Miriam Adelson's Las Vegas Sands Corporation just learned that money can't buy everything in Texas politics. The casino giant poured tens of millions into a lobbying blitz that ultimately crashed and burned in the state legislature this year.
Sands wanted Texas lawmakers to let voters decide on casino gambling through a constitutional amendment. They hired over 100 lobbyists and ran television ads that probably annoyed half the state. None of it worked.
Texas has some of the strictest gambling laws in America. You can bet on horse races, play the lottery, and visit a couple of Native American casinos way out in the middle of nowhere. Sands saw this as a huge opportunity to break into the American market after focusing on Asia for years.
The push for legal gambling comes at a time when more people are turning to legitimate online options anyway. The official PokerStrategy site offers gambling guides on safe and secure online igaming platforms, which keep growing because many prefer the convenience over driving hours to a physical casino.
Adelson's company owns six massive resort casinos in places such as Singapore and Macau. They make billions overseas but have zero properties in the United States right now. Texas looked attractive because of its huge population and all those people already gambling illegally.
The Irving city council almost approved a zoning change that would have let Sands build a casino complex near where the old Cowboys stadium used to sit. Residents went ballistic and killed that plan fast. Turns out people don't want a casino in their backyard, even if it promises jobs and tax money.
Republican lawmakers weren't having it either. A dozen new House members signed a letter saying they would vote against any gambling expansion. The Texas Republican Party platform specifically opposes casinos, which makes things pretty tough for gambling supporters.
Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick controls what gets voted on in the Senate, and he's been blocking gambling bills for years. He didn't change his mind this time. Patrick acts as the gatekeeper, and if he doesn't want something to pass, it won't even get a hearing.
Sands spent serious money on this campaign. They donated millions to political candidates and ran constant TV commercials talking about jobs and economic benefits. Political experts think the heavy-handed approach hurt their cause. Nobody likes feeling bullied, especially Texas Republicans who value independence.
Public opinion polls show most Texans support casino gambling and sports betting. A University of Houston survey found 60 percent want legal sports betting and 73 percent back destination casinos. But public support doesn't automatically translate into legislative votes.
The company says they're not giving up. Sands executives claim Texas has a massive underground gambling market already, so why not make it legal and collect taxes?
Any future gambling expansion would need a constitutional amendment, which requires two-thirds majorities in both the House and Senate. Then voters would have to approve it in a statewide election. That's a tall order in a conservative state where religious groups and family organizations actively fight gambling expansion.
The next chance comes in 2027 when the legislature meets again. Sands will probably be back with a different strategy, assuming they haven't given up on Texas entirely.
