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Scurry County court reviews draft game-room ordinance, debates fees and grandfathering window
Summary
Scurry County commissioners reviewed a draft ordinance to regulate game rooms outside city limits, including application fees, employee background checks and a proposed grandfathering window for existing operations; county counsel warned statutory limits on county authority and the court asked staff to prepare application materials.
Scurry County commissioners on Monday reviewed a draft countywide game-room ordinance that would require operators outside incorporated city limits to register locations with six or more gaming machines, submit employee background checks and pay application fees.
County attorney (Speaker 9) told the court the draft would require an application, a sticker/serial-numbering process for machines, and background checks for employees, and said the draft includes an application fee of up to $1,000 and a $50 fee per employee. "Counties can't regulate game rooms to the extent the cities can," Speaker 9 said, adding that state statute limits county authority to places with six or more machines.
The draft sets a registration window for existing operations to submit applications by Oct. 31, 2025, and to be compliant by Jan. 1, 2026. Speaker 9 recommended limiting the number of game rooms per precinct to reduce legal risk and to avoid unequal geographic restrictions. "That way we don't get sued for excluding game rooms from being in a certain part of the county," Speaker 9 said.
Commissioners discussed grandfathering periods, the logistics of collecting fees and establishing a bank/program line to account for revenue, and the Sheriff's role in inspections and enforcement. Sheriff-related tasks include receiving funds and overseeing a stamped-serial-number process for machines. Speaker 9 and others noted the county must still draft application forms and set up accounting and enforcement processes before the ordinance could be implemented.
No final vote was recorded on the ordinance at this meeting. Speaker 9 said the Sheriff could aim to have application materials ready by October to meet the proposed schedule. The court directed staff to refine the draft ordinance language and bring the application process and fee details back for further action.
