The clock is ticking for two sets of Texas bills that could pave the way for legal sports betting.
This week, 11 Texas professional sports teams and a group backed by the Las Vegas Sands Corporation pressured the Texas Legislature in an effort to get them to pass the initiatives before the end of the current session.
Both initiatives made it through the House State Affairs Committee earlier this month. While that’s the furthest any gambling bill has made it in Texas, the bills have a long way to go.
Time is of the essence, as the Texas Legislature only meets every other year. The 88th Legislative Session ends on May 29, and if neither of the two sports betting proposals passes, the Lone Star State will have to wait until 2025 for another shot.
A Texas flood of letters, texts, and ads
Texas residents received text messages this week, extolling the benefits of destination resort casinos courtesy of the Texas Destination Resort Alliance. The TDRA is backing HB 2843 and HJR 155, which are both bills that would pave the way for destination casinos in Texas and legalize sports betting.
Meanwhile, representatives from 11 Texas professional sports teams sent a letter to Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan and Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick on Tuesday. While supportive of the casino initiative, they are also backing HB 1942 and HJR 102, which would legalize online sports betting sites.
In the letter, they said, “By Texas not having legalized sports betting it disadvantages our fans compare to sports fans in other states that are protected by regulation and given the freedom of opportunity to legally bet.”
"Ultimately, (the proposed measures) protect Texans from the illegal, foreign sports betting market that is operating unregulated in Texas," the letter added. "These bills provide a fair and responsible system of permitting and taxation for operators and the proposed legislation has best practices from other states that will maintain the integrity of Texas professional sports."
The executives who signed the letter represent the Dallas Cowboys, the Houston Texans, the Texas Rangers, the Houston Astros, the Houston Rockets, the Dallas Mavericks, the San Antonio Spurs, the Dallas Stars, Austin FC, FC Dallas, and Houston Dynamo FC.
Senate Republicans hold the key
Over the years, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has softened his stance on gambling.
In February, Abbott told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram that he was open to resort-style casinos and considered sports betting just another form of entertainment.
“I’m such a sports fan, and I see people doing this, and it’s really a form of entertainment for them, and it’s also kind of related to these sports leagues — like fantasy football, things like that — that people participate in,” said Abbott. “Fantasy sports is such a big thing in Texas already. It seems like there could be a way where we could create a system where something like this could happen.”
However, Abbott’s opinion may not be enough to move the needle for sports betting in Texas. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has consistently opposed legalized gambling in Texas and currently presides over the Senate, where Republicans hold a 19-12 majority.
Earlier this month on the Mark Davis Show, Patrick said, “Our members have been clear: they’re not in support today. We don’t have any votes in the Senate.”
