meta_id 2984401

On January 29, 2026, the Missouri Gaming Commission (MGC) approved a settlement agreement with West Plains Elks Lodge #2418 (License Number B-1606) resolving proposed disciplinary action. The settlement was formalised through Commission Resolution No. 26-001-B and became effective on the date of the resolution. The MGC initiated discipline against the lodge following a fundraising event held on April 27, 2024, during which the licensee conducted unauthorised gambling activities. Players purchased chips for cash and used them to bet on games including blackjack, poker, roulette, and craps, with winnings subsequently used to bid on auction items. The lodge advertised the event as "Casino night" through social media posts, including one from April 22, 2024, stating that "gambling will be from 6:00 to 8:30 and auction starts at 9:00." These activities violated Missouri bingo licensing requirements under sections 313.005 to 313.085, Revised Statutes of Missouri (RSMo), and Chapter 572, RSMo, which prohibits unlicensed gambling and gambling devices on bingo premises. Under the settlement terms, West Plains Elks Lodge #2418 will pay a fine of $1,000, to be paid from non-bingo funds and made payable to the Howell County Treasurer within 30 days of the MGC's approval. The lodge neither admitted nor denied the facts alleged but acknowledged the MGC's jurisdiction to discipline its bingo licence. The settlement also requires the lodge to comply with all applicable laws and cooperate fully with the MGC in investigations and inquiries into its bingo operations. Both parties waived their rights to a hearing before the Administrative Hearing Commission or further judicial review.