It's how Vernon Dennis makes his living.ĭennis owns Lone Star Slots, a small showroom/warehouse in Lancaster. any slot machine, 8-liner, or other contraption that accepts people's money and occasionally spits some back out. It's perfectly legal, however, to buy and sell what the state terms a 'gambling device' - i.e. Unless you are wagering on horses, within the boundaries of the Kickapoo Indian reservation or placing bets directly with the state, gambling is illegal in Texas after all, vice cops need to have something to do when they're not busting hookers, and besides, the lottery functions much better without private competition.