Regulate or outlaw.

That's the choice for state lawmakers over slot like entertainment machines and thousands of Kentucky restaurants, bars and gas stations.

House Bill 594, sponsored by Representative Killian Timony, would ban so-called gray machines and make them illegal in Kentucky.

Those operating the machines face a $25,000 fine that would be paid to the county in which they're operating.

Now, critics blast the measure as monopoly protection for horse racing venues like Churchill Downs to spare them competition from what they believe are legal skill games.

Supporters of the so-called gray machine ban say lawmakers need to stop the largest expansion of gambling in Kentucky as they threaten charitable gaming of groups like veterans organizations.

It's not about protecting a monopoly.

It's not about picking winners and losers.

And it's not about squelching competition.

House Bill 594 is nothing more than an exercise of the General Assembly's police powers to make certain types of gambling devices illegal.

Since those gray machines showed up.

The revenue that was derived from charitable gaming by those four organizations have been cut in half.

You can extrapolate that to the VSO post in your districts.

If this continues for those that are doing charitable gaming, you can rest assured that those revenues are going to be cut in half or more.

The negative impact of that is going to continue to increase.

Games like Burning Barrel by Georgia based company Peso Matic have wound up in thousands of mom and pop stores across Kentucky.

Spokesman for the regulation of these machines call it a double standard to favor sports wagering on mobile devices, but want to ban the slot like games with cash payouts, especially since so many small store owners are relying on them to bully their businesses.

Where's the concern for underage access on phones?

Yeah, skill games are a concern for the underage.

When our business owners are trusted to sell alcohol and tobacco, you been doing a disservice to this legislative body.

Your constituents and the people of the Commonwealth.

To vote in favor of passing House Bill 551 which grants access to gambling through phone apps while simultaneously being against any kind of conversation about regulating and taxing the skill game industry.

Democrats talk all the time about where the party of working families.

Well, here they are.

You have a chance to vote for working families.

What do Republicans say where the party of free enterprise?

We believe in open markets competition.

Let them decide.

Let the consumer decide.

Not government.

Do you just believe that out there or do you believe it in here?

That's the question.

And these people are depending on you to represent them, not the special interests.

And give them a chance.

Give them a chance to make a living in this state with a legal product.

LEXINGTON Republican Kelly Antimony is House Bill 594 that bans the skill games or so-called gray machines, was forwarded from the Senate Licensing and Occupations Committee to the Senate floor on an 8 to 2 vote.

The full Senate later today passed the measure by a vote of 29 to 6.

It now goes on to the governor's desk for him to sign, veto or let it become law without his signature.