Many Missouri gas stations, bars, and gaming parlors now offer amusement gaming machines, known as “no chance” machines. These games, which look like slots but aren't technically the same thing, have recently caused a debate over their legality, with Missouri lawmakers and others commenting on the situation.
According to Jim Needy, a business owner who operates several no chance games in the state, the devices aren't gambling machines because they tell you if you will win or lose before you use them.
“You hit a button on the machine and it tells you if you’re going to win and how much you’re going to win," Needy told Fox 2 News. "It might say you’re going to win 20 cents. It might say you’ve won $20. Then, you’ve actually got to play.”
Effectively, players don’t have to pay money to see what prizes are available before playing a game, similar to a slot. He stated that local cities license these machines as “amusement devices.”
How can "no chance" games operate legally?
Needy's argument hinges on the Revised Statutes of Missouri, Section 572.010, which states, “A person engages in gambling when he or she stakes or risks something of value upon the outcome of a contest of chance or a future contingent event not under his or her control or influence, upon an agreement or understanding that he or she will receive something of value in the event of a certain outcome.”
However, according to the Missouri Gaming Commission, "no chance" devices are illegal.
“It has always been the position of the Gaming Commission that these machines are not legal,” Commission Chair Jan Zimmerman told Fox 2 News.
Franklin County prosecutor Matt Becker believes no chance machines operate in a grey area, as each machine can be a little different. “What sort of hardware, what sort of software?” Becker said.
However, when it comes to the machines he has seen personally, Becker agrees with the Gaming Commission's position.
“As we’ve looked at those cases and managed to find people that can actually analyze the machines, we’ve reached a different conclusion: that these are actually gambling devices.”
Franklin County has recently seen three gaming parlors open, operating these no-chance gaming machines under the Player’s Advantage brand.
Why do businesses install no chance games?
If no chance gaming machines are potentially running without regulations, why do more and more locations in MO provide these games?
Commenting on the benefits of these machines, bartender Megan Carillo told Fox 2 News, “If people have more to do, they’ll stay longer. The longer they stay, the better the business does. As staff, we deal with tips. The whole bar gets excited. It’s nice because a lot of guys will stand around and have a drink while they’re playing; one of their friends is winning.”
The spread of slot-like machines in the U.S.
Missouri isn’t the only U.S. state that has seen a rise in gambling machines similar to slots but operating without the same licensing.
In June, the Michigan Gaming Control Board (MGCB) shut down various locations operating unregulated gaming machines. The executive director of the MGCB also released a statement on “casino-style slot machines,” condemning locations offering these to players.
