Last year lawmakers in Texas cared so little for casinos and sports betting that they didn’t even hold hearings on them. Or vote on them. Nevertheless, a dedicated cadre of legislators hasn’t given up.
The legislature meets bi-annually, so the next legislative session won’t begin until 2023.
One of them, Senator Carol Alvarado, has been pushing for more than a decade. She argues that casinos would create jobs and generate money for the state.
Beginning in 2009, she has authored bills that would give voters the right to decide whether to amend the state constitution to expand gaming.
In 2021 Rep. John Kuempel filed a similar bill in the House. He noted that many Texans visit other states to gamble. He would like to keep that money in the state.
He told CDC Gaming Reports, “I think we’d keep that money at home and put it towards, my views would be putting it towards property tax relief, infrastructure, public education, things like that.”
Last year Las Vegas Sands former owner, the late Sheldon Adelson died just as his company was ramping up its massive casino lobbying effort. He hoped to collect on the large donations he made to the state’s GOP. But he died first.
LVS had proposed casinos in Austin, Houston, San Antonio and Dallas/Fort Worth. The company has not given up and has said it is in for the long haul.
LVS CEO and Chairman Rob Goldstein told investors during a quarterly call that the company is ready whenever the Lone Star State is ready.
He said, “Although Texas is a few years away from it, we have been down there. We have spent time in the market. We have people trying to find our place in that market if it does happen.”
The flame of sports betting is being kept alive by Texas-based sportsbook operators and professional sports team. They make up the Sports Betting Alliance.
The flame of opposition to casinos and sports betting is also undimmed. Rob Kohler, a lobbyist for the Christian Life Commission, told CDC Gaming Reports,
“I have been on this issue for probably 20 years and I don’t see the landscape changing.” He opposes gaming in all its forms, casino and online. “It is not economic development. It is not something you can build off of and grow a community around. It destroys communities.”
