POSS GAMBLING DEVICE/EQUIPMENT/PARAPHTexas Penal Code (PC) § 47.06
“POSS GAMBLING DEVICE/EQUIPMENT/PARAPH” stands for Possession of Gambling Devices, Equipment or Paraphernalia, a Class A misdemeanor under Texas Penal Code (PC) § 47.06. 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 “POSS GAMBLING DEVICE/EQUIPMENT/PARAPH” mean?
“POSS GAMBLING DEVICE/EQUIPMENT/PARAPH” stands for Possession of Gambling Devices, Equipment or Paraphernalia, a Class A misdemeanor under Texas PC § 47.06.
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.
What usually happens to a POSS GAMBLING DEVICE/EQUIPMENT/PARAPH charge?
94% ended without a conviction, 3% in deferred adjudication and 3% in a conviction.
How 262 resolved POSS GAMBLING DEVICE/EQUIPMENT/PARAPH charges filed 2019–2023 ended, across 6 counties (Brazoria, Dallas, Denton, FortBend, Galveston, Harris):
| County | Resolved | Not convicted | Deferred | Convicted | Median days |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harris | 233 | 95% | 3% | 2% | 271 |
Outcome is the final disposition recorded on the charge. “Other” (0) 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 POSS GAMBLING DEVICE/EQUIPMENT/PARAPH case take to resolve?
Typically about 9 months: half of resolved cases closed within 269 days of filing.
Across 262 resolved POSS GAMBLING DEVICE/EQUIPMENT/PARAPH charges filed 2019–2023, the median time from filing to disposition was 269 days. The middle half took between 145 and 416 days.
Time depends on the county's docket, whether the case is set for trial, and plea negotiations.
How did real POSS GAMBLING DEVICE/EQUIPMENT/PARAPH 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 Possession of Gambling Devices, Equipment or Paraphernalia 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 POSS GAMBLING DEVICE/EQUIPMENT/PARAPH in Texas?
The median bail is $2,500, and 21% of defendants were released on a personal bond.
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.
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.