After a mayor ended up in jail, and raids took place at multiple businesses, a neighboring city decided to ban gambling machines altogether.
Thursday, April 30, 2026 10:25PMAfter a mayor ended up in jail, and raids took place at multiple businesses, a neighboring city decided to ban gambling machines altogether.targeting games of chance.
That includes machines that are found at Ann Murski's Blue Room bar. The equipment has long caught the attention of law enforcement for illegal gambling. Murski claims her machines don't give money, but toy prizes, and still bring in a lot of money.
"Overall, the neighborhood bars are suffering," Murski said. "These eight-liners have a tendency to pay our bills. " It's a revenue stream that just dried up. This week, the council passed an ordinance banning the machines.
Gambling isn't legal in Texas. But the city attorney says businesses could have the gambling machines if they got an amusement permit and gave fuzzy prizes. Records show the city collected about $2,000 in coin-operated machine permits.
"I don't see any real impact on tax revenue on it since it's all black market money on it, if that's the case," council member Kevin Edmonds said. "Black market money brings crime. It's an opportunity to clean up the city as well.
" Council Member Kevin Edmonds said the push wasn't only over the court decision. He said raids in Hitchcock earlier this year, resulting in warrants at city hall, and its mayor charged with engaging in organized criminal activity, also played a role.
"It obviously gave us some pause on it," Edmonds explained. "It required me to do a little bit of research on it. " An exploration that led to a ban. Now, after years of operating and paying for permits, owners are bracing for the final pull on Friday.
"I think when I unplug them, and I see how dark it's going to be, I might cry, 'Oh, no, they're gone," Murski said. ABC13 reached out to Galveston County Sheriff Jimmy Fullen to see if there was an update on the raids in Hitchcock from February, or if anyone else had been arrested. He told us there were no new details and it remains an ongoing investigation.
Fullen said that even though council passed an ordinance banning the machines, if they find out someone is illegally operating them, his deputies will investigate and enforce the law.
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