that, so we choose not to have it here, and proceed to get our income other ways,” Johnson said.
Walton said while the American Legion will survive without the machines, the loss will cost thousands of dollars and affect community programs.
“I mean, we will survive, but the problem of it is we won’t have $500 that the high school wants to sponsor some activity over there, we won’t have $300 to send to the Boy Scouts,” Walton said.
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