Houston Code of Ordinances § 5-171 Applicability.
Sec. 5-171. - Applicability.
This division shall apply to game rooms with only a city license.
(Ord. No. 2014-674, § 4, 6-25-2014)
REQUIREMENTS
Houston Code of Ordinances ch. 5, art. VI, div. 2
in effectHouston Code of Ordinances § 5-172 License displayed.
Sec. 5-172. - License displayed.
The game room owner or the owner and operator of a place where dominoes, cards, or other games are permitted, as described in section 5-162(b) of this Code, shall display within plain sight of an accessible public area of each game room a current permit or license for that game room.
(Ord. No. 2014-674, § 4, 6-25-2014)
Houston Code of Ordinances § 5-173 Game room sign required.
Sec. 5-173. - Game room sign required.
(a) A game room owner or the owners and operators of a place where dominoes, cards, or other games are permitted, as described in section 5-162(b) of this Code, shall mark each entrance to a game room with a sign that:
(1) States "GAME ROOM" in four inch or larger block letters; and
(2) Is legible and visible at all times from a distance of 25 feet.
(b) Any signage required by this section shall be in conformance with the Sign Code.
(Ord. No. 2014-674, § 4, 6-25-2014; Ord. No. 2021-1037, § 20(Exh. I.8), 12-1-2021, eff. 4-1-2022)
Houston Code of Ordinances § 5-174 Egress doors.
Sec. 5-174. - Egress doors.
It shall be the duty of all of the owners and operators of a place where dominoes, cards, or other games are permitted, as described in section 5-162(b) of this Code, or the owner, manager, or employee of a game room, or other person exercising control over a game room or a portion of a game room, or over a building, facility, or other place that contains amusement redemption machines, to provide egress doors during business hours that are readily opened from the egress side without the use of a key or special knowledge or effort, in conformance with the Construction Code and Fire Code. No electronic locks shall be used to prevent entry during business hours at the places described in this section.
(Ord. No. 2014-674, § 4, 6-25-2014)
Houston Code of Ordinances § 5-175 Transparent, uncovered windows required.
Sec. 5-175. - Transparent, uncovered windows required.
(a) The owner, manager or other person exercising control over any building, facility, or other place that contains five or fewer random generator machines shall have in the front of the building at least one window that meets the criteria set forth in items (2), (3), and (4) of subsections 5-175(e) of this Code and allows a clear and unobstructed view of all random generator machines.
(b) It shall be the duty of all owner, manager, or employee of a game room, or other person exercising control over a game room or a portion of a game room, to provide transparent glass in each game room window. This subsection shall not apply to game rooms without any random generator machines.
(c) Unless otherwise excepted, it shall be unlawful for any person to cover the windows of a game room or other location with a random generator machine or otherwise block or obscure the full view through such window of that part of the random generator machine that contains the screen and controls or where the screen and controls would be if a user is in front of the random generator machine.
(d) It shall be unlawful for any person to exhibit or display, or to permit to be exhibited or displayed, for commercial use six or more random generator machines unless such machines are located in a game room building or structure with not fewer than two windows or transparent walls or panels of glass or other material that permit a clear, unobstructed view of both the interior of the game room and each random generator machine located therein, by a person outside the building or structure standing in an area open to and accessible by a member of the public at all times the game room is in operation.
*(e) It shall be unlawful for any person to exhibit or display, or to permit to be exhibited or displayed, for commercial use any random generator machine in a game room unless the required transparent walls or windows of the game room:
(1) Are located on at least two sides of the game room, and each random generator machine located therein is visible through such walls or windows; and
(2) At the lowest point are not more than four feet above the adjacent sidewalk or ground level; and
(3) At the highest point are at least eight feet higher than the adjacent sidewalk or ground level; and
(4) Are at least four feet wide.
*Editors' note—Ord. No. 2014-674, § 4, adopted June 25, 2014, inadvertently misnumbered subsection (e) as subsection (f). At the direction of the city, said subsection was renumbered as subsection (e).
(Ord. No. 2014-674, § 4, 6-25-2014)
Houston Code of Ordinances § 5-176 Unrestricted access by law enforcement officer.
Sec. 5-176. - Unrestricted access by law enforcement officer.
It shall be the duty of all owner, manager, or employee of a game room, or other person exercising control over a game room, a portion of a game room, an amusement redemption machine or a place where dominoes, cards, or other games are permitted, as described in section 5-162(b) of this Code, to provide any law enforcement officer with immediate unrestricted access during business hours to all areas of a game room and to all amusement redemption machines.
(Ord. No. 2014-674, § 4, 6-25-2014)
Houston Code of Ordinances § 5-177 Inspection by law enforcement officer.
Sec. 5-177. - Inspection by law enforcement officer.
(a) Any law enforcement officer may inspect a game room or an amusement redemption machine located in the city to determine whether the game room or amusement redemption machine complies with this article, county regulations, and state law.
(b) An owner, manager, or employee of a game room or other person who does not allow a law enforcement officer to inspect a game room or amusement redemption machine commits an offense.
(Ord. No. 2014-674, § 4, 6-25-2014)
Houston Code of Ordinances § 5-178 Owner presence required.
Sec. 5-178. - Owner presence required.
The owner of a game room shall be present during inspections related to obtaining permits or licenses required under this article.
(Ord. No. 2014-674, § 4, 6-25-2014)
Source: City of Houston, Code of Ordinances and City Charter (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/tx/houston/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH5AM_ARTVIGARO_DIV2REFetched: 10/26/2026