Federal agents have raided a gaming business in Jones County.
Agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security showed up at the Lot 'O Games building around 3 p.m. Sunday.
The game room is located on US Highway 277, about two miles north of Abilene, across from Pride Refinery.
Two moving trucks were being loaded up with everything from inside as agents raided the place.
Items were covered in furniture pads, but looked like slot and video lottery machines.
Agents were in and out for hours, cataloging items, taking photos and confiscating things from inside.
Game rooms like this one typically operate like regular casino with bingo, blackjack and gaming machines. There is one big exception, when you place a bet with cash, you're given a gift card to a local retailer if you win.
According to Texas law and two cases that have gone to the Texas Supreme Court, that is still illegal.
In reference to game room operations, Attorney General Greg Abbott has said in the past, "if an eight-liner machine is designed, made or adapted as anything other than a pure amusement device.. the machine cannot meet the requirement of a Texas gambling law... And is therefore illegal..."
Now this is strictly a federal raid, Jones County officials tell us they were not involved and as far as we know, neither were state agencies.
Despite the investigation, the business will be open tomorrow if the owners choose.
None of the federal agents were authorized to comment at this point, since it's an ongoing investigation.
We will have more details as they become available.
Agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security showed up at the Lot 'O Games building around 3 p.m. Sunday.
The game room is located on US Highway 277, about two miles north of Abilene, across from Pride Refinery.
Two moving trucks were being loaded up with everything from inside as agents raided the place.
Items were covered in furniture pads, but looked like slot and video lottery machines.
Agents were in and out for hours, cataloging items, taking photos and confiscating things from inside.
Game rooms like this one typically operate like regular casino with bingo, blackjack and gaming machines. There is one big exception, when you place a bet with cash, you're given a gift card to a local retailer if you win.
According to Texas law and two cases that have gone to the Texas Supreme Court, that is still illegal.
In reference to game room operations, Attorney General Greg Abbott has said in the past, "if an eight-liner machine is designed, made or adapted as anything other than a pure amusement device.. the machine cannot meet the requirement of a Texas gambling law... And is therefore illegal..."
Now this is strictly a federal raid, Jones County officials tell us they were not involved and as far as we know, neither were state agencies.
Despite the investigation, the business will be open tomorrow if the owners choose.
None of the federal agents were authorized to comment at this point, since it's an ongoing investigation.
We will have more details as they become available.
