LOUISVILLE, Ky. — If you like to play slot machines here in Kentucky, there are a few ways around strict gambling laws.
Some companies use historic horse racing numbers to run their machines, while others claim their machines are more skill than luck, in a legal loophole lawmakers have yet to catch up with.
Then, there is charitable gambling, slots that serve a greater purpose. But, the charitable organizations who use gaming machines say the regulations left them decades behind the competition, until now.
"They've approved everything, we are just waiting on a final letter to the manufacturers and distributors of the machines," an excited Mike Mulrooney told WHAS11 News.
Mulrooney founded Shirley's Way in the name of his mother - Shirley Mulrooney - who died of cancer in 2013.
"A lot of people came by to visit and told stories about people who were sick and couldn't afford the basic necessities of life; we're talking food, water, prescriptions," Mulrooney said. "So, we started raising money and we've given away $1.7 million back to the community since mom died."
Charitable gaming machines are a big part of how they do it, but the games themselves have not kept up. Mulrooney described the former charitable gambling machines as similar to the Atari system from the 80's. They look less like slot machines and more like desktop computers.
The look and design of the machines paled in comparison to casinos in the metro and Southern Indiana. Then, bars and other businesses started to install "skill-based" machines and Mulrooney's fundraising took a hit.
Skill-based machines are similar to slot machines except they require a small amount of skill. Rather than just pressing a button to see if you've won, with a skill-based machine you are able to move and match some of the symbols on your screen.
Skill-based machines are in a legal gray area. Mulrooney bought some to keep up but knows the loophole could close. So, he's happy to have a new alternative.
Starting Tuesday, regulatory changes to charitable gaming in Kentucky take effect.
These changes cut a number of requirements that made it impossible for charities to upgrade to larger machines.
Mulrooney installed over a dozen new machines he plans to turn on for the first time Tuesday.
"These machines were approved for the state of Ohio and we were told by the manufacturer people love them so much they saw double the revenue from the year before," he said.
That money moves from casinos and legal loopholes to charities that serve our communities.
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