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Hurst council approves first reading of ordinance to ban amusement and redemption machines
Summary
On first reading the council approved an ordinance to add a code article prohibiting amusement and redemption machines and game rooms, citing a Fort Worth Court of Appeals ruling as legal basis.
Hurst City Council approved on first reading an ordinance to add a new article to the city code that would prohibit amusement and redemption machines, gaming devices and game rooms.
City staff said the proposed amendment aligns the Hurst code with a Fort Worth Court of Appeals ruling that found similar devices unlawful; the speaker also said the Texas Supreme Court denied review of that case, making the appellate ruling final.
"The city of Fort Worth litigated for many years... the Fort Worth Court of Appeals, which made a final rule, I believe, in 2022," the city staff member providing legal background said. "The Texas Supreme Court denied to review that case last year, making the Fort Worth Court of Appeals ruling final."
Council moved and seconded the ordinance for first reading; the motion carried. The ordinance is identified in the meeting as No. 2,593 (first reading) and would add an article to chapter 12 of the municipal code to prohibit the listed devices and operations. City staff said the amendment would enhance the city's ability to address what it described as a nuisance for code enforcement and police.
The item will return for a second reading consistent with the city's ordinance-adoption process.
