Despite the burgeoning interest in sports betting in many states reacting to the lifting of the federal ban by the U.S. Supreme Court, Texas is unlikely to be one of the states that will legalize it.
Governor Greg Abbott, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and Attorney General Ken Paxton have all publicly opposed sports betting in the Lone Star State. All are up for re-election in November.
That doesn’t mean that it isn’t occurring illegally in a big way in the state known for its bigness. And everywhere else in the country.
The American Gaming Association estimates sports betting to be a $150 billion, including illegal and legal wagering. Others are more modest in their assessment: $60 billion, comparable to what Americans spend on lottery tickets.
Rob Kohler, a lobbyist for the General Baptist Convention of Texas, which represents almost 3 million Texas not only opposes sports betting, he would like to repeal lottery as well. He calls gambling in any form a regressive “tax” that especially hits the poor, often the poor that are getting government assistance.
Kohler doesn’t have to talk too hard to convince lawmakers in Austin, the state capital. There are a few legislators, such as Rep. Richard Pena Raymond, who introduces pro-gaming bills upon occasion. Such as the bill that would have legalized DraftKings and daily fantasy sports.
But he doesn’t support sports betting. He told ArkLaTex “It’s a relatively nuanced difference but it’s a big difference,” he says. He says he plans to reintroduce a fantasy sports bill in 2019 but will wait for others to push for sportsbook.
