In a bold political maneuver, billionaire Miriam Adelson has escalated her financial support for gambling legalization in Texas, investing $13.7 mil in political donations during 2024—a substantial increase from $3.3 mil in the previous legislative session. Her strategic funding aims to amend the state constitution and introduce destination casino resorts in Texas.
This push has drawn attention from online gambling leaders eyeing Texas as a possible future market. Popular online casino platforms like TG Casino currently offer a unique gaming experience, featuring safer and faster transactions through cryptocurrency, robust security, and enticing bonuses. However, Texas is probably some way off from legalizing online gambling so offshore sites like these are still very attractive for local iGaming enthusiasts.
As discussions around Texas's gambling legislation continue to gain momentum, the entire Texan gambling landscape could be on course to experience a significant transformation. Yet despite some progress made, the state still faces some considerable obstacles in getting pro-gambling legislation passed.
Primarily targeting Republican lawmakers, Adelson's contributions have been strategically distributed. House Speaker Dade Phelan received $1.02 million, while Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick secured $200,000 through political action committees. Phelan was the only elected official to receive a direct donation of $50,000.
In contrast, Democrats received only $948,500. Key political action committees like Texas Sands PAC and Texas Defense PAC were allocated $4.1 million and $9.05 million, respectively, with the latter spending $6.2 million before the May Republican primary runoff.
The path to gambling expansion in Texas remains challenging. A constitutional amendment requires at least a 66% approval rate in both legislative chambers before voter consideration. Previous attempts in 2023 fell short: a resort-casino proposal gained 92 votes, which was eight short of the required 100, while a mobile sports betting bill was also ultimately rejected.
Lt. Gov. Patrick remains unconvinced, citing limited Republican Senate support and the legislature's conservative composition. Patrick believes that it is unlikely a major piece of legislation such as this will be passed in a conservative state like Texas under Democratic influence.
While matters are even further complicated, the Texas Republican Party's 2024 has discouraged lawmakers from accepting any pro-gambling financial contributions and is firm on their opposition to the idea of gambling expansion initiatives. Despite this, supporters detect growing public and legislative interest.
Las Vegas Sands' Andy Abboud remains hopeful, advocating for a public vote and emphasizing citizen desire for input. In response, the government appears cooperative by planning to potentially facilitate legislative dialogue in the upcoming session, thus providing a platform for the public to voice their views. However, a political science professor believes that it will take more than financial influence to sway opposition to approve this piece of legislation.
To further add to the speculation surrounding Adelson’s initiatives is her family’s recent significant investment in the Dallas Mavericks. This recent development has led to rumors about a potential casino resort being linked to a new arena. This reflects a long-term strategy to spark momentum for the expansion of gambling in Texas.
