Missouri’s largest supplier of electronic gambling machines is shutting down operations across the state, a move officials say marks a turning point in a widening crackdown on illegal gaming.

Attorney General Catherine Hanaway said in a press release that Torch Electronics will stop running its machines beginning Friday, April 10, 2026, following coordination with federal prosecutors. State officials have long pointed to the company as the biggest distributor of unlawful gambling devices in Missouri.

The shutdown follows a joint investigation involving both U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Missouri and the attorney general’s office, indicating a coordinated push to rein in machines that have spread through gas stations, convenience stores, and other retail spots.

“I am pleased to announce Torch Electronics has suspended all operations involving illegal gambling devices, effective this Friday, as a result of a coordinated investigation by my office and the U.S. Attorneys,” Hanaway said. “Torch’s agreement to proactively halt these operations signals clearly that there has never been a gray market.”

According to the state, Torch has already alerted businesses using its machines and told them to power down by the same deadline. Those terminals, often resembling slot machines, have operated for years in a legal gray area that officials now say never truly existed.