Legal Question in Administrative Law in Texas

Re: Churches

There can be gambling IN the church under certain circumstances, such as bingo or a raffle and if the proceeds are for a charitable purpose and the proper licensing has been obtained.

Most kinds of gambling are illegal in Texas, however, with a few exceptions (for example a friendly poker game at someone's home and where the "house" isn't taking a cut.

Usually, distance requirements for a business are established by the local city or county zoning authority. State statutes, for example specifically allow municipalities to set a 300-foot offset requirement from churches for the use of "coin-operated amusement machines".

You might try calling city hall or the county government center to see what they require. They might send an an inspector out to verify compliance with the local rules. If there is a state violation, they probably could refer the case to the state and get a faster response than a private citizen making a complaint.

Let us know how it works out.

Art