City of Orange hearings on ban for game rooms end with P&Z approval but no council vote

The Planning and Zoning Commission for the City of Orange held a public hearing on a proposed ordinance to ban “amusement redemption machines” and game rooms in every zoning district and voted to recommend approval, while the City Council did not take action on the measure after public testimony and discussion.

The proposed ordinance would add definitions for “amusement redemption machines,” “gambling devices” and “game rooms” to Chapter 12 (Planning and Zoning) of the City of Orange Code of Ordinances and would amend the land-use matrix to prohibit those uses in all districts. The draft also references prior local ordinances (2016-15, 2022-14, 2022-15, 2023-20), contains a severability and penalty clause, and, as drafted, sets an effective date that would give business owners 90 days to remove machines if the ordinance were adopted with a September 23, 2025 effective date.

Why it matters: the measure directly affects businesses that operate gaming or “8-liner” style machines, local revenue streams and residents who described the game rooms as a community recreation option. Supporters of the ban told the commission and council they believe the machines cause harm; opponents…