Columbia mayor recommends delaying vote that could ban gaming machines
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Columbia’s mayor is recommending the City Council table a vote that could ban gaming machines.
Previous reporting shows the city was looking at banning unregulated machines known as “gray machines” or “no-chance machines.” The machines have been described as being “skill-based,” which has brought up questions of legality. The Columbia ban would include a $1,000 fine or 30 days in jail.
The council heard a first read on the ban bill at its Feb. 16 meeting. Columbia Mayor Barbara Buffaloe is recommending the council table the issue until mid-May as the state appears to be moving legislation on the issue.
Buffaloe had told ABC 17 News she was to see how the legislative process plays out. She will recommend tabling the issue at Monday's meeting.
House Bill 2989 – sponsored by state Rep. Bill Hardwick (R-Dixon) -- had a second read in the Missouri House on Thursday and say its first read last week. The bill would require the state’s lottery commission to “to implement a system of video lottery game terminals and to issue licenses to video lottery game manufacturers, distributors, operators, handlers, and retailers. The Commission must not allow a single vendor or licensee to be responsible for implementing the program,” the bill reads.
