Section Two: Illegal Gaming Rooms in Fort Worth, Texas Throughout the city of Fort Worth, one of the predominant crime problems is the proliferation of illegal gaming rooms. While there have always been minor problems with these places, the last six years have seen a dramatic increase in their presence. Gaming rooms are defined as “a building, structure, or other location featuring one or more amusement redemption machines,” according to attorney Jack Davis, in the text of a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court. Tarrant County obtained from the Fort Worth Star Telegram ( Jack L. Davis and Stephannie Lynn Rylie v. City of Fort Worth and David Cooke, 2015). A conservative estimate of the ubiquitous nature of these venues would exceed 200 locations within the city limits. Slot machines, eight-line or amusement redemption machines by any name are not illegal per se, according to the Texas Occupations Code. The machines are regulated by the State of Texas, under the duties of the State Controller's Office. However, payouts from the machines are limited to small non-monetary prizes, which do not exceed five dollars in total costs. Cash payments are a criminal offense and fall under Texas gambling statutes. Smaller quantities of games are found on the premises of many convenience stores, especially in lower socioeconomic areas of the city. Larger arcades are predominantly found in rental business locations and warehouses, with no regard for proximity to schools or residential areas. Regardless of location, there are problems with criminal activity and traffic congestion around areas where illegal gambling halls are located. A large number of people who frequent the venues are from lower socioeconomic groups and monetary issues can be problematic as many machines are unregulated and may be biased towards the