There aren’t many options for gambling within Texas. Bar access to parimutuel wagering on greyhound and horse racing, the three tribal casinos in the region, and charitable bingos and raffles, residents have had to invent ways to access their favorite gambling pastime while staying the right side of the law. The most common way has been the use of offshore casinos bolstered with the growing popularity of cryptocurrency, allowing for cross-border use and ensuring user safety. Gambling with Ripple, Ethereum, Litecoin, Bitcoin, and other cryptocurrencies allows users to access gambling games safely and has broken the stranglehold of traditional financial institutions.
However, with the new year, there is a strong resolution among the people to expand the gambling horizon in the state, with polls showing support from the majority of Texans to loosen the gambling limits. Lawmakers in support, returning to the Capitol in February, will be hoping to do one better than in 2023 when an amendment in support of destination casinos did not pass the House, and a separate amendment in support of digital sports betting passed the House but failed to convince the Senate.
In light of the constitutional tussle that’s soon to unfold, the following are some of the key players that can make a difference in 2025 in no particular order. The first player is Lieutenant Governor Dan Goeb Patrick. Texan residents should not hold their breath as Lieutenant Dan Patrick, over the years, has made his stance clear on the gambling expansion, vehemently arguing against the cause and throwing cold water on whatever hope that may linger. He also does not appear to be having a change of heart anytime soon as going into 2025. He has said he would not advance any bills with more Democrat support, with Republicans having 20 to the Democrat’s 11 in the Senate.
As Texas’s 48th Governor, Gregory Wayne Abbott can hugely influence what bills he wants prioritized and ones he will be willing to veto. While recently, he has shown some interest in changing the laws that oversee and regulate gambling in the state; his priority has always remained issues like education, border security, Operation Lone Star readily coming to mind, and property tax cuts, among others.
Another key player is Miriam Adelson, the majority shareholder of the Las Vegas Sands casino empire. She recently became the majority owner of the Dallas Mavericks with her family, and she’s understandably been pro-gambling in the state of Texas.
Lastly, the House speaker will have enough sway over how legislation gets prioritized as they can decide who chairs different committees, among other processes. Currently, GOP Reps David Cook and Dustin Burrows are the two Republicans eyeing the seat of House speaker, with the former having voted in support of mobile sports betting and resort-style gambling in 2023 and the latter voting against both.
With so many horses in the race, time will be the biggest decider on how the pendulum swings. Texans can only hope that their lawmakers will ultimately make decisions that favor the people.