Tonda’s response to game rooms in Van Zandt
Q: Why do we have game rooms in Van Zandt County?
A: When I took office as District Attorney the County was overrun with game rooms featuring illegal games of chance. We arrested the operators and seized their assets. None of those illegal games of chance are operating in our County now. However, because of the way Texas law is written, games of skill -no matter how easy the skill-are not illegal. The law says they are not gambling. The games operating in Van Zandt County currently have been found to be legal skill games by a Court of Appeals and by our District Judge. On April 29, 2021, the 294th District Court Judge signed an order in Cause number 20-00176 declaring that the design of the games now in use in Van Zandt County is legal under Texas law. As your elected District Attorney it is my duty to seek justice and use your tax dollars wisely. It would be unwise and unethical for me to spend your tax dollars pursuing prosecution of an activity already ruled legal.
The documents showing our District Judge’s prior ruling and the Court of Appeals decision are in the attached PDF.
A: When I took office as District Attorney the County was overrun with game rooms featuring illegal games of chance. We arrested the operators and seized their assets. None of those illegal games of chance are operating in our County now. However, because of the way Texas law is written, games of skill -no matter how easy the skill-are not illegal. The law says they are not gambling. The games operating in Van Zandt County currently have been found to be legal skill games by a Court of Appeals and by our District Judge. On April 29, 2021, the 294th District Court Judge signed an order in Cause number 20-00176 declaring that the design of the games now in use in Van Zandt County is legal under Texas law. As your elected District Attorney it is my duty to seek justice and use your tax dollars wisely. It would be unwise and unethical for me to spend your tax dollars pursuing prosecution of an activity already ruled legal.
The documents showing our District Judge’s prior ruling and the Court of Appeals decision are in the attached PDF.