ST. LOUIS — A federal jury on Monday found that Torch Electronics, the pioneer of unregulated slot machines in Missouri, made misleading statements about how its games operated and engaged in unfair competition.

After a five-day trial, the jury took just two hours to deliver the verdict in favor of Jim Turntine's TNT Amusements, a provider of traditional bar games that sued Torch and its owner, Steven Miltenberger in 2023, alleging the casino-style slot machines had pushed its games out of taverns and truck stops across the state.

Though Turntine's legal team estimated his damages at around $121,000, the nine-person jury awarded TNT $500,000 and found Torch had engaged in unfair competition under both federal and Missouri law.

The ruling could be a serious blow to an industry that has u

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