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Gambling legalization advocates in Texas are going all out again this legislative session, believing they’ve won more support in 2021 where their efforts have fallen far short.
But the push remains an uphill battle as Lieutenant Dan Patrick, who oversees the Senate, continues to pour cold water on the idea. But supporters have found promising signs elsewhere, returning to the Capitol with an army of well-connected lobbyists after donating millions of dollars in campaign funds during the 2022 election.
There are two main camps driving the expansion of gambling in Texas, and they now appear to be working in parallel. First, the generous funding to legalize casinos, especially high-quality “destination resorts” in the state’s major cities, started by the late Sheldon Adelson and his gaming empire, Las Vegas Sands. This is a continuation of an initiative that has attracted a lot of attention. Another lane for him is the Texas Sports Betting Alliance. It is a coalition of professional sports teams and betting platforms in the state dedicated to legalizing mobile he sports betting.
Most gambling is illegal in Texas, with the exception of lotteries, horse racing, greyhound racing, and bingo. In Texas, he has three tribal casinos, which are licensed to operate under federal law.
The Sports Betting Alliance has already made headlines by hiring former Gov. Rick Perry as a spokesperson in the run-up to this session.
“Things that have changed [since 2021]I think it’s a continuing education of the general public that this is not an expansion of gambling,” Perry said in an interview, noting that Texans already participate in this type of gambling in other states or illegally. “It’s ongoing and will continue to occur, and Texas needs to regulate it and ensure that citizens’ information is protected.”
According to the American Gaming Association, sports betting is legal in 36 states and Washington, DC.
The Sands, meanwhile, tout a “long-term commitment to Texas.” Details of the session’s strategy were not made public, but Matt Hirsch, spokesman for the state’s Political Action Commission, said, “We will continue to actively engage state and local leaders over the course of this session, We remain committed to continuing to work.” Work with your legislators to ultimately allow voters to decide on this issue. ”
Both proposals did not materialize during the first legislative session two years ago. Their bill was put to committee hearings in the House, but was never voted on, nor was it held for Senate hearings.
This time, the Sands team is aiming to get the bill into law sooner with broader support in both the gaming industry and Congress.
They also see a solid alliance between Governor Greg Abbott and House Speaker Dade Phelan. The two leaders have voiced their openness to greater gambling in 2021 and have gone further in recent statements, suggesting they agree with Sands’ vision for casinos in the state. An Abbott spokesperson said in a statement last fall, “If there is a way to provide highly professional entertainment options for Texans, Governor Abbott will consider it.”
“What I don’t want to see is walk into every convenience store and see 15 slot machines,” Phelan said at a media briefing earlier this month while the session was underway. “I want to see destination-style casinos that are high quality, create jobs, and improve the lifestyle of the community.”
Phelan’s comment was notable for his use of the phrase “destination-style”, the same word used in Sands’ pitch.
Still, it remains to be seen if the game’s proponents will be able to move forward with Patrick in this session. had. In a December television interview, he said he saw no “movement” on the issue.
Others who oppose further gambling are holding up well. If anything, Texas’s economy is better than it was two years ago, and it’s filled with a $33 billion budget surplus, so there’s less traction for gambling expansion this session, he said. they claim. At the time, increased gambling was discussed as a potential new source of income to meet the projected deficit after suffering financial losses from COVID-19 shutdowns.
“I have spoken with countless representatives and senators and it seems that in times of record prosperity and surpluses gambling is less attractive,” R-Plano State Rep. Matt Shaheen said in a statement. says. “There doesn’t seem to be any desire to help big corporations turn a profit at the expense of countless Texans.”
Expanding gambling continues to be a popular idea among Texans. It turns out that I support the law to The survey also revealed 72% support among Republicans and 69% support for “born-again Christians.” [been] It is the backbone of opposition to legalized gambling. ”
In November, Senator Carol Alvarado (D-Houston) reintroduced the casino bill she introduced in the last Congress, but her House mates have yet to introduce it. State Rep. Jon Kempel, R-Seguin, “will again introduce the casino bill in this session,” his chief of staff Brittney Madden wrote in an email.
The sports betting bill has not yet been introduced and it is not yet known who will be in charge of the bill. House writer for the 2021 session, Dunn Heuberty, a Republican Houston, did not seek re-election.
rival campaign?
Given the severe headwinds to get gambling expansion through, it’s likely that sports betting and casino advocates are competing with each other rather than working together.
While the Sports Betting Alliance is officially neutral on casino legalization, the Sands team welcomes cooperation and notes that its proposal will further legalize sports betting.
Proponents of sports betting see its cause as a separate issue that is more amenable to legislators. Perry said there is a “clear line” between what the Sports Betting Alliance is pushing for compared to legalized casinos.
“The other problem there is they’re going to have to stand or fall on their own,” Perry said.
It is unclear if Patrick, the highest hurdle to expansion gambling, is aware of similar causative differences and may be better suited to sports betting.Allen, his top political strategist Blakemore recently signed on to lobby the Sports Betting Alliance through the end of the year.Patrick is also close with Perry, once calling him “one of the best friends in life.”
Neither Patrick’s office nor Blakemore responded to requests for comment.
In a December television interview, Patrick said no one had mentioned him about the expansion of gambling and that Republicans had not yet introduced a bill. and at least one of them, Senator Lois Kolkhorst of Blenheim, thinks about promoting sports betting.
“It is true that Senator Korkhorst is considering legislation to regulate ongoing app-based sports betting in Texas, but we are not commenting on pending legislation,” said Chris of Korkhorst. Chief of Staff Steinbach said in a text message.
impact
Meanwhile, the gaming industry is taking center stage at the Capitol. As of Thursday, the Las Vegas Sands had 69 of his lobbyists registered with the Texas Ethics Commission, with deals totaling him in seven figures. The Sports Betting Alliance has his 20 lobbyists registered with his TEC.
The lobbyist stable continues to include heavyweights from the Capitol, including the former governor’s chief adviser and the House Speaker’s chief of staff.
Interest in the game has also increased donations to the campaign since the last session. Sands formed the Texas Sands PAC, a political action committee, and made at least her $2.2 million donation to officials and dozens of lawmakers statewide from both parties during the 2022 election. PAC is funded almost entirely by Miriam Adelson, who became a majority shareholder in Las Vegas Her Sands after the death of her husband in 2021.
Separately, Miriam Adelson is one of the top donors to Abbott’s 2022 re-election campaign, writing a check for $1 million.
One of the recipients of Sands PAC funds was State Rep. Craig Goldman, the new chairman of the House Republican Caucus. A Fort Worth lawmaker recently told a local publication he had yet to take a position on the casino and campaign funding would not affect him.
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, whose team is part of the Sports Betting Alliance, made a six-figure donation late in the election, including $500,000 to Abbott and $200,000 to Patrick. Jones has long been a proponent of legalizing sports betting in Texas and said in a radio interview earlier this month, “It’s really a problem that needs to be addressed at this point.”
Gaming companies also played a big role in Abbott and Patrick’s inauguration on January 17th. At least three of his gaming companies were listed as top corporate donors in the program. His IGT of Las Vegas based slots his machine maker. Landry’s, a Houston-based hospitality company, has CEO Tilman Fertitta chairing its inaugural committee. (Companies cannot donate to campaigns under Texas law, but they can fund the inauguration.)
In addition to Fertitta, Miriam Adelson had a front row seat at the inauguration, watching from a few seats away as Abbott and Patrick were sworn into their third term. And three days later she sat front row at a pro-Israel conference in Austin, where Abbott gave a speech and she twice praised the Adelsons for their advocacy against Israel.
Not all influence peddlers are swooning against the game’s opponents, such as social conservative group Texas Values.
“Gambling escalation is already dead in the Texas Senate. It would be a mistake for the Texas House of Representatives to waste precious time on policy issues that have no vote,” Jonathan Covey, the group’s policy director, said in a statement. Stated.
Rob Kohler, lobbyist for the Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission, said: [doesn’t] See the new momentum behind the cause.
“I’ve been working on this problem for 20 years, and it always starts with trying to get people’s attention to it,” Kohler said. “As the session progresses and the issue is scrutinized, people realize that it is not in the nation’s best interest.”
Disclosure: The University of Houston is a financial backer of The Texas Tribune, a non-profit, bipartisan news organization funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial backers play no part in Tribune journalism. Find their complete list here.
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