Gambling Company Bankrolls Attack Ads in Missouri GOP Senate Primary Over Video Lottery Terminals

An Illinois gambling company pushing to legalize video lottery terminals in Missouri is bankrolling a radio ad campaign attacking a Republican rival in a crowded state Senate primary, according to campaign finance and FCC records. J&J Ventures of Effingham, Illinois, is the sole donor behind Legio XIII PAC, a political action committee formed on May 13 that has already spent at least $44,000 airing attack ads against former state Rep. Hannah Kelly in the 16th Senate District race.

The spending underscores how aggressively the video lottery terminal (VLT) industry is fighting to break into Missouri’s gambling market, a fight that has spilled well beyond the statehouse and into a down-ballot legislative primary along the Interstate 44 corridor between Rolla and Lebanon. Missouri only recently stood up its regulated online sportsbooks market, and the VLT fight is now shaping up as the next major front in the state’s gambling expansion debate.

Attack Ads Target Kelly Over Casino, Pharma Ties

According to Missouri Ethics Commission records, J&J Ventures has given Legio XIII PAC $266,000 since its formation. That money has funded radio spots running on stations in Springfield, Lebanon and Rolla — spending that FCC records show exceeds what any actual candidate in the four-way Republican primary has put into broadcast advertising.

The ads accuse Kelly of being “bought and paid for” by interests tied to casinos, marijuana businesses and pharmaceutical companies, and claim she missed 250 votes during her time in the Missouri House, without providing context for that figure. The spots echo mailers sent out by the Missouri Enterprise Fund PAC branding Kelly “Hypocritical Hannah” for allegedly “taking money from casinos, Big Pharma, marijuana and liquor companies.”

What the ads do not disclose is that their sole funder, J&J Ventures, is actively seeking state approval to place video lottery terminals in Missouri convenience stores, bars and other retail locations — nor that the company has a clear preferred candidate in the same race.

A Company With a Favorite in the Race

J&J Ventures has given the maximum allowable $4,000 over the past two years directly to the campaign of state Rep. Bill Hardwick, the Dixon Republican who has served as the chief House sponsor of legislation to legalize video lottery terminals statewide. The company has also funneled $95,000 to the Missouri Enterprise Fund PAC, a committee aligned with Hardwick that can accept unlimited contributions under Missouri law.

Hardwick has pushed a VLT legalization bill through the Missouri House in each of the past two legislative sessions, only to see it stall in the state Senate — making his election to that chamber a potential turning point for the industry’s yearslong push. The 16th District primary also includes Don Mayhew, a civil engineer from Crocker who opposes expanding video lottery without a public vote, and Philip Lohmann of Rolla, who has not campaigned extensively.

Directing PAC money into attack ads against a rival candidate marks a new tactic for J&J Ventures, which has otherwise built its Missouri influence largely through direct campaign contributions. Since 2015, the company has contributed roughly $3.5 million to Missouri campaigns, with more than half of that total given since the start of 2025 alone, according to Missouri Ethics Commission filings.

Casino Industry Money Flows the Other Way

Kelly, for her part, has drawn financial support from the casino industry as she has emerged as a vocal opponent of legalized video lottery. Her campaign disclosure reports show $75,000 in contributions since June 30 tied directly to her stance — $50,000 from Penn Entertainment, which operates two Missouri casinos, and $25,000 from the Missouri Gaming PAC, representing the state’s 13 licensed casinos. That money arrived after Kelly’s opposition to the VLT bill was first reported in mid-June. Kelly has said the donors share her concerns about legalized video lottery and that she did not solicit the contributions.

The broader battle over video lottery terminals has become one of the most heavily financed fights in Missouri politics. An analysis of campaign finance records found that gambling-industry contributions — spanning video terminal operators, casinos and sports betting interests — have topped $4 million since the start of 2025, with roughly $3.4 million of that flowing directly into legislative campaigns and PACs. J&J Ventures and Torch Electronics, the two largest donors on the VLT side, have each increased their giving by about 50% compared with the prior election cycle.

What’s at Stake

Supporters of the legislation argue it would let individual communities opt in to allowing a limited number of machines, generating new revenue for the state and local retailers. Opponents, including much of the established casino industry and lawmakers like Kelly, contend it would effectively put slot machines in gas stations and convenience stores statewide with insufficient oversight.

With Hardwick positioned as the industry’s preferred candidate for a Senate seat that could shape whether a VLT bill finally clears the chamber, the outcome of the 16th District primary is being watched closely well beyond south-central Missouri — a reminder of how much money is riding on which lawmakers hold the gavel when gambling expansion bills come up for debate.