KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa covers Miami County in Kansas and Cass County in Missouri. He also frequently keeps track of city council meetings and saw a 'no chance' gaming ban on the Belton City Council agenda a couple weeks ago. He found that businesses with gaming machines were unaware of the ordinance, so he began diving deeper into the local concerns of city leaders and business owners. Share your story idea with Ryan.
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Tuesday night's Belton City Council meeting was full of questions and discussion regarding a proposed ordinance to ban "no chance" gaming machines.
KSHB 41's Cass County reporter Ryan Gamboa first told the story a couple weeks ago.
"We’re probably looking at 15% to 25% that we are going to lose if we lose these," said Teresa McRoy, Paradise Bar and Grill owner. "The revenue they’re bringing in as they’re eating, drinking and they’re playing slots is huge."
It's important to note these games aren't slot machines.
"No chance" or "zero chance" gaming machines are defined by the Association of Gaming Equipment Manufacturers (AGEM) as "those that involve devices programmed in another attempt to circumvent State law prohibition on 'chance' games. 'Zero Chance' and 'no chance' games also may include a feature that can reveal the outcome of a play in advance, allegedly making them 'skill' games that force players to make a decision to get an outcome."
McRoy and a representative from a "no chance" gaming machine company put their names on the agenda to speak at Tuesday night's meeting.
Her message didn't stray far from what she previously told Gamboa: she's searching for a compromise with the city. McRoy also explained the financial impact.
Thomas Gartman, the chief financial officer with Kansas Capital Group, leases a few machines to some Belton businesses.
Gartman expressed the company's approach to not partner with gaming rooms seen in other communities. His clients are places like gas stations, bars and laundromats.
Kansas Capital Group typically caps its number of machines at five per location.
He touted the financial benefits the machines bring to businesses and the investments owners can make in their operation.
"Seeing what people do with their businesses," Gartman told Gamboa. "When we've put machines in some of these locations, before the pandemic, they were barely hanging on; low inventory, no staff, cracked windows, can't fix the lights. It's been really rewarding to see people invest a good chunk of their money they are earning from machines back into their businesses."
When the Belton City Council heard the first reading of the ordinance ban last month, council members cited crime as a driving force for a prohibition. Kansas City, Missouri, passed a prohibition ordinance earlier this fall, as did Springfield, Missouri.
Belton modeled its ordinance to align with those municipalities.
At Tuesday night's meeting, there was still no evidence presented to the council that crime has been an issue at these locations.
Community Development Director Matt Wright, the champion of the ordinance, confirmed 12 total businesses operate "no chance" gaming machines, estimating up to 50 machines. Three businesses were not able to access the full machine count.
"These aren't regulated, so nobody's told us where they all are," City Manager Joe Warren told the council following a question.
But Ward 3 Councilman Chris Richardson asked to table the ordinance to do some more research on these machines to find a regulatory solution.
"I think the way we went about this, I don't like," Richardson said. "I don't like that we didn't talk to these people. Nobody knew until the last second."
That's how Gamboa met McRoy ahead of the last meeting.
Only one business previously told Gamboa they knew the council would be discussing a possible ban.
"Why didn't I get a letter?" McRoy said a couple weeks ago.
Deliberation between the council members and city attorney brought all sorts of ideas.
Warren suggested banning the machines and then doing more research on regulations.
Some council members, like James Pryan in Ward 2, said they support that idea, voicing concerns those forced to shut down operations in KCMO would move to Belton.
There was even a fear from the council that these businesses would build a warehouse.
According to Gartman, that's not in the picture for his company.
"I am not planning a big expansion into Belton," he explained. "I have some locations in Belton because of the deals I have. The fear that I am going to build a big steel structure space and put a hundred machines in an area, that's not my intention."
Other concerns from the council included the state's role in regulation, the morality of the gaming machines and the deceptive nature of the game company's marketing.
The Belton City Council voted to postpone the ordinance until March. Council members Johnson and Mayor Norman Larkey voted no.
Until March, the city will conduct research to implement regulations on the machines or pass a prohibition.
McRoy told KSHB 41 she's willing to work alongside the city on a solution, including implementing an earnings tax or licenses to operate.
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