State Rep. Tepper speaks on game room regulations

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) - After a shooting at a south Lubbock game room left multiple people in critical condition, it could be game over for these gambling dens.

During a recent meeting, county commissioners made the decision to table regulations on game rooms that skirt state laws to stay in operation.

District 2 Commissioner Jason Corley wants regulation now rather than later and State Representative Carl Tepper agrees.

“I’m not surprised that there have been shootings at these game rooms,” Tepper said. “I feel really strongly that the gambling itself is illegal, but I also feel like there’s been some other illegal activity going on at these game rooms.”

Tepper says these game rooms not only put the people inside them at risk but they affect the families who live nearby.

“I don’t expect you to have to live next to a gambling operation,” Tepper said. “If there’s anything we can do to tighten the ordinances and the regulations on these game rooms we’re going to look for them and we’re gonna get them done.”

That’s easier said than done though. Lubbock Co. Sheriff Kelly Rowe was at the commissioner’s March 13th meeting. He said putting his department in charge of enforcing the new ordinance right now could put a strain on his department’s resources.

Tepper says he’s ready to work as a team to find what’s needed to bring these games to an end.

“We’ll get the sheriff funded. We’ll get the police funded,” Tepper said. “We back our blue in West Texas and we’ll give those guys the resources they need to go ahead and attack these issues.”

Initially, the ordinance was tabled until September 11th, but after the shooting in south Lubbock, commissioners will likely address the issues with these game rooms sooner than that.

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