Beto Gives Texas Online Gambling Proponents Hope
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Beto O'Rourke is running for governor of Texas. He wants to legalize both "legal casino gambling and sports betting in the state ofTexas".
Beto is optimistic about the legalization of online gambling in Texas.
Sports betting is leaving Texas behind. Texas is surrounded by legal sports betting states. New Mexico doesn't have online sports gambling. If Texas does legalize all forms of online gambling, it would be a big prize for the state. It would equal the population of the top three US online casino states: Michigan, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
US online casinos have a strong toehold in the eastern part of the country. Six states live: Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and 19 states and the District of Columbia are home to legal online sportsbooks.
New York legalized online sports betting on January 8th. Louisiana legalized it on Jan. 28th, but New York didn't legalize iGaming. Lawmakers have more reservations about online casino gambling than sports gambling. In Illinois, an i gaming bill flopped in 2021. It has been more than two years since Illinois legalized sportsbetting.
Online casino approval is usually simultaneous. Most success stories have gone the omnibus route.
Beto Gives Texas Online Gambling Proponents Hope. Kentucky Senators didn't bring HB 606 up for a vote on March 30. The measure would’ve legalized online poker and sports betting, but not casino gaming.
There are no retail casinos in Texas. There is one full-size tribal casino, but it's only a Class II gaming facility. It's located in Eagle Pass, near the Mexican border. Texas has no online sportsbooks. Tennessee launched online betting in November 2020. Kentucky tried to legalize it but failed.
Beto O'Rourke's statement about online gambling is ambiguous. Some publications report that he was talking about both online and retail casinos.
The gubernatorial candidate for Texas, Beto O'Rourke, is blaming Gov. Greg Abbott for increasing property taxes by $20 billion since he took office. A poll of Texas voters in March found Abbott in the lead at 42%, with O’Royle at 40%.
There is a proposal to legalize casino gambling and sports betting in Texas. It would bring in billions of dollars and help reduce inflation and property taxes.
Beto O'Rourke is a Texas politician who is campaigning for lowering property taxes. He mentioned online gambling expansion in his video. His most popular video is from a San Antonio rally on Friday. The Houston Chronicle article with the headline "Betos calls for legalizing Casino Gambling, Sports Betting In Texas" has been retweeted520 times and liked 2,318 times.
LSR notes that in order to legalize online gambling in Texas, the state would have to amend its constitution.
The Texas Tribune explains one retail casino expansion effort.
Las Vegas Sands spent as much as $6.3 million on lobbying at the Capitol and at least $2 million for a statewide ad campaign.
The Texas Legislature meets for 140 days a year, which is too short for online gambling. The Indiana General Assembly has the 14th-shortest sessions. Utah is the last with 45 days of meetings. Online gambling is legal in Indiana since October 2019. All states with full online casinos have longer sessions than Texas. When it comes to sports betting, the shorter a state's sessions means it's more likely to be retail-only.
