Contributions Pour in For Lawmakers Regarding Gambling in Missouri

Gambling in Missouri already exists through casinos and online sports betting. Lobbyists now have their sights on video lottery machines, and they’re throwing their financial muscle behind the idea.

J&J Ventures, one of the nation’s largest manufacturers of video lottery terminals, has donated $200,000 combined to Sen. Jason Bean (R-Holcomb), Sen. Curtis Trent (R-Springfield) and Rep. Bill Hardwick (R-Dixon). That potentially gives them three powerful allies, as Bean is expected to replace Sen. Cindy O’Laughlin (R-Shelbina) as Senate President pro tempore when her term expires in January.

That would give Bean the power to set the legislative agenda for the Missouri Senate. At the same time, Trent is running to be Senate majority leader, which would let him decide which bills come to the floor. The final legislator, Hardwick, is running to join the Missouri Senate, vacating his state House seat to do so.

Between them, they’re expected to revive Hardwick’s failed bill, House Bill 2989. That bill would have legalized video lottery machines at convenience stores across the Show Me State. It passed the state House, but did not receive a vote in the Senate.

Why Has Gambling in Missouri Become a Recent Issue?

This battle stems from an October 2025 dispute between TNT Amusements and Torch Electronics. Torch had claimed that its video lottery games were legal because they were not games of chance, but a jury disagreed. In February, federal judge John Ross used that decision to rule that Torch’s games were illegal gambling devices, and thus impermissible under laws regarding gambling in Missouri.

Since then, J&J Ventures and Torch have focused on making their video lottery games legal again through the legislative process. According to the Missouri Independent, both J&J Ventures and Torch have contributed more than $1 million in this political cycle.

Why Have Contributions Increased So Sharply?

In short, supporters of gambling in Missouri see an opportunity.

O’Laughlin’s decision to retire has opened the door for lawmakers to revisit this issue in 2027. HB 2989 passed by an 83-66 vote in March, but O’Laughlin refused to bring it up for a vote. In May, she set up a committee to study the bill, only to make herself the chair and kill the legislation.

Bean, however, favors Hardwick’s bill. He’s also actively working on rounding up votes for next session. According to the Missouri Independent, Bean, who isn’t up for re-election until 2028, has already discussed the bill with eight other senators and secured favorable votes.

“We definitely have a clear path to bringing that to a vote,” Bean told the Independent. “Right now, from what I see in the Senate, I think that vote, when we have that vote, it will pass.”

What Is the Timeline For Legislation on Video Lottery Machines?

The Missouri legislative session concluded for the year in May. O’Laughlin also wouldn’t allow any pro-gambling bills to come to the floor anyway. That means no new legislation regarding gambling in Missouri will take place until at least January 2027.

The Missouri legislature will open its new session on Jan. 6. Every seat in the Missouri House and half of the Missouri Senate, including Trent and Hardwick, is up for election in November.

Republicans hold strong majorities in both chambers. Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe is also a supporter of expanding gambling in Missouri, giving the next version of HB 2989 a strong chance to become law. Based on Bean’s comments, it seems likely that it will be an early priority in 2027/