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Amusement and Music Operators of Texas: AMOT's Record at the Capitol and in Court

By GamesOfSkillMag Editorial6 min read
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The Amusement and Music Operators of Texas (AMOT), styled Amusement & Music Operators of Texas in trade press, is a Texas trade association for businesses that own and operate coin-operated machines. Official records show its representatives at Texas Capitol hearings on gambling and game rooms from 2001 to 2022, and a 1999 appeals court victory against a state agency. AMOT is an industry voice. It is not a regulator, and operators should read its positions with that in mind.

Who AMOT represents

In a 1999 opinion, the Third Court of Appeals in Austin, Texas, described the group this way: "AMOT is an association of amusement and music operators. The members of AMOT engage in the business of owning and/or operating coin-operated machines, including amusement machines known as 'eight-liners.'" (Texas A.B.C. v. Amusement & Music Operators of Texas, 997 S.W.2d 651).

ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer lists the association (EIN 74-2172844) as a 501(c)(6) business league. Its IRS exemption was issued in September 1989, and donations to it are not tax-deductible. ProPublica lists its location as Brazoria, Texas. The national AMOA state-association directory gives a mailing address of PO Box 1672, Angleton, TX 77515.

Size and leadership

AMOT is a small organization. The FY2024 Form 990 data on ProPublica shows revenue of $310,342 ($183,055 in contributions and $127,287 in program services) and expenses of $313,427, for a net loss of $3,085 and net assets of $0. Cause IQ, a third-party aggregator, reports 2023 revenue of $260,849.

The FY2024 filing names Jordan Barberio as president and Joe Franz as executive director, both with $0 in reported compensation. Toni Silcox is listed as the highest-compensated employee, at $36,000. ProPublica's summary also shows that the filing reported transactions under Schedule L, the IRS schedule for transactions with interested persons. The summary does not describe those transactions.

Leadership changes happen at the annual convention. RePlay Magazine reported in August 2022 that Russell Jones of Trinity Amusements took over as president from Danny Glaze of 2D Vending at the convention held Aug. 25-27 at Kalahari Resorts in Round Rock. According to RePlay, the agenda included a briefing from the group's lobbyists on legislation that could affect redemption. For 2026, RePlay reported a May 28-30 trade show and convention at the Archer Hotel in Austin, which it described as AMOT's 52nd anniversary. The listed agenda included a golf tournament, a board meeting, a silent auction, a casino night and an awards banquet.

At the Capitol, 2001 to 2022

Texas Legislature witness lists record AMOT's positions as For, Against or On (neutral or informational). The positions below are reported only as recorded:

  • 2001, HB 2530 (sweepstakes prohibitions): Stephen Fenoglio of AMOT testified against the bill at the Senate Business & Commerce Committee on May 8, 2001. Joe Franz and three others listed under AMOT registered against it (witness list). It was signed June 15, 2001 (bill history).

  • 2011, HB 2111 and HB 3575: Lee Woods of AMOT was listed "On" these bills on March 29, 2011 (witness list). HB 2111 proposed video lottery at racetracks, and HB 3575 proposed tribal casino gaming. Both were left pending in committee (HB 2111, HB 3575).

  • 2015, SB 1210 (county regulation of amusement redemption machine game rooms): Woods registered "On" without testifying on March 23, 2015 (witness list). The bill took effect September 1, 2015 (bill history).

  • 2017, HB 3611 (bingo prize-fee shares): Woods registered "Against" on April 24, 2017 (witness list). The bill's last recorded action was placement on the General State Calendar on May 11, 2017 (bill history).

  • 2019, HB 892 (county regulation of game rooms): Woods testified in favor on March 5, 2019 (witness list). HB 892 became law and took effect September 1, 2019 (bill history).

  • 2022 interim hearing: Fenoglio and Woods are both on the witness list for AMOT at the June 7, 2022 House Licensing & Administrative Procedures hearing. Its interim charge was to examine how to reduce illegal gaming and "Identify how cash-paying game rooms utilizing machines commonly known as '8-liners' have been allowed to proliferate."

We checked two witness lists from the 2025 session: Senate State Affairs on March 31 and House Licensing & Administrative Procedures on April 22. Neither had AMOT entries. That was a spot check, not a full review of the session.

In court: TABC v. AMOT (1999)

AMOT challenged internal memoranda from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission that interpreted "gambling devices" under the Penal Code to include eight-liners. The court described eight-liners as "electronic machines, similar to slot machines, that dispense gift certificates redeemable for prizes." The Austin Court of Appeals affirmed a temporary injunction in AMOT's favor, holding that the memoranda "constituted invalid rules because they were not passed in accordance with the APA's rulemaking requirements" (opinion). The ruling concerned how the agency acted. It did not decide that eight-liners are lawful.

Advocacy is not regulatory authority

AMOT does not license or regulate anyone. The Texas Comptroller says that "Businesses that offer coin-operated machines for their customers must be licensed or registered by the Comptroller's office." Under Occupations Code Chapter 2153, the Comptroller issues a General Business License, an Import License, a Registration Certificate and a Repair License, and it collects the related occupation taxes.

Whether a machine is a gambling device is a question under Penal Code Chapter 47. Section 47.01(4)(B) excludes contrivances "designed, made, and adapted solely for bona fide amusement purposes" that reward players only with noncash merchandise prizes, toys or novelties, or a representation of value redeemable for those items, worth no more than 10 times the cost of one play or $5, whichever is less. Courts and prosecutors apply that law. Neither AMOT membership nor an AMOT position establishes that a machine or route is lawful.

Editorial view for operators

This is our recommendation, not a legal requirement. Treat AMOT as a source of industry perspective, legislative awareness and networking. For compliance, rely on the statutes, Comptroller licensing and qualified Texas counsel.

Sources

This article was drafted with AI assistance from a source-verified research brief. Consult primary sources and qualified counsel for legal decisions.

Reporting is for information, not legal advice. A vendor listing or the term skill game does not establish a machine's legality in any jurisdiction.

Frequently asked questions

What is AMOT?

The Amusement & Music Operators of Texas is a Texas trade association. A 1999 appeals court described its members as businesses that own and/or operate coin-operated machines, including eight-liners. ProPublica lists it as a 501(c)(6) business league.

Does AMOT regulate or license coin-operated machines in Texas?

No. The Texas Comptroller licenses and registers coin-operated machine businesses under Occupations Code Chapter 2153. Whether a machine is a gambling device turns on Penal Code Chapter 47.

Did AMOT's 1999 court win make eight-liners legal?

No. The Austin Court of Appeals upheld an injunction because TABC's memoranda were invalid rules adopted without APA rulemaking. The decision was procedural and did not rule on whether eight-liners are lawful.

When and where was AMOT's 2026 convention?

RePlay Magazine reported that the 2026 trade show and convention was set for May 28-30 at the Archer Hotel in Austin, and it described the event as AMOT's 52nd anniversary.

Are donations to AMOT tax-deductible?

No. ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer lists AMOT as a 501(c)(6) organization and says donations to it are not tax-deductible.