Iowa Lottery Slot Machine? 

The Iowa Lottery’s TouchPlay machines have recently come under some heat.  Jennifer Mullin, a spokeswoman for Governor Tom Vilsack says the TouchPlay machines bare to close a resemblance to casino slot machines.  The Lottery may have to cease the incredibly quick expansion of the machines across the state.

The fundamental difference between the casino slot machines and the TouchPlay machine is that the software in the TouchPlay pre-decides its winners, similar to that of a scratch-off ticket.  Slot machines winner a rewarded at random.  Otherwise, the games are incredibly similar. 

TouchPlay Machines are appearing all over the state of Iowa in restaurants, taverns, convenience stores, and may other places of business.  They currently number approximately 4,600 and thousands more are to be installed in the next year.  The machines are facing adversity from multiple directions.  The Iowa casino industry is resentful of the lack of regulations on the lottery machines and protests them as unfair competition.  Gambling critics predict that the machines will simply usher in the newest generation of gambling addicts.  

According to Mullin, the governor may request that the Iowa Lottery suspend the installation of future TouchPlay games until a state task force can complete a study on the situation. The task force is expected to finish and publish a report within the next two months.   Mullin confirms that the focus of the study will center around “keeping kids away from these machines and the effect that they have on minors potentially.”  In addition, the governor must look into whether he even has the influence to mandate the moratorium on new contracts for the TouchPlay machines. 

In the two hour debate over the Touch Play game in the Administrative Rules Review Committee of the Iowa Legislature, it came out that many legislators never intended to allow such an expansion of the game stations.  The expansion of the game is expected to be debated fully over the course of the next week as the legislative session meets its close.  

Senator Michael Connolly (D) has support the Iowa Lottery for years, but even he says, “I don’t think Iowans wanted this.  We are getting complaints.  This goes far beyond legislative intent.”

”How for the life of me can these be a lottery machine and not a slot machine,” asked a disturbed Senator Jack Kibbie (D).  When Kibbie wagered on a TouchPlay machine at a Fort Dodge, he was made quite uncomfortable by its similarities to slot machines.   

TouchPlay was firmly defended by Edward Stanek, Iowa Lottery President.  Stanek brings up that he maintained regular communication with state lawmakers in the years the Lottery progressed with TouchPlay.  Twice in 2002, legislators approved language giving the Iowa Lottery permission to go ahead with its plans for the games.  TouchPlay’s are officially listed as “monitor vending machines.”

"We will follow any guidance that the governor or the legislature gives us.” Stanek guaranteed the Lottery’s cooperation with any requests from the state’s elected officials, but not before reminding them that, according to the legal opinion issued by the Iowa attorney general’s office, the lottery machines are not slot machines.

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