TEXAS CITY — Anyone wanting to open a game room of five or more video slot machines will have to wait at least a year after city commissioners granted police a moratorium on issuing permits.

Texas City commissioners during a Wednesday meeting unanimously granted Police Chief Robert Burby’s request for the yearlong moratorium, so his department could investigate whether the businesses pose a public safety risk.

“People are targeting game rooms for their large amount of cash on hand,” Burby said. “And possibly a lot of these crimes don’t get reported to police.”

Burby said his department needs to study game rooms closely after reports of at least one homicide and more than a dozen robberies at game rooms in neighboring towns.

Police want to ensure the game rooms aren’t opening near schools, playgrounds or churches, Burby said.

“I would like for people putting in for a permit to come before the commission and state their case,” Burby said. “And once they’ve met all the prerequisites, we want to make sure they’re exactly what they’re set up on paper to be.”

Burby said residents are concerned about living near game rooms. Police define a game room as having five or more video slot machines. The moratorium doesn’t affect convenience stores that have up to four machines, Burby said.

“In the last week or so, there’s been a citizen outcry, worrying about the possibility of game rooms coming to the city,” Burby said. “Elderly folk are asking us to make sure they’re going to be safe.”

Commissioner Mike Land said he knew the man “gunned down” July 4 a game room in Bacliff.

“These are nothing but gambling joints,” Land said. “I don’t care what they say. Another concern chief has is who actually owns the machines. There’s a lot of (intelligence) work that needs to be done before opening up casinos. That’s what they are.”

Burby said he asked for the moratorium after receiving three permit applications recently. The last game room went out of business eight months ago, and there haven’t been any others permitted since, Burby said.

Cpl. David Viel of Texas City police said there is a $1,000 permit fee, and game rooms aren’t legally allowed to offer cash rewards.

Mayor Matthew T. Doyle said the state should either “get in or out of the gambling business.” He urged people to contact their state representatives to let them know how they feel about the matter.