There is a big push underway to expand casino gambling legalization in Texas. The momentum for this has been building. Especially after some encouraging results in the 2023 state legislature.
The driving force behind this push is the Las Vegas Sands Corporation. A major resort and casino company. The Sands Corporation. Which is owned by the very wealthy Adelson family, is renewing their efforts to legalize casino gambling in Texas and bring large destination resort casinos to the state’s big cities like Dallas and San Antonio.
As evidence of their commitment. The Sands Corporation recently purchased a majority stake in the Dallas Mavericks basketball team from Mark Cuban. Who has also voiced support for bringing destination resort casinos to Texas.
The advocates argue that legalizing casino gambling would bring substantial new revenue to the state and make Texas more of a tourist destination. They point out that Texas is missing out on tax revenue as neighboring states like Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas. And New Mexico all have some form of legalized gambling.
However, the advocates face a steep uphill climb. There are major obstacles standing in the way of getting casino gambling legalized in Texas. One of the biggest hurdles is opposition from conservative and evangelical Christian groups who view the expansion of gambling as morally wrong. These groups tend to have a lot of political influence. Especially with politicians like Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, who has been a staunch opponent of all gambling bills.
The political landscape has also become more challenging for the advocates. In the recent Republican primary elections, many of the more moderate Republicans who may have been open to casino gambling were defeated or are now in runoffs against more conservative candidates who are firmly against it.
Beyond the political opposition, there is also a steep legal hurdle the advocates must overcome. Legalizing casino gambling in Texas would require amending the state constitution. Which needs a two-thirds majority vote in both the state House and Senate to pass.
Polls show that most Texans would likely approve casino gambling if it was on the ballot. However, getting that high two-thirds threshold of votes in the Republican-controlled legislature was there as an extremely difficult task, given the strong opposition from conservative and religious groups.
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So while the advocates are renewing their push to legalize casino gambling. They face an uphill battle against powerful political and ideological opposition, as well as a very high legal bar to clear. The path to getting casino gambling legalized in Texas remains uncertain at best.
