ECTOR COUNTY, Texas — Ector County is home to one of the largest concentrations of game rooms in the area. After hearing concerns from residents, county commissioners have implemented a series of stricter regulations to address the impact of these facilities on the community, economy, and public safety.
“It’s been a frequent conversation in Ector County, but it mostly came out of talking with citizens,” County Judge Dustin Fawcett said. “They asked, ‘Is there anything we can do regarding game rooms?’ There are concerns from law enforcement and reports of bad actions at some of these facilities. It’s been a hot topic.”
At Tuesday’s commissioners meeting, the court approved several new rules. One of the most significant changes is limiting game room hours to 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., cutting at least three hours from their previous operating schedule. In the past game rooms were open from 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. Sunday through Friday and 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 a.m. on Saturday.
“The 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. timeframe is something we can lawfully enforce because we know that after 9 p.m., things can go south,” Fawcett said. “That’s when the majority of law enforcement-related calls to these facilities take place.”
He highlighted the strain game rooms place on local resources. “We are short at the Sheriff’s Office, short with DPS state troopers, and short with Odessa Police Department officers,” he said. “If we can focus our law enforcement on burglaries, domestic violence disputes, fatal crashes, and similar issues rather than policing these venues, it’s a win for the community.”
Another major regulation sets boundaries on where game rooms can operate. While existing game rooms are grandfathered in, new ones—or those with violations—will be required to relocate outside the Permian Basin Metropolitan Planning Organization.
Previously, a game room could not be located within 1,500 feet from any existing or planned school, religious places of worship, or residential neighborhood. Now in extension to that, game rooms are not permitted to be within a distance of 2,000 feet from where two (2) or more other game rooms are located.
“That is perhaps the most creative and proud part of these regulations,” Fawcett said. “We worked to find a boundary to put them outside the metro area, away from residential zones and commercial areas where they lower property values or harm nearby businesses.”
Other rules are listed below:
- A game room shall have each outside door marked with a sign that reads 'GAME ROOM'
- No game room in Ector County may operate with more than fifty (50) game machines
- Each employee is required to wear a clearly displayed name tag affiliated to the 'upper left chest area of the employee's clothing'
- A game room shall provide at least one (1) window in front of the building and at least one (1) other window on one (1) side allowing a clear and unobstructed view of all machines
- It is unlawful for a game room to have covered or tinted windows or doors
- Game room memberships are prohibited for any purpose
- Any game room in which game machines are operated must contain at least fifteen square feet of open floor space per machine
As long as existing game rooms operate without violations, they can remain in business. However, Fawcett warned that any infractions could lead to a permit revocation, forcing the business to relocate outside the newly established boundaries.
Fawcett also clarified the intent behind the regulations. “Frankly, some of these facilities are linked to organized crime, and some aren’t—they’re just people trying to make a business work,” he said. “But there’s been a push to enforce stricter rules. This is not about the moral side of gambling. How people spend their disposable income is their choice. This is an economic decision, a law enforcement decision, and a community decision.”
“We want the community to be better,” Fawcett added. “If we can help regulate some of these bad actors, I think this is a novel endeavor.”
The commissioners hope these measures will alleviate public safety concerns while allowing legitimate operators to remain compliant.
“These regulations are effective immediately,” Fawcett said. “Law enforcement and the permitting department will inspect every game room to ensure compliance. This could lead to fines, appeals, permit revocations, and more.”