Video Gaming Coalition coming to Evansville

INDIANAPOLIS -- A group pushing for the legalization of video game terminals in Indiana will meet Tuesday in Evansville to discuss plans for the 2017 legislative session.

The Video Game Coalition, a group comprised of the Indiana Amusement & Music Operators Association, the Indiana Licensed Beverage Association, the Indiana Bowling Centers Association and representatives from truck stops, taverns and coin-operated vending companies, will lobby this year for legalizing video game terminals.

The terminals are essentially electronic video games where participants gamble on a variety of games including poker, line-up or blackjack. Currently, those kind of games are only allowed in casinos but the coalition wants to see them allowed in a variety of other places including bars and truck stops.

The year, the coalition will be arguing the revenue raised by these terminals could be used to fund Indiana's infrastructure needs. A release from Indiana Amusement & Music Operators Association spokeswoman Ashley Roy, says the revenue would go towards funding "transportation infrastructure projects locally and statewide without a tax increase."

Roy said the coalition is working on finding sponsors for this legislation. Sen. Mark Messmer, R-Jasper, authored legislation legalizing video game terminals during the 2016 session. That bill never saw the light of day, getting immediately killed in the Senate Rule Committee. Messmer said Friday he has no plans to introduce similar legislation in 2017.

Illinois allows Video Gaming Terminals and they are often cited as a factor in Indiana's downward revenue stream from casinos. The Illinois Gaming Board reports show the state's share of the terminal revenue for the 2016 fiscal year was more than $255 million.

The coalition will meet at 3 p.m. at River City Eagles