Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently indicated his openness to some of the proposals for the legalization of gambling currently introduced in the Texas Legislature.
In an interview with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Gov. Abbott suggested, “If it can be built in a way that is, kind of like a professional operation that provides a form of entertainment for people, that’s something I can be open to.”
He cautioned, however, that any legalization of gambling would need certain limitations to protect Texans from overplaying their hands.
“We both need and kind of have an obligation to make sure that we will not be setting up a system where people without means are using money that they need to pay their bills. … We need to safeguard against that,” Abbott told the Star-Telegram.
Casinos have been gambling big on Texas for the past several years, with the famous Las Vegas Sands company donating millions of dollars to Texas politicians on both sides of the aisle, as reported on by The Dallas Express.
Several legislators have proposed giving Texas citizens the ability to legalize gambling and luxury casinos in limited cases, including Sen. Carol Alvarado (D-Houston), Rep. Harold Dutton (D-Houston), and Rep. Charlie Geren (R-Fort Worth).
Although polling suggests many favor these proposals, some Texans are taking a stand against the introduction of gambling and casinos.
Jonathan Covey, the director of policy for the political group Texas Values, pushed back against the notion that legalization would benefit the state.
He explained to The Dallas Express, “Legalization of gambling is not a win-win proposition.”
“Casinos and gambling create immense social problems wherever they show up and come with definite hidden costs,” Covey suggested.
“We oppose legalization in the State of Texas for the good of Texas citizens and families,” he added.
For Dallas, if such legislation passed, it would likely mean the creation of a luxury casino in the DFW area and could affect the ongoing litigation between card houses and the City of Dallas.
Recently, the City Council approved up to $600,000 in legal fees related to lawsuits concerning whether two separate card houses in town can legally operate, as reported by The Dallas Express. The Board of Adjustment had approved their operation, while the City’s chief building official disagreed, revoking the businesses’ certificates of occupancy.
The ensuing litigation is currently being appealed after a district judge ruled against the card houses.
Council Member Chad West (District 1) told The Dallas Express, “I believe they’re legal right now.”
West noted, however, that “the way the penal code is written has caused problems in Dallas.”
“Ultimately, the penal code, which is controlled by the state legislature, is going to have to change to make it viable,” West concluded.
The Dallas Express also reached out to Texans Against Gambling for comment but did not receive a response prior to publication.