Missouri Retailers Sue AG Over Gaming Machine Enforcement Campaign

Retailers and an industry group in Missouri have filed two lawsuits challenging the state attorney general’s enforcement actions against specific gaming machines. The legal proceedings contest the use of criminal investigations and licensing reviews to resolve a dispute the plaintiffs believe requires judicial review.

Scope of the Regulatory Dispute

The complaints target the current campaign directed at "pre-reveal" and "no-chance" gaming devices. Plaintiffs state that Attorney General Catherine Hanaway is acting beyond her statutory powers by applying regulatory pressure to settle a matter they consider a legal question. The filings argue that licensing scrutiny and criminal probes are being used as tools to force compliance outside the courtroom. The information was first reported by Gambl.