Idaho lawmakers push to ban TouchTabs Lottery machines in bars
Idaho lawmakers are considering a ban on TouchTabs Lottery machines in bars and taverns. These devices, which operate like slot machines, have faced criticism for encouraging problem gambling. A bill to remove them has now advanced to the House floor after a committee vote.
House Bill 28 was approved by the Idaho House State Affairs Committee in a 10-5 decision. If passed, it would repeal a 2011 law that allowed the Idaho Lottery to place gambling machines in adult-only venues. Around 1,200 TouchTabs machines were installed in bars and taverns across the state by 2016.
Critics argue the machines function too much like slot machines, which are banned under Idaho's constitution. Stop Predatory Gambling, an anti-gaming group, led the push to remove them. Boise State Professor Jonathan Krutz, a member of the organisation, compared the machines to cocaine, stating, 'The difference between these and paper pull tab machines is the difference between caffeine and cocaine.' Despite their high betting capacity—up to 1,200 bets per hour—each machine collected roughly £5.70 per hour over the past year. The state's total revenue from them in 2023 was about £2.4 million. Supporters of the ban claim the financial impact of removing them would be minimal.
The bill now moves to the full House for debate. If HB 28 becomes law, the machines will be taken out of bars and taverns. The change would mark a shift in Idaho's approach to gambling access in public spaces.
