Game Room Rules on Trial A federal judge is being asked to decide whether Harris Countys rules on game rooms are unconstitutional. A game room owner sued the county, sheriffs department, district attorney and Houstons mayor claiming new rules passed last year are too vague. “The government is allowed to regulate certain types of businesses and we believe game rooms are one of them. Well find out shortly from a federal judge if he agrees,” says Jori Herrscher at the county attorneys office. The regulations passed in December require any place with six or more video poker machines to undergo inspections and permitting, pay a $1000 annual fee, limit hours of operation and where they can set up. “A lot of people think gambling should be legal in Texas, were not here to say it shouldnt be, all were saying is right now it is illegal,” Herrscher tells KTRH News. “Gambling in Texas is a violation of the law, and well file our nuisance abatement lawsuits and our regulation lawsuits against those people.” Herrscher says authorities know of hundreds of illegal gaming operations within Harris County, but enforcement is not so easy. “We do get calls on these and we do go investigate,” he says. “But what it takes is an undercover police officer going in and playing these games, then receiving an illegal payout. They then can go to the district attorneys office and file charges.”
Posted on: Tue, 12 Aug 2014 05:17:31 +0000
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