In 1989, Tomball City Council adopted an ordinance administering a tax on bingo prize money within city limits, according to city information. On Aug. 5, 2019, council voted to repeal the city’s bingo tax due to the small amount of earnings, the cost of administering the tax and new legislation.

House Bill 914, adopted by the Legislature this year, requires municipalities to opt in to continue receiving prize fees after Jan. 1, 2020, the bill reads.

Tomball collected only $66 in fiscal year 2016-17 through its bingo tax and no revenue in FY 2017-18, according to Aug. 5 meeting information. Since FY 1996-97—the years for which records are available—the city has collected more than $58,000 from bingo earnings, according to a public information request.

Council’s vote does not preclude the city from re-enacting the tax on bingo prize money in the future should council members vote to do so, City Manager Rob Hauck said.