Two men are facing charges after the Missouri State Highway Patrol found a total of 13 electronic gambling machines in two Jefferson County gas stations.
Four machines were found at the Phillips 66/Express Mart on Collins Drive in Festus when an MSHP officer visited last December, and nine more were located in May at聽Britton's Quick Shop on Highway 21 in Hillsboro.
Charges involving both businesses were filed Thursday.
A highway patrol officer who was investigating complaints about the machines, noted that they all had a "pre-reveal" icon, or prize viewer. A player can preview the outcome, a win or loss, and is not financially obligated to play.
"This knowledge does not assist in obtaining a more favorable outcome, nor does it provide a聽means to skip or alter the outcome," a probable cause statement read. "The outcome, from a player's perspective is determined by chance and if a player聽wishes to take the chance that subsequent outcomes would be more advantageous, you are required to continue聽playing.
People are also reading…
"Knowing the outcome in advance does not remove the chance-based determination. Further,聽being able to remove consideration upon learning of the outcome does not remove the element of chance because, as聽designed, the game requires a player to move past the immediate play for the chance that the next will be a winning聽game."
Each store's managing officer faces misdemeanor charges of possession of a gambling device:聽Jeffrey A. Mesplay of聽Phillips 66/Express Mart and聽Douglas E. Warren of Britton's Quick Shop. Both are due in court Aug. 25.
The machines have been the subject of staunch debate, court battles and failed legislative attempts to regulate them for years.聽Wildwood-based Torch Electronics argues its machines 鈥渇all outside the definition of a 鈥榞ambling device鈥 under Missouri law and are entirely legal.鈥
Post-Dispatch photographers capture hundreds of images each week; here's a glimpse at the week of June 8, 2025. Video edited by Jenna Jones.
