Groves considers ban, narrower restrictions on game‑room machines after Fort Worth ruling

Groves council and staff devoted a large portion of an Oct. 6 workshop to whether to amend Chapter 21, Article 3 of the municipal code to prohibit game rooms and gaming machines.

City staff reminded council the city had adopted a temporary moratorium on new game‑room permit applications earlier in the year and extended it while courts and the legislature considered related questions. City Marshal Marshall presented a 12‑month compilation of calls‑for‑service data for several addresses that host gaming machines and described incidents ranging from alarms and minor disturbances to one recent case in which a stolen vehicle was driven into a storefront at a newly opened location.

City Attorney Monk summarized the legal landscape after the City of Fort Worth decision. He told council the Fort Worth ruling makes it clearer that municipalities can ban so‑called "8‑liner" machines but said that banning amusement redemption machines or aggressive new restrictions on skill‑based devices is legally complicated and risks preemption by state law unless carefully worded. He said cities in the region have taken different approaches: some have narrowly banned 8‑liners and defined "amusement redemption machines" for local enforcement; others have pursued broader prohibitions.

Marshal Marshall said some locations generated multiple calls for service and that many of the calls were made by business owners themselves to report problems. The marshal also said some machines were presented to the district attorney’s office for review and that in at least one instance the DA concluded a device was skill‑based rather than chance‑based, complicating local prosecution.

During public comment, Michael Campes raised what he said were voucher or credit practices at one business. Cindy Flores spoke on behalf of Steven Markantel, the owner of a long‑established game room, arguing that Groves’ experience differs from other cities and warning the council not to assume the same harms. Flores said Markantel had sought higher fees to contribute more revenue to the city and that the business has paid state taxes; she urged the city to permit properly operated rooms that have shown few documented problems.

Council discussed three broad options: (1) continue permitting game rooms and enforce existing law, (2) ban 8‑liner devices while regulating or registering amusement‑redemption machines, or (3) pursue an outright ban on all game‑room devices. Several council members expressed a desire to align Groves with neighboring jurisdictions that have restricted or banned certain machines. Council asked the city attorney and staff to draft proposed ordinance language and return to a future meeting for further consideration.

No ordinance was adopted at the workshop; the council signaled they want clearer definitions and enforceable registration or permitting language before taking final action.