St. Louis gaming attorney

Since 1999 the Drug and Crime Division of the Missouri State Highway Patrol has used its Gaming Division to aggressively investigate gambling offenses and other crimes on riverboat casinos in Missouri.

Have you been arrested by Missouri’s Gaming Division for a gaming or casino-related offense? You need an aggressive criminal defense lawyer with experience fighting and defending these charges. Charges of this nature are very serious. Whether you were at the casino as a customer or working as an employee, a St. Louis gaming attorney with JCS Law can help you. Call us today at (314) 561-9690 for a free consultation.

What’s at stake

Gaming and gambling are fun and exciting, but casino gaming is strictly regulated by the State of Missouri. Many of our clients may unintentionally run afoul of regulations and get into serious trouble. A gambling law violation could jeopardize your freedom, cost you thousands of dollars in fines and court fees, and affect your career if you hold a professional license.

Services offered by our St. Louis gaming attorney

JCS Law offers comprehensive legal services for people charged with violating Missouri gaming laws. As your St. Louis gaming attorney, we will:

• Represent you in a bond hearing and negotiate your release from jail
• Investigate the circumstances surrounding your charge to determine if your rights were violated
• Consider whether you were a victim of police or gaming commission entrapment
• Build a solid case for your defense
• Negotiate a plea arrangement with the St. Louis prosecutor
• Advocate for you in a trial

Who we serve

A St. Louis gaming attorney at JCS Law protects the rights of casino workers and guests charged with violating Missouri gaming regulations. Our clients include card dealers, game operators, and other casino workers. We also represent gamers and casino guests who have been accused of some of the following gaming charges.

What are common gaming charges in St. Louis?

Missouri permits gambling establishments on riverboats or other floating facilities – not buildings on land. The state does not permit minors, in this context persons under 21 years old, to gamble in a casino. However, persons between 18-20 may be inside the casino or on the boat as employees, but cannot drink alcohol or gamble.

Some of the most common gaming law violations, covered in the 2017 Missouri Revised Statutes, include:

• Gambling with a minor
• Promoting gambling
• Possession of gambling records
• Presenting a false ID at a casino
• Cheating
• Capping
• A person under 21 years old attempting to gamble or place a bet
• Aiding person under 21 years old to gain entry on a boat or gamble/place bet
• Permitting those under 21 years old to gamble or place a bet
• Knowingly making false statements to the gaming commission
• Violating laws pertaining to riverboat gambling
• Felony gambling charges
• Misdemeanor gambling charges

Recent developments in gaming law

Gambling became legal in Missouri in 1992 when voters in a state referendum elected to amend the constitution to permit riverboat gambling. In the 30 years since the state’s first legal gambling patron entered a licensed Riverboat Gaming Operation, riverboat gaming facilities have expanded to include casinos on the Missouri River and other main rivers throughout the state.

The number of casino licenses is strictly capped at just 13. However, there are some legal gray areas and pushes to expand the existing gaming facilities that may allow for more gaming.

Gray gambling

Many of the changes to Missouri gaming laws and the gaming environment overall revolve around the emergence of electronic gaming, in a form that mimics a sweepstake or lottery, where participants can purchase a chance to win a prize. This is covered in M.O. Const. Art. III, §39(f) and is considered a “gray area” of gambling, as it’s not governed in the same way as casinos.

Specifically, “gray gambling” refers to video lottery devices and small electronic machines placed on land, in a few select establishments. A recent bill proposed in the Missouri State Senate established the Honoring Missouri Veterans and Supporting Missouri Education Act. The bill proposes video lottery games to be installed across the state in places like:

• Truck stops
• Fraternal organizations (like the Eagles or Elks Lodge)
• Veterans’ facilities, like a VFW Post
• Establishments with a liquor-by-the-drink license

The proceeds would benefit institutions of public education. Play on the video lottery machines is restricted to persons 21 and older, and a license for the machines is required for any establishment that wishes to install one.

Conversion of floating facilities to non-floating facilities

Another change to Missouri gaming laws is the conversion of floating gaming facilities to non-floating facilities. There are several restrictions on these facilities, though.

What’s new

First, the gaming facility must be located within 1,000 feet of either the Mississippi or Missouri Rivers. Secondly, there’s a water requirement: the facility must maintain 2,000 gallons of Mississippi or Missouri river water in or about the facility, according to Mike Leara, Chairman of the Missouri Gaming Commission.

The water no longer has to be underneath the gaming floor, as it is on gambling riverboats, which can make it easier for the gaming facilities to maintain the physical integrity of the gaming floor (i.e. less chance of water damage or need for mold or mildew remediation).

What’s stayed the same

Currently, licensed gaming facilities may expand, making the establishment larger, but the state is not issuing any more licenses for new facilities.

None of the changes to Missouri gaming laws pertain to the minimum age for gamblers or the minimum age for persons allowed in the casino. Nor have any changes been made to cheating or capping statutes or definitions.

What are the benefits of working with a St. Louis gaming attorney?

Defending someone charged with gaming law violations requires a deep knowledge of Missouri gambling laws and what gaming commission and law enforcement officers are permitted to do – and most importantly are not permitted to do – in order to arrest someone for gaming violations.

When you work with an experienced St. Louis criminal defense lawyer, one familiar with Missouri gaming statutes like those at JCS Law, you’ll receive professional legal advice tailored to your situation. Your St. Louis gaming attorney will be by your side during police questioning and advise you on what to say and when to remain silent. We also conduct independent investigations into the circumstances and events leading to your arrest.

Our legal team has the resources and knowledge to determine if your rights were violated or if an overzealous prosecutor overcharged you. Depending on your charge, we can deploy multiple defenses to help get charges dismissed, reduced, or have your penalties lessened.

Why hire JCS Law

The JCS Law team values our clients’ rights and fights vigorously to defend them. We take your freedom seriously and will advocate to keep you out of jail and your criminal record clean.

We also aren’t afraid to take on even the toughest cases, and we will fight for the best possible result in your case.

Our St. Louis gaming attorney is ready to help

Do you need representation after being charged with a Missouri gaming laws violation? Contact JCS Law today at (314) 561-9690 for a free consultation with an experienced gaming attorney in St. Louis, MO.