Fort Worth will ban game rooms entirely by the end of the year. The decision was made following a nearly decade-long legal battle.
Game rooms are defined as stores that have six or more game machines, frequently found in gas stations and convenience stores. Controversy has surrounded the game rooms, as some have voiced concern that it draws crime to the area.
In 2014, Fort Worth City Council passed an ordinance saying that game rooms could not be located within 1,000 feet of schools, churches, hospitals, or residential areas. They would only be considered legal if they offered noncash prizes at a value of $5 or less.
Game room operators fought back, saying the ordinance hurt their business and did little to regulate illegal operations. The operators claimed that the gaming machines, also known as eight-liners, are legal in Texas due to the “fuzzy animal” exception.
However, in March of 2022 the Fort Worth Court of Appeals ruled that the machines do not fall under the “fuzzy animal” exception because they are considered games of chance.
Game room operators requested a rehearing, but the court denied the request in June of 2024.
Fort Worth has begun notifying owners of stores with game rooms that they must get rid of the eight-liner machines. Chris Mosley, a senior assistant attorney for Fort Worth, said that owners who refuse to remove the game rooms will be prosecuted.
“This is a big win for our neighborhoods,” said council member Jared Williams.
Neighboring Dallas has waged its own multi-year legal battle against poker rooms, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
The legal trouble began in February 2022, when Dallas began revoking the licenses of poker rooms in the city, including Texas Card House.
Texas Card House argued that it does not participate in illegal gambling but instead charges players an hourly fee to sit at a table. In late August, a Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals judge granted the poker room permission to keep its certificate of occupancy.