On May 10, 2023, the Texas House made progress on destination casino resorts and mobile sports betting.
Bipartisan support was given for two proposed constitutional amendments that aim to expand gambling in Texas, where over half of the residents favor the legalization of resort-style casinos and sports betting, according to polls.
GOP Rep. Charlie Geren from Fort Worth proposed a constitutional amendment that would permit Texas voters to decide whether to have eight destination casinos in the state, with two located in North Texas. The amendment was tentatively approved by a 92-51 vote in the House, but requires at least 100 votes to proceed to the Senate.
Another House joint resolution, introduced by Rep. Jeff Leach of Plano, proposes a referendum on mobile sports betting. It received tentative approval with a 97-44 vote, just three votes short of the required margin. To qualify for the Nov. 7 ballot, constitutional amendments need a two-thirds vote in each legislative chamber.
The resolution proposed by Leach would only authorize mobile sports betting and prohibit the establishment of physical sportsbooks. Under the resolution, professional sports teams would collaborate with mobile sportsbooks such as DraftKings or FanDuel to provide sports betting services in Texas.
The proposals faced opposition from various perspectives, with Rep. Matt Shaheen of Plano being the most outspoken critic. Shaheen warned that legalizing casinos in Texas would lead to a sharp increase in sex-trafficking and domestic violence cases.
“This bill is not going anywhere,” Shaheen said. “The Senate has not even given this a hearing. This is dead.”
So far, neither of the proposals has been scheduled for a committee hearing in the Senate, where they will need further approval. The chances of the gaming expansion proposals passing in the Senate are low, as Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said on multiple occasions that there isn't enough support for them.
The bills must receive final approval in the House by Friday, before the legislative session concludes on May 29.
