Penal Code § 47.06 · Class A misdemeanor

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.

$2,500
Median cash bail
21%
Released on personal bond
1,359
Bail records

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 asShare of bail recordsPossible confinementFineSource
Class A misdemeanor100% 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.

CountyRecordsMedian cash bailMiddle halfPersonal bondDenied
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.

Recent POSS GAMBLING DEVICE/EQUIPMENT/PARAPH cases

CaseCountyFiledDisposedOutcome
260799901010HarrisFeb 27, 2026Jul 29, 2026Dismissed by the prosecutor
260419501010HarrisFeb 3, 2026Jul 29, 2026Dismissed by the prosecutor
260418801010HarrisFeb 3, 2026Jul 29, 2026Dismissed by the prosecutor
260516701010HarrisFeb 9, 2026Jul 29, 2026Dismissed by the prosecutor
261088001010HarrisMar 17, 2026Jul 29, 2026Dismissed by the prosecutor
260439401010HarrisFeb 5, 2026Jul 29, 2026Dismissed by the prosecutor
260432501010HarrisFeb 4, 2026Jul 29, 2026Dismissed by the prosecutor
261291701010HarrisMar 30, 2026Jul 29, 2026Dismissed by the prosecutor
261212501010HarrisMar 25, 2026Jul 29, 2026Dismissed by the prosecutor
260451501010HarrisFeb 5, 2026Jul 29, 2026Dismissed by the prosecutor

Charged with POSS GAMBLING DEVICE/EQUIPMENT/PARAPH?

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Bail 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.