What is Keeping a Gambling Place in Texas?

Keeping a gambling place in Texas is the criminal offense of allowing someone to use the premises for gambling. This offense is commonly used to bust gaming rooms and mom-and-pop gas stations that have gambling machines that give out tokens or tickets that could be exchanged for something of value.

Texas has some of the strictest gambling laws in the nation – and the most confusing. While it’s legal to bet on horse races, buy a lottery ticket, or participate in office pools, basically any other semblance of gambling is against the law. This includes operating game rooms with eight-liners or video slot machines that pay out cash prizes.

In Texas, keeping a gambling place is a criminal offense. This law was created to help prevent the proliferation of illegal gambling operations in the state. However, some feel this law goes too far and unfairly targets business owners. In North Texas, it is not uncommon for owners of gas stations, truck stops, or convenience stores with eight-liners to be arrested and for police to seize motherboards from the machines or the machines themselves.

In this blog post, we will examine the law against keeping a gambling place in Texas, explore the controversy surrounding it, and discuss the consequences of violating it. If you or a loved one has been accused of a gambling offense in North Texas, call 817-203-2220 for a free consultation with an experienced gambling attorney and find out how we can fight your charges.

What constitutes illegal gambling in Texas?

Under Texas law, a person commits illegal gambling if he or she:

• makes a bet on the partial or final result of a game or contest;
• makes a bet on the result of a political nomination, appointment or election;
• plays and bets for money or other thing of value at any game played with cards, dice, balls or any other gambling device.

So, it’s illegal to gamble on sports, elections or play games like poker or eight-liners for money in Texas.

What is the law against keeping a gambling place in Texas?

According to Texas Penal Code 47.04, a person commits the offense of “keeping a gambling place if he or she “knowingly uses or permits another to use as a gambling place any real estate, building, room, tent, vehicle, boat or other property whatsoever owned by him or under his control or rents or lets any such property with a view or expectation that it be so used.”

As you can see, this is a very broad definition that basically encompasses everything and anything that could be used as a gambling venue. This includes not only eight-liner rooms or video poker bars, but also vehicles, boats and even tents. Casinos are also illegal in Texas.

What’s the controversy surrounding eight-liners and game rooms?

The use of eight-liners and video poker machines has been a source of controversy for decades. Texas outlaws the use of gambling devices, such as eight-liners. However, there is a loophole – known as the “fuzzy animal exception” – which allows game rooms to operate eight-liners under the condition that they award cashless prizes or prizes that aren’t worth more than $5 or 10 times more than the game’s cost.

Oftentimes, undercover officers will go into gas stations, truck stops or game rooms with eight-liners to ensure that the machine or business owner is not paying out cash or exceeding the statutory minimum prize amount. If they see a violation, they will obtain a warrant and arrest the business owner on the charge of keeping a gambling place and seize the motherboards or machines.

What is the punishment for keeping a gambling place in Texas?

Keeping a gambling place in Texas is a Class A misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and a maximum $4,000 fine. The gaming machines or their motherboards can also be seized by police.

Class A Misdemeanors in Texas

What is the punishment for keeping a gambling place if alleged as Engaging in Organized Crime?

Alleging that the offense was engaging in organized crime bumps it up to a State Jail Felony in Texas.

State Jail Felony Punishment in Texas

What are some examples of people being arrested for keeping a gambling place in Texas?

Busts of gambling establishments often make headlines. Here’s a look at some arrest stories around the Lone Star State:

• In April 2022, Azle police arrested two men in after receiving a tip that The Smoke Garage, which bills itself as a smoke or vape shop, was paying cash prizes to players of its eight-liner machines.
• Laredo police issued arrest warrants in April 2022 for two employees of the Sure Stay Hotel on allegations that they were operating an illegal eight-liner business. Undercover operations revealed that the slot machines were paying out cash.
• In 2019, a game room employee was arrested and eight other people were issued citations after a police raid involving eight-liners at the Gift Shop game room in South Fort Worth
• In 2018, a Waco woman was arrested after an investigation into the use of eight-liner machines and allegations of illegal cash payouts at Shisha Smoke Shop and Game Room.
• Corpus Christi police served a search warrant on a game room in March 2022 and arrested three men and a women on suspicion of illegal gambling. Fourteen other patrons were also issued warning citations for gambling. Officials seized gambling equipment, two vehicles and cash.

Despite this, many ask, “when will gambling become legal in Texas.”

Are there affirmative defenses to keeping a gambling place in Texas?

Yes, there are several affirmative defenses to keeping a gambling place in Texas. An affirmative defense allows a defendant to avoid criminal responsibility for the offense. If you can show that any of the following occurred, you can avoid prosecution for keeping a gambling place in Texas:

1) The gambling occurred in a private place;

2) No one received any economic benefit other than personal winnings; and

3) Except for the advantage of skill or luck, the risks of losing and the chances of winning were the same for all participants.

It’s important to note that just because there are legal defenses available doesn’t mean you won’t get arrested. These defenses would likely be raised until the case progresses through the system or even goes to trial. If you have been accused of any gambling crime, even if you believe you were operating legally and under the law, it’s important to contact an experienced attorney who understands the intricacies of Texas’ gambling law.

Are you accused of keeping a gambling place in North Texas? Contact Us.

The law against keeping a gambling place in Texas is confusing and often results in unfair arrests and charges. If you’ve been accused of keeping a gambling place, contact Varghese Summersett today at 817-203-2220 for a free consultation with an experienced gambling attorney. We have defended numerous people in your situation and we can help you, too.