Tag Archives: gambling

States looking at online gambling

Posted on August 27, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Until the economy returns to the point where states aren’t completely strapped for revenue, I expect them to look at all possible sources of new money. It’s an idea gaining currency around the country: virtual gambling as part of the … Continue reading →

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The racetracks have given up on gambling for this session

Posted on May 21, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s a clear answer for those of you who may have been holding out some hope for an expansion of gambling. Retama Park officials have all but lost hope that lawmakers will act before the end of the regular legislative … Continue reading →

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Is there still a chance gambling legislation can pass the Senate?

Posted on May 20, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

All signs still point to “no” if you ask me, but gambling legislation never goes quietly so it might look otherwise on the surface. The quiet formation of a special Texas Senate subcommittee to consider a controversial casino gambling resolution … Continue reading →

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Nothing is dead, and nothing is certain

Posted on May 16, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

The deadline for passing House bills on second reading was midnight Friday last week, which means that tons of bills are technically dead, as they can no longer be brought to the House floor for a vote. However, bills can … Continue reading →

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Some gambling advances in the House

Posted on May 9, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

It’s probably too little too late, but you never know. A Texas House committee surprised the casino lobby Friday night when it voted out legislation that would allow video lottery terminals — slot machines — at state racetracks and Indian … Continue reading →

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House says it may be close to approving expanded gambling

Posted on May 3, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

This would be as far as they’ve gotten in recent sessions. Rep. Mike “Tuffy” Hamilton, R-Mauriceville, who chairs the Licensing and Administrative Procedures committee, said he is close to having enough votes to pass his ever-morphing gambling bill. As Hamilton … Continue reading →

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House approves a little more money, Senate readies its budget

Posted on April 20, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Just a little. Texas House budget-writers voted Monday to free up an additional $3 billion for key state services through such moves as speeding up tax collections, delaying payments and suspending the back-to-school sales tax holiday. The bills next go … Continue reading →

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Horse racing folks feeling good about gambling’s chances this time

Posted on March 9, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

They always say that, but maybe this time they’re right. The chief executive officer at Retama Park expressed cautious optimism Thursday that the state could one day allow slot machines at horse racetracks, a move that has long been deemed … Continue reading →

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Legislation to allow slot machines filed

Posted on March 3, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Fresh from the inbox: BI-PARTISAN LEGISLATION FILED TO ALLOW STATEWIDE VOTE ON SLOTS AT TEXAS TRACKS, INDIAN RESERVATIONS AUSTIN, Texas — Texas State Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa (D-McAllen) and Texas State Representative Beverly Woolley (R-Houston) filed legislation today to allow … Continue reading →

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Another story analyzing gambling’s odds in the Lege

Posted on February 26, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I have three things to say about this story. [W]ith a budget crisis looming — and funding to public education, health care and other state services on the chopping block — gambling opponents aren’t taking any chances. Both sides have … Continue reading →

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The bingo business

Posted on February 13, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

Really interesting story about how bingo, which is legal in Texas as a charitable fundraiser, operates without a whole lot of scrutiny. In June 2006, police responded to a call from Daytime Bingo Hall in Midland reporting that $100,000 in … Continue reading →

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The gambling industry keeps trying

Posted on January 13, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

I’m not sure how successful an approach this will be, but I guess it’s better than nothing. Expanding gaming requires a vote of two-thirds of the legislature, with voters getting the final say. A new poll done for the Chronicle … Continue reading →

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Voters say they don’t want spending cuts

Posted on January 12, 2011 by Charles Kuffner

According to one poll, anyway. Voters gave Republicans an overwhelming victory in November, leaving the GOP with nearly two-thirds of the seats in the Legislature and every statewide office. Many have interpreted the election as a clear call for spending … Continue reading →

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Expanded gambling: Still doomed

Posted on December 15, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Dallas Morning News does a little checking, and the math isn’t good for gambling fans. The Dallas Morning News, canvassing all lawmakers, found that expanded gambling lacks the votes, mostly because of objections to social ills and new tax … Continue reading →

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More evidence that expanded gambling is doomed

Posted on December 8, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

From the latest TPJ Lobby Watch: Gambling interests with stakes in the legalization of casinos or slot machines bet heavily on Democratic House candidates going into the Republican-dominated 2010 elections. Political bookies widely expected the GOP to expand its slim … Continue reading →

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Gambling proponents still optimistic for some reason

Posted on November 20, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The conventional wisdom, to which I subscribe, says that the results on this election are bad news for proponents of expanded gambling. One reason for this is that the Republican wave means more socially conservative members. Gambling proponents are doing … Continue reading →

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RIP, Rep. Edmund Kuempel

Posted on November 4, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

State Rep. Edmund Kuempel (R-Seguin) has passed away at the age of 67. Kuempel, a salesman with CMC Steel Texas in Seguin, is chairman of the House Licensing and Administrative Procedures Committee, the panel through which gambling legislation typically flows. … Continue reading →

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More on SHRP’s investment partner

Posted on October 21, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I mentioned before that Sam Houston Race Park is getting an investor that will help them with the push to expand gambling in Texas. Here’s some more about the investor and the push. The Philadelphia-area company [Penn National] is, at … Continue reading →

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SHRP gets an investor

Posted on October 2, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

File this under “general gambling news”. Sam Houston Race Park will announce today it has entered into an ownership and operations agreement with racetrack and gaming giant Penn National Gaming Inc. as Texas track owners prepare to push for expanded … Continue reading →

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The state of the Lottery

Posted on September 11, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Statesman has an interesting two-part story about the state of the Texas Lottery today. Part One is about the declining fortunes of Lotto Texas and what that means for the state’s finances: Consider: • In 1994, 70 percent of … Continue reading →

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Retama Park

Posted on September 8, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Here’s another story about another horse racing track – Retama Park, which is northeast of San Antonio in Selma – hoping to hit the jackpot (as it were) with slot machines. The bit that interests me is this: If slots … Continue reading →

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The state of horse racing in Texas

Posted on August 27, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

It’s not very bright right now. The Texas Racing Commission faced a packed house Friday in the enclosed confines of the Founder’s Room at Sam Houston Rack Park. They heard a tale of woe from an industry in rapid decline, … Continue reading →

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The limits of gambling

Posted on August 9, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

People who like to gamble have a lot more options available to them than they used to. The Marcuses’ three-day pilgrimage had taken them across a region suddenly awash in slot parlors and Las Vegas-style casinos, what with New York, … Continue reading →

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Gambling industry support

Posted on August 2, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The DMN has an interesting story about gambling industry players making large campaign finance contributions, but there’s some context missing. A review by The Dallas Morning News of contributions since last July shows horse track interests have poured more than … Continue reading →

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Gambling and the deficit

Posted on July 12, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I’ve said before that regardless of what you hear from gambling proponents about the potential for expanded gambling to help with the current budget deficit, you should not expect anything this biennium. I’m glad to see that I’m not the … Continue reading →

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Will the racetracks and the casinos work together?

Posted on July 9, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

At the very end of this Trib story about more legislative hearings on gambling expansion comes this tidbit: The Win for Texas group — which includes current racetrack owners who’d like to add slot machines and other games to their … Continue reading →

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LSG hearing on expanded gambling

Posted on July 3, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

The Legislative Study Group held a hearing on Wednesday to start the discussion about the various proposals for expanded gambling in Texas that will be brought to the Lege next year. Racetrack and casino interests that want to expand Texas … Continue reading →

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Poll says people prefer slots to taxes

Posted on June 30, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

I don’t think that’s a great revelation – I’d think many people would claim to prefer a bout of the flu to having their taxes raised – but for obvious reasons, this is a noteworthy finding. A new poll conducted … Continue reading →

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Man the barricades!

Posted on June 13, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Wayne Slater, on the just-ended state Republican convention in Dallas: For a party in power, there seem to be a lot of martyrs in the Texas GOP. Rush Limbaugh says Democrats are the party of victims. But it was the … Continue reading →

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LSG forum on gambling

Posted on May 25, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Earlier this month, State Rep. Jim Dunnam, the Chair of the House Democratic Caucus, sent out a letter to the Chairs of the House Republican Caucus, the Texas Conservative Coalition, and the Legislative Study Group proposing that they establish “a … Continue reading →

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Here come the bingo interests

Posted on May 24, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

In the discussion of expanded gambling so far, I’ve spoken of two potentially competing interests, casinos and racetracks. Turns out there’s a third player in the game, and they’re not about to be left behind: Bingo interests. Steve Bresnen, who … Continue reading →

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Obstacles to expanded gambling

Posted on May 23, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Burka lays out the reasons why expanded gambling will have a tough road ahead in the Lege next year, even as budget writers openly speculate about it, and concludes it won’t happen. I think the situation is more fluid than … Continue reading →

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The stalking horse

Posted on May 18, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Peggy Fikac brings up a familiar point about expanded gambling. [Rob Kohler, a Texas Baptist Christian Life Commission consultant working against gambling expansion] suspects the gambling talk is paving the way for a new push to lease the state lottery … Continue reading →

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Rodney Ellis makes the case for expanded gambling

Posted on May 18, 2010 by Charles Kuffner

Via the Trib, here’s State Sen. Rodney Ellis on why he will once again carry a bill to expand gambling in Texas: For what it’s worth, the “People are already gambling, why not let them do it here where we … Continue reading →

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