San Antonio councilwoman seeks citywide ban on eight-liner machines
The request, co-signed by four colleagues, now sits with the Governance Committee.
US.- A councilwoman in San Antonio, Texas, has proposed a citywide ban on eight-liner machines. Teri Castillo‘s Council Consideration Request, CCR 2026-0038 also calls for more rigorous inspections and enforcement and new methods for residents to report suspected illegal gambling.
Edward Mungia (District 4), Ric Galvan (District 6), Marina Alderete Gavito (District 7) and Marc Whyte (District 10) co-signed the filing. The Governance Committee will decide whether to send it to city staff and the full San Antonio City Council. No meeting date has been set.
Castiloo said: “San Antonio should not allow a legal grey 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. For too long, eight-liner machines have been used to skirt gambling laws. 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 machines operate in Texas under the Fuzzy Animal Exception, a state-law provision written for arcade and carnival games. It allows a skill-based amusement device to award a non-cash prize worth less than $5, or no more than 10 times the amount paid to play.
Castillo says some operators have stretched that rule by changing machine settings and paying winners with gift cards, debit cards or vouchers that can be cashed or spent at nearby businesses.
In 2024, Fort Worth prohibited eight-liners and gaming establishments. Following this decision, almost a dozen cities across Texas have taken steps to either ban these machines or impose stricter regulations on them.
In San Antonio, gambling establishments are already restricted by the city’s development code. The city allows for the licensing of coin-operated amusement machines, but it does not differentiate eight-liners from devices like jukeboxes and pool tables.
