Two bills to expand legal gambling in Texas cleared a House committee on Monday. The votes represent more progress than the bills made last legislative session – when they got hearings in committee but were never voted out – but they continue to face long odds in the Senate. The bills now head to the Calendars Committee, which determines which legislation makes it to the House floor.
The House State Affairs Committee greenlighted legislation that would let voters decide whether to legalize casinos and online sports betting. If approved by voters, House Bill 2843 would permit casino gambling in Texas, and House Bill 1942 would legalize online sports betting. The casino bill would additionally allow sports wagering.
Under the casino bill, there would be eight destination resort casinos in Texas. Meanwhile, Rep. Jeff Leach’s sports betting proposal allows for mobile-only sports wagering and is backed by the Sports Betting Alliance, a collective of major sportsbooks and Texas professional sports teams. Former Gov. Rick Perry is the group’s spokesperson.
Gaming advocates, including resorts giant Las Vegas Sands, have been pushing to legalize casinos and sports betting in the Lone Star State for two sessions in a row now. The company has spent millions of dollars since 2020 on lobbyists, TV ads and campaign contributions.
“The efforts to bring destination resorts to Texas made significant progress with today’s vote,” Matt Hirsch, a spokesperson for Sands’ lobby effort, said in a statement, as reported by The Texas Tribune. “Texans have made it clear that they want destination resorts in Texas, and we are now one step closer to ultimately allowing them to decide on this issue.”
Despite momentum, the legislation still has a long way to go. As gambling expansion implies changes to the Texas Constitution, it requires two-thirds majorities in both chambers – an unlikely scenario given the Senate’s apparent little appetite for the bills.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who presides over the Senate, has recently stated the chamber lacks the GOP support he wants to see for gambling legislation. “Our members have been clear: they’re not in support today. We don’t have any votes in the Senate. Couldn’t find one Senator who supported it,” the Lt. Governor recently assured.
Patrick also noted he refuses to pass a bill that has a majority of Democrats — but not Republicans — in support of the legislation. “Unless I have 15 to 16 Republicans, meaning it’s a Republican-driven bill because we’re a Republican-driven state, I’m not bringing a bill to the floor,” he said. “I need Republican consensus otherwise, it’s a Democrat bill.”
