Photo by Joel Kramer via Flickr creative commons
Efforts to legalize casino gambling in Texas appear to be an even greater long shot in the Legislature next session.
In 2023, the Texas House fell eight votes short of advancing a state constitutional amendment to allow eight destination resort casinos to be built in the state.
When the next legislative session begins in January, it will have to be the Senate — not the House — that initiates action on casinos, said state Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Allen.
“Based on what happened last session, I believe it’s generally understood that unless and until there is real movement and momentum in the Senate next session — meaning the Senate actually taking up and considering the issue — there is likely not going to be any meaningful action on it in the Texas House,” Leach said in a text message to The Dallas Morning News.
That could be a major hurdle. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who presides over the Senate, has said there were not enough votes in the Senate to support casinos.
“My experience and my knowledge is that we aren’t even close to having 15 or 16 votes for casinos,” Patrick said in a Dec. 1 interview with CBS News Texas.
In addition, the party platform recently approved by delegates to the Texas Republican convention takes a dim view of gambling and calls for GOP lawmakers to refuse campaign donations from lobbyists and organizations tied to the gambling industry.
“We oppose any expansion of gambling, including legalized casino gambling,” the platform said.
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Mark Cuban, the former majority shareholder of the Dallas Mavericks, told The Dallas Morning News in 2022 his goal was to build a new arena in the middle of a resort and casino in partnership with the Sands.
Miriam Adelson, the majority shareholder of the Las Vegas Sands, purchased Cuban’s majority stake for $3.9 billion. On Thursday, the Mavericks advanced to the NBA Finals and will face the Boston Celtics starting June 6.
Patrick Dumont, Adelson’s son-in-law who also involved in the purchase, told The Dallas Morning News in February that he believes there is an “opportunity” to develop destination resorts in Texas over the next few years. Dumont succeeded Cuban as the Mavericks governor.
Adelson and her late husband, Sheldon Adelson, have donated $21.5 million to Texas political organizations and candidates since 2018, including $1.5 million to Gov. Greg Abbott’s campaign. Sheldon Adelson died in January 2021.
So far in 2024, Miriam Adelson has donated $4.1 million to the Texas Sands PAC.
Abbott has expressed openness to resort casinos in Texas. So has House Speaker Dade Phelan, who survived a primary challenge but faces two announced candidates for speaker in the 2025 legislative session.
Here’s the DMN link for this story. I make a habit of posting about this biennial kabuki dance, so you know the basic story quite well by now. At some point, one wonders when the likes of Miriam Adelson will decide it might be a better use of her money to support candidates who actually support expanded gambling, especially candidates who could oust incumbents who oppose expanded gambling, instead of giving it to lobbyists who continue to fail to advance this interest. The “we’re gonna need to start winning more elections” mantra applies to anyone who continues to face a hostile Legislature session after session. Just a thought – it’s not my money and not my issue, so you do you, Miriam. I’m just saying, I have some experience with the process and the outcome. Make of it what you will.