Bills to expand gambling access in Texas clear House committee
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A Texas House committee advanced the two main proposals to expand gambling in the state Monday, giving them a burst of momentum even as they continue to face long odds in the Senate.
The movement represents more progress than the proposals made last legislative session, when they got hearings in committee but were never voted out. Gaming advocates, including the casino empire Las Vegas Sands, have been targeting Texas as their next frontier for two sessions in a row now.
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Without discussion, the House State Affairs Committee approved legislation Monday afternoon that would let voters decide whether to legalize casinos and online sports betting in Texas. The votes were all 9-3, with Republicans making up the opposition.
Yet the legislation still has a long way to go. The expansion of gambling would require changes to the Texas Constitution — requiring two-thirds majorities in both chambers. That seems increasingly unlikely, however, as the Senate has signaled little appetite for the bills.
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House Bill 1942, written by Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Plano, would permit regulated sports betting that is already legal in 29 states. House Bill 2843, by Rep. John Kuempel, R-Seguin, would permit casino gambling in Texas.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, the powerful presiding officer of the Senate, has long thrown cold water on the prospects of expanding gambling in Texas. And in recent media appearances, he has dug in, pointedly saying the Senate lacks the GOP support he wants to see for either proposal.
If approved by voters, House Bill 2843 would permit casino gambling in Texas, and House Bill 1942 would legalize online sports betting, such as on cellphones. The casino bill would additionally allow sports wagering.
The committee members voted on a revised version of the casino bill, known as a "committee substitute," without discussing its content. The new version of the bill was not immediately available publicly.
The casino legislation is backed by Las Vegas Sands, which has spent millions of dollars since 2020 on lobbyists, TV ads and campaign contributions in Texas.
"The efforts to bring destination resorts to Texas made significant progress with today’s vote," Matt Hirsch, a spokesperson for Sands’ lobby effort, said in a statement. "Texans have made it clear that they want destination resorts in Texas, and we are now one step closer to ultimately allowing them to decide on this issue."
The three Republicans who voted against advancing the gaming proposals were Reps. Shelby Slawson of Stephenville, Will Metcalf of Conroe and John Smithee of Amarillo.
Both bills received a hearing late last month that featured familiar arguments surrounding expanding gaming in Texas. Proponents said that it would be an economic boon, while opponents warned of societal harm by increasing gambling addiction.
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This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2023/04/03/texas-casinos-gambling-legislature-sports-betting/.
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