Kentucky votes to ban “skill-based” gaming machines
| By Zak Thomas-Akoo
Kentucky governor Andy Beshear has signed House Bill 594 into law, meaning that “skill-based” gaming machines are to become illegal in the Bluegrass state.
The bill – sponsored by Republican Representative Killian Timoney – sought to ban “grey machines”, which are coin operated gaming machines with cash pay-outs that aim to sidestep gambling laws by adding an element of skill to their operation. Many of these machines are found state-wide in locations such as gas stations and convenience stores.
The law authorises the state to empower prosecutors to establish a penalty not exceeding $25,000 for any person who conducts, finances, manages, supervises, directs or owns such a machine as defined under the text of the bill.
Such “skill-based” machines represent a huge chunk of US gaming revenue, with more than $109.2bn bet per year according to a report by the American Gaming Association (AGA).