The bill, H.B. No. 487, seeks to amend the Penal Code regarding criminal offenses related to gambling devices, specifically addressing the definition and regulation of "eight-liners" and other gambling devices. It introduces new definitions for "Device" and "Eight-liner," clarifying that a device includes any electronic, electromechanical, or mechanical apparatus, while an eight-liner is defined as an electronic device simulating a traditional slot machine that offers prizes based on chance. The bill also revises the definition of "Gambling device" to include various forms of gambling games and specifies that "thing of value" encompasses property, money, and other benefits, while excluding unrecorded rights of replay.

Additionally, the bill establishes defenses for certain amusement devices, allowing for the use of gambling devices where skill is the predominant factor in winning, and where prizes are limited to noncash merchandise or redeemable representations of value. It permits licensed organizations to exhibit and allow the use of these devices during bingo occasions, repeals certain existing provisions, and clarifies that the changes will apply only to offenses committed after the bill's effective date of September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Penal Code 47.01, Occupations Code 2001.416 (Penal Code 47, Occupations Code 2001)