Beto O’Rourke floats gambling legalisation in Texas
Popular Democrat suggests move would create billions in tax dollars for the Lone Star State
Beto O’Rourke, the Democratic nominee for the governor of Texas, has suggested the state should look into lifting the ban on gambling within its jurisdiction.
In a news conference in Dallas, the candidate, who only narrowly lost to Republican Ted Cruz to become senator in the traditionally red state, suggested legalising gambling would be one way of producing additional revenue.
He said: “If we were to make legal casino gambling and sports betting in the state of Texas — which as you all know many Texans engage in now, it’s only that those revenues go to other states and to other state governments — we would be able to bring in billions of dollars more.”
He continued: “From listening to Texans from across the state, one, it’s a very popular proposal, and two, I think it would also help us to address some of the challenges we have in reducing inflation and property taxes in the State of Texas.”
Dr Miriam Adelson, a dyed-in-the-wool Republican and a majority shareholder in Las Vegas Sands, who in the past provided funding for Donald Trump, is in agreement with O’Rourke.
However, the Lone Star State has long been reluctant to green light legalisation on gambling. Current Texan politicians, Speaker Dade Phelan and Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, have opposed the idea of legalising gambling in the state.
A bill, HB 2070, to bring sports betting to Texas faltered earlier this year due to a lack of support as the 2021 legislative session expired.
There is, however, optimism that enough support can be garnered in 2022 to bring legal sports betting to the Lone Star State, perhaps as early as 2023, and with O’Rourke voicing his support it could encourage refreshed debate on the topic.
In August 2021, Caesars Entertainment inked a multi-year sponsorship agreement to become the first official casino partner of the NFL’s Houston Texans.
Earlier this year, Rush Street Interactive penned a market-access agreement with Penn National Gaming that would provide the operator the right of first offer for a potential skin in Texas, should the state legalise sports betting in the near future.
Texas is the second most populous state in the US, behind California, with 29.2 million residents and would represent a huge market for the US gambling industry.