MADISON, Wis. – Today, the Wisconsin Supreme Court issued a decision favorable to the Attorney General in Quick Charge Kiosk LLC v. Kaul. The decision held that the so-called “cellphone charging machines” operated by Quick Charge Kiosk are unlawful gambling machines under Wisconsin criminal law. Those gambling machines – which have appeared in gas stations and convenience stores throughout Wisconsin – mirror the video slot machines typically found in casinos, and they differ only in that a few cellphone chargers are attached to them.

 

The Supreme Court rejected Quick Charge Kiosk’s argument that attaching charging cords and making available a free play option rendered the machines lawful. Instead, the Supreme Court held that because Quick Charge Kiosk’s machines allow customers to wager money on the chance to win valuable cash prizes, they are unlawful gambling machines.

 

“Today’s decision prevents the unlawful expansion of gambling into our local gas stations,” said AG Kaul. “Thank you to those at the Wisconsin Department of Justice who contributed to winning this noteworthy case.”

 

This case was argued by Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) Division of Legal Services (DLS) Assistant Attorney General Colin T. Roth.

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