On November 5, we will see a new President. Whatever the result of the election, it could have a considerable impact on the state of gambling regulations, not least in Texas. Not only might changes be brought about by the new president themselves, but the election could have a knock-on effect in some states. This latter possibility is especially relevant as most gambling regulations are determined at the state level, rather than federal.
Although there have been attempts to change the situation, online gambling is not regulated in Texas. Because online casinos cannot be licensed in the state, players find themselves looking for the best offshore casino: one that pays out the most while offering fast withdrawals and a good variety of games. Depending on election results, however, the iGaming landscape could be due to changes in certain states.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has recently suggested that he might be inclined to sign an online wagering bill but was less supportive of online casinos. Lieutenant Governor, Dan Patrick, is more openly opposed to the idea of online gambling.
This means if Donald Trump wins the election, which is looking likely once again, and Abbott becomes part of Trump’s administration, the likelihood of new online gambling regulations being passed will become slimmer. On the other hand, if a new Governor or Lieutenant Governor is elected who has ties to gambling or is more supportive of the move, it could help speed the process up.
Texas’s legislature only meets every other year and meets again in 2025. This means that if Trump gains election and opts to take Patrick to the White House, the question of regulating online gambling could be up for debate again next year.
Even if it gained political support, a move to regulate online casinos would need to be put to a public vote, however, and these processes do take time. Texas players would likely have to wait some time before they had any hope of being able to legally place casino wagers on regulated casino sites.
In Arkansas, changes could be afoot, too. Current Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders previously served as press secretary under Trump so there is at least an outside chance she would make the move to the White House if Trump is elected. She hasn’t had much to say about the expansion of online gambling laws but it is known that her father Mike, who was a governor himself, staunchly opposed new laws.
Despite this, Arkansas did see an expansion to its gambling laws in 2018 and, since then, sports betting has been regulated while new physical casino licenses are also available. Leslie Carol Rutledge, who would replace Sanders, seems to be similarly opposed to the idea of online gambling regulations.
Another state worth mentioning is Minnesota. Tim Walz is the current governor of Minnesota but, as Kamala Harris’s running mate, he would likely be replaced by Peggy Flanagan, as per state legislation. Flanagan is likely to follow Walz’s lead, especially considering her indigenous background. In less than two weeks, we’ll see where the US online gambling legislation is headed.
