Texas Primed for Gambling Push

Gaming legislation will again be on the agenda in Pokerati’s beloved home state of Texas — as it has been pretty much continuously since the days when “blue laws” prohibited us from shopping on Sundays. But this year Texas is friggin’ near-broke and public opposition to gambling is minimal, making hopes for passage of new gaming laws more promising.
A poll of registered voters taken earlier this month (conducted by the University of Texas and Texas Tribune) indicates 56 percent support full-on casino resorts in Texas, and fewer than 20 percent oppose any expansion of gambling or want to ban it altogether. A year ago, these numbers stood at 40 and 31 percent, respectively.
Meanwhile, state lawmakers are wrangling with one of the biggest budget deficits in the country and the need for contentious cuts to education, Medicare, veterans affairs, prisons … and just about every other department in an effort to close a budget shortfall estimated at $11-to-27 billion — bigger than any the state has ever had to face.
But before poker players get too excited about Texas’s economic woes going into the 2011 legislative session… with elevated hopes for gaming-law success (and fully legalized poker) also comes heightened opposition from well-monied morality-driven lobbies, and possibly cut-throat intra-ideological competition over whose bill gets the biggest push. And that doesn’t even begin to address the uncertain but possibly critical stake of the Chickasaw …
Still, licensed and regulated Texas gambling … saying no to it will be saying no to up to a billion dollars of economic stimulus. Whatever legislation does find its way through capitol halls will likely morph and merge and change in coming months — and Pokerati will do its best to keep you posted — but three bill-movers to watch throughout the session (and their preferred regulatory agencies) include:
Full Casino Resorts (Texas Gaming Commission)
This is the big prize with the most upside for gambling interests and state coffers — but also the toughest obstacles to passage. Sen. Rodney Ellis (D-Houston) has declared his intent to introduce a bill to legalize casino gambling in specified areas across the Lone Star State. A related bill already moving forward — HJR 28 — looks to establish a Texas Gaming Commission by constitutional amendment, opening the possibilities for resort casinos. A constitutional amendment requires “absolute supermajority” — meaning it must pass both the House and Senate with a 2/3 vote before being put to the public to approve.
Horse Track VLTs (Texas Racing Commission)
For more than a decade, bankrupt Texas horse tracks have believed that adding slot machines will save them. They still believe as much (just as they believe calling such devices Video Lottery Terminals somehow makes them more palatable to voters). Reliably informed sources tell us another “racino” bill is forthcoming. Already multiple municipalities with horse tracks have passed new laws allowing VLTs should such a bill (or something similar) go through. Corpus Christi, for example, did so by unanimous vote just two weeks ago.
The Poker(ati) Bill (Texas Lottery Commission)
The 2009 poker act — a poker-specific bill to license and regulate the state’s namesake game, Texas Hold’em, and other varieties of poker — made it further along in the political process than any other gaming bill (out of three) during the last legislative session … at least in part due to efforts of loyal Pokeratizens. Our good friend Rep. Jose Menendez (D-San Antonio) has re-introduced his poker bill — HB 382 this go-round — which has already been referred to the House Committee on Licensing and Administrative Procedures. Its current incarnation, HB 382 acknowledges poker as a game of skill, and therefore does not require constitutional amendment to pass.
Pardon any overhype of what is likely the smallest political stack in play gambling-wise this ’11 — it’s technically not even a “gambling” bill as worded. But Pokerati and its readers have played a role in Menedez’s legislation ever since yours truly and former Pokerati contrib Lavigne in Austin conceived of it back in ’06, mapping out a multi-session strategy at a 1/2 table in a Dallas poker room called Stagecoach. We succeeded in ’07 in getting the bill (HB 3186) on the House calendar, and in ’09 (HB 222) got it to the floor with necessary bipartisan support to pass … and without language imposing prohibitive betting limits … before GOP poker-yea’s got a last-minute directive to flip their position, prompting Menendez to pull the plug so the poker “movement” would live to see another session.
The bill has long since passed out of my hands — growing into something bigger than a little poker blog’s grassroots campaign — and may or may not be the specific piece of legislation that ultimately books the end result we all are presumably seeking: better poker for Texas. But that won’t stop at least one Texas poker expat from encouraging your support … you know, just so I can take credit should things go well and blame others if not. That’s how things work in Washington DC Austin, right?
So that’s the quick glance at Texas in 2011. (As of this week.) We have a relatively tried and true poker bill … wheels are in motion for a full-on casino bill … and we’re virtually sure to see a long-fought-for racing bill. Sounds like political poetry to me:
The people want it,
a state needs it,
relevant municipalities are hungry for it.
All while special interests fight for pie (Lol)
what could possibly go wrong?
The Texas Legislature meets only every other year for 140 days — their most recent confab having begun January 11 … so we’ve got fewer than 100 days left for real gambling change befitting of Texas to happen.
Aaron says:
February 26th, 2011 at 8:27am
Thank you for sharing this exciting news. I have heard (through a few different sources) that this may actually have a shot this year.
To support this, people can write their representatives at:
http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/
Lt. Governor at:
http://www.ltgov.state.tx.us/contact.php
Governor at:
http://governor.state.tx.us/contact/assistance.aspx
Rajko says:
February 26th, 2011 at 10:09pm
If we’ve got any shot at getting this through, this is the year.. Thanks for the links Aaron!
Cliff Kesinger says:
February 27th, 2011 at 2:07pm
I have heard they do not want gambling here in Texas, but why not STOP our Senators form being PAID when they lose their elections. They are paid the rest of their lives by US. They can set back and Laugh at us because they get PAID and Full benifits on Health Care while the rest of us Work HARD so they can be Happy. All the things they say will come to Texas such as Drugs, Hookers, Con Men and etc are already here. Why can’t the people put together a paper for us to sign to let it be on the Ballot??????? There should be a way to do this.
Samuel says:
March 12th, 2011 at 9:36am
keep me posted….
Guadalupe Gonzalez says:
March 19th, 2011 at 6:08am
Stop giving our Texas money to the surrounding states that have legalize gambling. I want to spend my money in Texas. Conservatives do not have to go to casinos if they don’t like them, their oposition will not stop Texans to go across state lines so why not put it on the ballot and let voters decide.
bucks night sydney says:
March 23rd, 2011 at 4:17pm
I dont think that gambling should be stopped at all in texas . My dream is to win millions at texas casino đŸ™‚ thanks for the article
Chribenner says:
April 24th, 2011 at 7:02pm
well i think that we should have gambling because a lot of people are speding there money out of state and we can put people to work in this state we spend our money in other state and it help putting there people to work with are money , why would we not want to help our people, or our we trying help out the other state before we help ours selfs what wrong with this picture sign HELP>
Gramms1942 says:
July 11th, 2011 at 10:57pm
I go to Vegas and Louisiana to Casinos I would rather have casinos in Texas. I would gamble here.
Anonymous says:
September 14th, 2011 at 1:48am
is there an organized movement in Texas? I have been involved in Washington State poker for 30 years and am looking to move to texas and might be able to help. I have extensive experience in pushing gaming legislation in Washinton.
Dan Michalski says:
September 14th, 2011 at 6:45am
pokerati alumni mike lavigne is the guy to contact. https://pokerati.com/author/lavigne
GL!
Firestarter says:
November 26th, 2011 at 7:10pm
Why wait for the next session of the legislature that for whatever reason only meets ever other year. Â Petition the Governor to call a special session to settle this issue before all the money seeps out of our borders to OK and Big Louie. Open this state up and if the Methodists dont like it they can stay out of the casinos where all the Baptists will be.Â
Officer says:
August 4th, 2012 at 2:37am
The law has already passed in Dallas tx we should see a casino in the next couple years. They have already started building them.
dasilva says:
April 10th, 2013 at 4:52pm
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