A pair of eight-liner machines stand ready for players at a downtown San Antonio gas station. Credit: Michael Karlis

City Council’s Governance Committee on Wednesday voted to delay action on a proposal to ban gas station slot machines, commonly known as eight-liners.

The motion, approved 5-1, sent the Council Consideration Request (CCR) filed by District 5 Councilwoman Teri Castillo to the body’s Public Safety Committee for further evaluation.

If Castillo’s CCR is revised and given a green light by the Public Safety Committee, the Governance Committee will reconsider the issue within 60 days of its approval.

Beyond the ban, Castillo’s proposal seeks to strengthen enforcement of existing gambling statutes and increase inspections of gaming machines. The plan also would prioritize community education and reporting on illegal gambling activities.

“San Antonio should not allow a legal gray area to undermine the intent of our gambling laws,” Castillo said in a statement when she filed her CCR in early September. “We need to establish a clear rule and enforce it consistently in order to protect our communities.”

Even so, some on the committee, including District 2 Councilman Jalen McKee-Rodriguez, said council should focus on educating business owners about the machines rather than passing new ordinances.

“If there are already laws on the books, then we just need to enforce them,” McKee-Rodriguez said. “We should be educating business owners and residents about what is prohibited, identify where violations are occurring and holding operators accountable when there is evidence of illegal activity.”

Texas laws on eight-liners are murky at best, City Attorney Andy Segovia explained during the meeting. Operators typically argue the machines qualify for an exception originally intended for amusement games.

“It’s an issue that’s pretty heavily litigated,” Segovia said. “It usually turns on whether the machines are a game of skill versus chance or a combination thereof. The latest Attorney General opinion suggests that if there is any element of chance, it is a gambling device, which is illegal.”

Nearly a dozen Texas cities have outlawed the machines, which are often installed in low-income areas.

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Michael Karlis is a multimedia journalist at the San Antonio Current, whose coverage in print and on social media focuses on local and state politics. He is a graduate of American University in Washington,...