In McLennan County, Texas, commissioners are reviewing if they will support state Rep. Richard Raymond’s legislation allowing voters to determine on a local level if they want 8-liner gaming machines to be regulated or banned. Similar proposals failed in the past five legislative sessions.
Options the county commissioners are considering include limiting the number of machines in a business, restricting the number of game rooms in certain areas or prohibiting game rooms within a certain distance of homes, schools or places of worship.
Waco, the county seat, already has an ordinance limiting the number of 8-liner machines one business may offer. The games are allowed as long as they pay out $5 maximum in prizes or tickets—not cash. County Judge Scott Felton said, “It doesn’t make sense for just Waco to be an island. That kind of legislation really needs to be countywide so we can have all the agencies in all the cities in the county working together to try to achieve its goal.”
Waco police have raided a handful of 8-liner operations in the past few years where proprietors were alleged to be awarding illegal cash prizes. Sergeant W. Patrick Swanton noted other illegal activity frequently is associated with these operations. “We know that the illegal gambling establishments that we’ve had have presented problems with drug dealing and other criminal activities that go one there. It is a big problem and it is not just about gambling. If they were legal in Texas, we wouldn’t have a problem with it, but it is and it breeds more criminal activity than just illegal gambling.”
Lacy Lakeview Police Chief John Truehitt said 8-liners and associated illegal activities also are showing up in that community. “It is an ongoing problem and the problem is that the law allows machines to be in businesses if they are in there for entertainment. Where they become illegal is when they pay out money. The difficulty comes in, especially for small businesses, they usually know their patrons, so it is difficult to have an undercover officer get in there and witness these alleged crimes.”
