KEEPING A GAMBLING PLACETexas Penal Code (PC) § 47.04
Keeping a Gambling Place is a Class A misdemeanor under Texas Penal Code (PC) § 47.04. It is punishable by up to 1 year in county jail and a fine up to $4,000.
Below: how these cases end in Texas courts, how long they take, and the punishment.
What does “KEEPING A GAMBLING PLACE” mean?
Keeping a Gambling Place is a Class A misdemeanor under Texas PC § 47.04.
Texas Penal Code § 47.04 defines keeping a gambling place. A person commits the offense by knowingly using, or knowingly permitting another to use, as a gambling place any real estate, building, room, tent, vehicle, boat, or other property owned by the person or under the person's control, or by renting or letting any such property with a view or expectation that it be used as a gambling place. A gambling place is property one of the uses of which is making or settling bets, bookmaking, or conducting a lottery or playing gambling devices. The statute supplies an affirmative defense paralleling the social-gambling defense: the gambling occurred in a private place, no person received any economic benefit other than personal winnings, and, except for skill or luck, the risks of losing and chances of winning were the same for all participants. It is a Class A misdemeanor.
What usually happens to a KEEPING A GAMBLING PLACE charge?
71% ended without a conviction, 14% in deferred adjudication and 11% in a conviction.
How 28 resolved KEEPING A GAMBLING PLACE charges filed 2019–2023 ended, across 4 counties (Brazoria, Dallas, Denton, Galveston):
Outcome is the final disposition recorded on the charge. “Other” (1) covers waived counts, bond forfeitures, transfers and unrecorded outcomes. Bexar County records disposition dates but not outcomes, so it counts toward time-to-disposition only. Tarrant County criminal records are not in this dataset.
How long does a KEEPING A GAMBLING PLACE case take to resolve?
Typically about 9 months: half of resolved cases closed within 274 days of filing.
Across 28 resolved KEEPING A GAMBLING PLACE charges filed 2019–2023, the median time from filing to disposition was 274 days. The middle half took between 124 and 404 days.
Time depends on the county's docket, whether the case is set for trial, and plea negotiations.
How did real KEEPING A GAMBLING PLACE cases end?
Individual cases from the public court record, with the disposition and sentence text exactly as the clerk entered it. Every case is decided on its own facts.
Ended without a conviction
Deferred adjudication
Ended in a conviction
What is the punishment for Keeping a Gambling Place in Texas?
Up to 1 year in county jail and a fine up to $4,000.
| Charged as | Possible confinement | Fine | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class A misdemeanor | Up to 1 year in county jail | Fine up to $4,000 | Penal Code § 12.21 |
Ranges are the statutory maximums for the level; enhancements, prior convictions and plea agreements change what is actually imposed.
How much is bail for KEEPING A GAMBLING PLACE in Texas?
The median bail is $2,500, and 21% of defendants were released on a personal bond.
Across 1,448 Texas bail settings for this charge (9 counties, Apr 2022 – Jun 2025), the median cash or surety bond was $2,500 (middle half: $1,000 – $5,000). 21% of defendants were released on a personal bond, and bail was denied in 16 cases. When this was the only charge at booking (109 records), the median was $1,100 and 47% got a personal bond.
| County | Records | Median cash bail | Middle half | Personal bond | Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nueces | 383 | $1,500 | $1,000 – $5,000 | 2% | 0% |
| Tarrant | 292 | $1,000 | $750 – $1,500 | 54% | 0% |
| Bexar | 113 | $2,000 | $1,500 – $5,000 | 17% | 1% |
| Hidalgo | 110 | $5,000 | $5,000 – $10,000 | 49% | 0% |
| Karnes | 81 | $3,000 | $3,000 – $3,000 | 0% | 0% |
Showing the 5 counties with the most records; use the selector for any county with at least 30. Per-charge bond settings on original magistrations, from Texas OCA bail reporting under SB 6. Bail is set case by case — these are statistics, not a prediction.
Charged with KEEPING A GAMBLING PLACE?
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Find a Defense AttorneyBail data: Texas Office of Court Administration magistration reports (SB 6), Apr 2022 – Jun 2025. Court outcomes: county district and county clerk records. Statistics describe past cases and are not legal advice; every case is decided on its own facts.