After 10 years of legal battles, the Texas Supreme Court has denied further review, allowing a Second Court of Appeals order to stand that finds gaming devices known as eight-liners are unconstitutional lotteries. This ruling enables Fort Worth to proceed with a ban on these devices.
In 2014, responding to resident concerns, the City of Fort Worth established strict regulations for game rooms. The city was subsequently sued on the grounds that its ordinances were pre-empted by state law. Following rulings in both the trial court and the court of appeals, the Texas Supreme Court granted the City’s petition for review. The Court adopted the City’s argument that its ordinances are not pre-empted if eight-liners are deemed unconstitutional lotteries and remanded the case to the Court of Appeals to determine the status of the machines.
In a statement regarding last week’s ruling, the City of Fort Worth expressed satisfaction: “The City is gratified by the Court of Appeals decision about its game-room ordinances. The Court found that eight-liner gaming devices are unconstitutional devices.”
Moving forward, the City has initiated the process to amend its zoning and licensing regulations to prohibit eight-liners, amusement redemption machines, and game rooms. The Fort Worth City Council is expected to consider the City Code amendment on Oct. 15, with a zoning ordinance amendment slated for discussion on the Dec. 10 agenda.
What are Eight-liners?
Eight-liners are gaming devices commonly found in certain areas, particularly in Texas and other parts of the southern United States. They are similar to slot machines and typically feature a video screen displaying various games, such as spinning reels, card games, or bingo-style play. Players insert money or tokens to play, with the goal of winning cash prizes or other rewards.
