Less than a year later, he was arrested on charges of illegal gambling, operating an illegal gambling establishment and organized crime. He spent six months in jail. He nearly lost the family\u2019s home, his wife suffered a job loss and had her car repossessed. He sank into despair.<\/p>\n
But the most remarkable part of his story was yet to unfold.<\/p>\n
While in jail, he became a Christian and repented. Now, in what he describes as the ultimate act of absolution, Borgstedt is leading a grass roots effort to stop the spread of a new generation of bell ringing slot machines that have permeated gamerooms like the one he used to run.<\/p>\n
In doing so, he has become a pivotal figure in the ongoing battle<\/a> between anti-gambling and pro-gambling forces in Canton, a small but growing community in Van Zandt County.<\/p>\n \u201cI will run into a brick wall over my community,\u201d said Borgstedt, 48, who also runs the local barbecue trailer in the town\u2019s famous flea market. \u201cI love these people here. I want what\u2019s right. I don\u2019t like things that are being done wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n Borgstedt\u2019s beef is with local operators who have placed these new slot machines in gas stations, convenience stores and in gamerooms in Van Zandt County.<\/p>\n The slot machines have been deemed legal by one district court judge, though others such as Borgstedt disagree with the ruling that has put his home county at the center of a debate that could alter the landscape of gaming in Texas.<\/p>\n The battle here is so fierce it has essentially defined the district attorney\u2019s race.<\/p>\n Relying on the court ruling, incumbent Tonda Curry asserts that the devices are not gambling machines and has permitted businesses to feature them in their establishments. Challenger Richard Schmidt disagrees with that assessment and is being backed by residents who are pushing to unseat her, including state Sen. Bob Hall, R-Edgewood.<\/p>\n Hall, who is one of the most outspoken critics of gambling in the legislature, has teamed up with Borgstedt in the drive to eradicate the devices from the region he represents. Edgewood is less than 10 miles from Canton.<\/p>\n They have their work cut out for them.<\/p>\n \u201cEvery gas station in this county besides two and in Edgewood have games in them,\u201d Borgstedt said.<\/p>\n Several gamerooms also operate in Van Zandt County, according to a recent report from the Van Zandt County Fire Marshal.<\/p>\n The gamerooms also feature games other than slots. One popular gaming device is known as a \u201cfish table.\u201d In the game, at least eight players crowd around a 55-inch LED TV that is placed face-up. Each player then uses a joystick and a few buttons to shoot icons that float around to accumulate points.<\/p>\n Whatever the game, players can redeem points won in the\u00a0gamerooms, He shared one Facebook post with The Dallas Morning News of a woman smiling broadly in front of a slot machine, claiming she had won $3,000.<\/p>\n Another Facebook post from a gameroom in Ben Wheeler, a town 12 miles from Canton, states players can win jackpots of more than $4,000.<\/p>\n
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