POSS GAMBLING DEVICE/EQUIPMENT/PARAPH
Possession of Gambling DEVICE/EQUIPMENT/PARAPH in Texas: what bail is set at, how often a personal bond is granted, and what usually happens to the charge.
What “POSS GAMBLING DEVICE/EQUIPMENT/PARAPH” means
Texas Penal Code § 47.06 prohibits dealing in gambling hardware. A person commits the offense by, with the intent to further gambling, knowingly owning, manufacturing, transferring, or possessing a gambling device the person knows is designed for gambling purposes, or equipment the person knows is designed as a subassembly or essential part of such a device. The statute likewise reaches altered gambling equipment, such as loaded dice or marked cards, and gambling paraphernalia — items used for bookmaking, recording bets, or conducting lotteries — when owned, manufactured, transferred, or possessed with the intent to further gambling. The required mental state is twofold: knowledge of the item's character and the purpose of furthering gambling. Chapter 47 of the Penal Code supplies the definitions of 'gambling device,' 'altered gambling equipment,' and 'gambling paraphernalia,' and excludes lawful amusement machines from the gambling-device definition.
| 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.
Bail for POSS GAMBLING DEVICE/EQUIPMENT/PARAPH in Texas
Across 1,359 Texas bail settings for this charge (10 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 (45 records), the median was $1,000 and 47% got a personal bond.
| County | Records | Median cash bail | Middle half | Personal bond | Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nueces | 372 | $2,000 | $1,000 – $5,000 | 2% | 0% |
| Tarrant | 275 | $1,000 | $750 – $1,500 | 53% | 0% |
| Hidalgo | 109 | $5,000 | $5,000 – $10,000 | 50% | 0% |
| Bexar | 89 | $2,000 | $1,000 – $5,000 | 15% | 1% |
| Karnes | 79 | $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.
How real POSS GAMBLING DEVICE/EQUIPMENT/PARAPH cases ended
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
Charged with POSS GAMBLING DEVICE/EQUIPMENT/PARAPH?
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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.