Poker Writer
Bexar County authorities arrested three people in connection with dozens of illegal gambling machines on the north side of San Antonio. In addition to the three arrested, eight other people were detained.
Deputies found a total of 50 gambling machines at the scene, along with other gambling paraphernalia. The three identified suspects were 23-year-old Alissa Arenas, 27-year-old Kambry Ybarra, and Anthony Vera.
Several similar stories have hit the wire recently out of Texas. Perhaps most notably, a mayor was arrested in a high-profile incident in a town just outside of Galveston.
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The Growth of Gambling Machines in Texas
According to some on a Facebook post from news station KSAT, gambling machines in the San Antonio area are not uncommon despite being technically illegal in Texas.
Makes no sense cause these places are everywhere in San Antonio and no one is hiding it; they all say 777 or poker.
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They’re everywhere, even in corner stores. Thought it was legal at this point.
Despite the law, there has been a rise in gambling machines in the Lone Star State. Inconsistent enforcement allowed gambling machines sites to proliferate, according to State Sen. Bob Hall.
Another post on Reddit backed up the comments on the KSAT news bulletin, saying that gambling machines have indeed spread through Texas. The loophole for many of these machine operators seemed to be not paying out in cash but rather in store credits or some equivalent.
However, the inconsistencies around the state run deeper than mere tolerance or ignorance. Areas out west around Lubbock apparently have “legal machines” that had paperwork approved by the sheriff’s office. When a user asked how that was possible, the only explanation given was “Lubbock.” West Texas, it seems, has retained its independent streak when it comes to gambling.
Hall seemed to reference these very machines, noting some hid behind the veneer of being “skill games.” Such skill games have popped up in many states and enjoyed varying degrees of success. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro notably included taxes from skill games in his latest budget.
Texas Gambling Raid Comes on Heels of the Lodge Shutdown
This operation took place not long after the raid at The Lodge Card Club in Round Rock in early March. In that case, the Williamson County district attorney appeared to take aim at The Lodge over the legality of poker in the state’s grey area.
Of particular interest is the fact that The Lodge Card Club San Antonio continues to operate as normal while its more famous sister property remains closed and under a state investigation. One theory that could explain that seeming disconnect goes back to the idea that different county governments have different attitudes toward gambling. Some may tolerate it, while others may outright encourage it with the aforementioned licenses.
Perhaps, the thinking went, Round Rock was souring on gambling, while San Antonio was still happy to let the clubs keep running.
If Bexar County officials are looking to start cracking down on gambling establishments, The Lodge could find itself in their crosshairs.
