A bill is working its way through the Missouri legislature could be a solution to unlicensed machines cropping up around the state. It is hoped that this bill will not only be able to regulate the activity and add additional revenue for the state.

Video machines have been spreading across the state, but have done nothing for government coffers. These machines are not regulated, and there is no requirement for operators to pay any form of tax.

Senate Bill 566 looks to address these concerns. The bill, sponsored by State Senator Denny Hoskins, legalizes video lottery game terminals in fraternal and veterans’ organizations, truck stops, and retail locations which also have liquor licenses. The terminals would be connected to a centralized computer system overseen by the state lottery commission, but the machines would be required to be placed in a separate, supervised area that was only accessible to people who are 21 years of age or older.

One area that is unclear at this point is if the bill would automatically legalize machines that are currently operating. Hoskins indicated that some could be grandfathered in as long as they were in compliance with the law, but he did not provide any further details.