After years of failed attempts, the gambling industry is again pushing for the legalisation of casinos and sports betting in Texas. So far, the effort has proven unsuccessful, as the Lone Star State has strict laws when it comes to gambling.
The current campaign to persuade the state’s legislature is led by Las Vegas Sands, and it seeks to launch destination resorts with casino gaming across the largest cities in Texas. Their lobbying initiative is also backed by the Texas Sports Betting Alliance, a group featuring local sports teams, racetracks, and betting operators like FanDuel and DraftKings.
This is not the first attempt by the coalition to try and persuade the state about the legalisation of casinos. In 2023, their proposal made its way through the Texas House, coming close to fruition. However, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick from the Texas Senate quickly buried the plan.
Constant Battle Between Supporters and Opponents
However, the 74-year-old Republican is on track to be in office until early 2027, resulting in an endless fight between proponents and opponents of the gaming expansion in the Texas House. This is an old trick by the gambling industry, as they lay the foundations for when a more flexible head of the Senate arrives.
Andy Abboud, Senior Vice President of Government Relations for Las Vegas Sands, said the following on the topic:
“The effort to bring destination resorts to Texas has received an overwhelming amount of support from Texans and lawmakers since it was first introduced, and the groundswell of momentum is only continuing to build. Texans want to decide and vote on this issue, and we look forward to working with the legislature to give them that opportunity this session.”
Besides Patrick, others also oppose the proposed gambling expansion. This includes the Texas Republican Party, the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas, advocacy groups like Texans Against Gambling, and several conservative activist organisations. Still, these groups want to ensure that no gambling expansion will be highlighted.
This is what the Texans Against Gambling group shared on social media last week.
“Sports gambling and casinos are economically regressive, scholarly studies show because they produce nothing of external value. They do not spur long-term economic growth. Instead, they hinder it. Keep Texas, Texas.”
The group’s comment was made after Gov. Greg Abbott voiced support for the potential legalisation of sports wagering in the state.
The governor’s stance was warmly welcomed by the gambling proponents, who even referred to a statewide poll conducted by the University of Houston’s Hobby School of Public Affairs. The survey discovered that around 60% of Texans support the notion of regulated sports betting, including 64% of Democrats and 59% of Republicans.
Bill is Yet to be Submitted
However, despite all the noise, a sports betting bill has not yet been filed in the House. Also, the author of the previous measure from 2023, Republican Rep. Jeff Leach of Plano, shared that he had no plans of pushing the legislation again unless the Senate initiated it.
Still, Karina Kling, a representative of the Sports Betting Alliance, expects the legislation to be filed shortly. Once submitted, lawmakers have until March 14, 2025, to file all bills.
Public Prefers Casinos over Sports Betting
The poll by the University of Houston also found that 73% supported the legalisation of destination resort casinos in the state. Mark Jones, a Rice University political science professor who helped in conducting the survey, explained that there is more support for casinos.
However, back in 2023, the sports betting bill passed the Texas House with 101 votes, while the casino legislation failed to gain support, receiving only 92 votes. Jones explained that Republican lawmakers favoured sports wagers over casinos, as the former would provoke less public reaction. In his expert opinion, sports betting is not as “physically present” as land-based casinos.
Supporters of mobile sports betting launch dispute that locals are already placing bets on offshore sites. Every year, they pour millions of dollars into these illegal sites, which could have stayed within Texas as state revenue. They argue that a regulated market could also protect consumers from illicit grey-market operations.
Under the previous failed legislation, there would have been eight licenses for casino destinations in Texas, which would have been close to areas with existing horse racing. But Rep. Charlie Geren, a Fort Worth Republican, altered the bill. The reformed legislation would put 80% of casino revenue for teacher salaries and cost-of-living improvement for retired teachers.
Weighing the Pros and Cons
While there are positives of the casino legalisation, like job creation and other economic factors, others argued that gambling would also lead to negatives. Some claimed that casinos would increase human trafficking, domestic violence, and gambling-related addiction.
The Eagle Pass-based Kickapoo Tribe was also far from impressed with the bill. The tribe run a casino operation with bingo games, and its leaders believe the expansion would hurt the tribe’s primary source of funds. For instance, patrons from San Antonio would prefer to go to the new casino in Alamo City.
The Battle Continues
The attempts to legalise casinos and sports betting could be more difficult than expected. For instance, a few Republican gambling supporters were replaced by conservatives who are fiercely opposing gaming.
This hasn’t stopped Senator Carol Alvarado, a Houston Democrat, who is still pushing for gambling legalisation. She filed a bill that would have a 15% tax on casino revenue go to public education, public safety, and responsible gambling education. The measure may not gain traction, but she described it as a chance to discuss the positive economic benefits of casinos.
