Thousands of electronic slot light games are in the back rooms of truck stops, bars and restaurants.

And a Lexington Republican says they're illegal and he believes they should be banned.

But legislation that appear to be on the fast track to do that was derailed on Friday.

A fellow Republican lawmaker from Erlanger exacted a parliamentary move to block a House floor vote Friday on House Bill 594 that would outlaw gray machines.

Lexington Republican Killian Timoney is the bill's sponsor.

Kentucky has always done an excellent job of regulating gaming, and we want to continue that effort now by outlawing illegal gaming machines and explicitly saying what is not gambling and what is not and what devices and machines are gambling machines and which ones are not.

Under House Bill 594, civil penalties for operating gray machines include a $25,000 fine that would go to the counties where the games are located.

Exceptions in the bill include charitable gaming, EA sports and skill based contests.

And Erlanger, Republican with a competing bill, said House members were only given the option to ban Gray machines and not consider his choice to regulate and tax them.

Here is freshman lawmaker Steve Doan.

The regulation and taxation of skilled games.

Two bills have been filed in this chamber that would do exactly that.

They've not been heard in our tough economy.

Many Kentucky small businesses have found a way to offer entertainment to their patrons while creating a much needed revenue stream through legal skill games.

When COVID 19 decimated our restaurants and bars, many people lost not only their jobs but their livelihoods.

They lost everything they had worked for their entire life to accumulate.

This ban on skilled games only serves to punish those Kentuckians for innovating after COVID 19 closed their businesses.

Only one bill has been given the chance to move through the legislative process.

But there is another way.

Mr. Speaker, I move that this legislation be laid on the table so that this body can consider a third option of taxing and regulating skill games.

The motion to table or postpone consideration of house Bill 594 was approved.

It still could be acted on in the coming days.