The City has finalized amendments to its zoning and licensing regulations, effectively banning game rooms and the amusement redemption machines commonly referred to as eight-liners. This decision follows a decade of legal conflict which culminated recently, with Texas courts deeming these gaming devices unconstitutional lotteries, according to the City of Fort Worth.

In 2014, after hearing the worries of residents, the City initially adopted stern regulations for game rooms and eight-liners. However, the legitimacy of these ordinances came into question, with opponents arguing that they were pre-empted by state law. The ensuing legal tussle reached as high as the Texas Supreme Court, which found in favor of the City and remanded the case to determine the status of eight-liners as unconstitutional lotteries, the same City News report details.

Recent developments saw the City Council, on Tuesday, pass an ordinance repealing the licensing requirements for these gaming hubs and the machines within. To further cement the ban, the Zoning Commission recommended and the City Council approved changes to the zoning ordinance, leaving no room for game rooms in any zoning district, be it through direct allowance or conditional-use permit overlays.

The comprehensive ban takes effect on January 21, 2025, threatening violators with fines up to $2,000 per day for each machine found on the premises, and risk of injunction, or even criminal charges. "Any person or company that violates these ordinances is subject to a fine up to $2,000 for each day the devices are present on a premise, but is also subject to injunction and fine, or criminal prosecution," as the City of Fort Worth indicates. Business owners and individuals known to have these machines have a 45 calendar day window following notice to purge them from their establishments.