District 5 City Councilwoman Teri Castillo speaks during a recent council meeting. Credit: Screenshot / City of San Antonio

District 5 Councilwoman Teri Castillo is taking aim at gas-station slot machines and the legal gray area in which they operate.

On Friday, Castillo filed a formal request co-signed by four other members of San Antonio City Council asking its Governance Committee to consider a ban on the controversial gambling machines as soon as possible.

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

Specifically, Castillo’s request aims to ban the operation of the controversial gambling gear, commonly known as eight-liner machines, within city limits. She also wants to strengthen enforcement and inspection mechanisms to ensure compliance and prioritize community education and reporting on illegal gambling activities.

“For too long, eight-liner machines have been used to skirt gambling laws,” Castillo added. “This policy request presents an opportunity to close a loophole that has allowed eight-liner operations to proliferate despite state and local rules and regulations.”

The loophole Castillo is referring to opened in 2022, when the 2nd Court of Appeals in Fort Worth found that eight-liner machines function as unconstitutional illegal lotteries. The Texas Supreme Court subsequently declined to review the lower court’s ruling in 2024, which effectively solidified the illegality of these machines, Castillo argues.

Following the Fort Worth decision, nearly a dozen other Texas cities have banned eight-liners and game rooms.

Castillo said her request for council debate will protect law-abiding businesses and provide residents with better information, reinforcing the city’s commitment to safe and healthy communities.

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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,...