San Antonio could become the latest Texas city to ban eight-liner machines, joining nearly a dozen municipalities that have already prohibited the devices following a 2022 court ruling and the state’s Supreme Court declining further review in 2024.
The 2022 ruling, issued by a Texas appeals court, determined that eight-liners function as unconstitutional illegal lotteries.
When the Texas Supreme Court declined to hear an appeal of that decision in 2024, the ruling remained in effect, opening the door for cities across the state to pursue local prohibitions on the machines and the game rooms that house them.
District 5 Councilwoman Teri Castillo filed a Council Consideration Request on September 4 that would impose a citywide ban on eight-liner operations. The request also calls for stronger enforcement, more frequent inspections, expanded community education and additional channels for residents to report illegal gambling activity.
Eight-liners currently operate under a Texas provision known as the “fuzzy animal exception,” which permits games involving an element of skill to award non-cash prizes worth less than $5, or no more than 10 times the cost to play.
Castillo’s proposal argues that although the exception was designed for arcade and carnival games, eight-liner operators routinely use it to sidestep state gambling law. The proposal also points to a lack of oversight ensuring operators comply with payout limits and skill-based machine requirements.
Bexar County has confronted the issue directly. In March, deputies arrested two people during an investigation into illegal gambling at a residence where authorities said they discovered approximately 50 eight-liner machines along with a safe containing a large amount of cash.
Castillo’s proposal now moves to the City Council’s Governance Committee, which will decide whether to advance it. No date has been set for that discussion.
