Texas state Sen. Carol Alvarado (D-Houston) is getting ready to deliver on line casino gaming and sports activities betting laws to the ground throughout the state’s 2023 legislative session.
Texas state Sen. Carol Alvarado (D-Houston) at a 2018 debate. She’s proposing Texas on line casino and sports activities betting laws. (Picture: Houston Chronicle)
On Monday, she prefiled Senate Joint Decision 17, which, if handed, would set the stage for the creation of the Texas Gaming Fee. That physique would regulate business gaming within the second-largest state, together with casinos and sports activities betting.
Alvarado’s invoice permits a small variety of casinos within the state’s main cities. The laws doesn’t go into specifics, however the Lone Star’s greatest cities are Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, and Austin, which is probably going interesting to business gaming corporations which have lengthy plotted entry into Texas.
Prefiling payments is a perfunctory transfer, and Alvarado’s decision can’t be thought-about till the state Home and Senate convene for the 2023 session in January. There’s a small window for her to advance the proposal as a result of Texas lawmakers are scheduled to be in session by Might 29.
Her decision proposes a ten% tax on gross gaming income (GGR) from desk video games and a 25% levy on GGR from slots.
Nonetheless Lengthy Highway Forward
Even when Alvarado’s decision makes it by committees and onto the ground, gaming enlargement in Texas faces an uphill climb.
Passing the invoice requires two-thirds approval from each legislative chambers, and Republicans management every — a few of that are against on line casino gaming and sports activities wagering. Assuming Senate Joint Decision 17 could make it that far, the proposal would seem on the November 2023 poll and require a majority of Texas voters to say “Sure.” That’s how the state’s structure could be amended.
The political local weather within the purple state isn’t totally anti-gaming. However it’s nonetheless not a simple highway. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, who simply gained reelection final week, lately signaled he’s extra open to casinos than beforehand speculated.
Nonetheless, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, additionally a Republican, opposes expanded gaming and is president of the state Senate. Whereas polls recommend most Texans favor including a on line casino within the state — and a few skilled staff homeowners again regulated sports activities wagering — different big-name Texas businessmen imagine the state isn’t more likely to transfer on extra gaming choices over the close to time period.
Gallery Furnishings founder and famed baseball bettor Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale lately stated as a lot.
Texas On line casino Dream
With the California and Florida gaming scenes managed by tribal entities, Texas is probably going the final massive, open frontier for business operators within the US. However there’s more likely to be a battle there may be gaming enlargement strikes ahead.
Some tribes within the state will nearly actually desire a piece of the motion, whereas tribes in Oklahoma, which have lengthy profited from visits by Texans, might transfer to stall associated efforts within the Lone Star state.
Nonetheless, it’s simple to see why business and tribal operators favor casinos in Texas. The state is rising, in contrast to California, which is bleeding inhabitants. Likewise, placing gaming venues close to main cities and approving cellular sports activities wagering would put the Texas gaming panorama mild years forward of California.
