One would think that casinos and gambling would be coming in the Lone Star state known for its saloon poker games and famous Texas Hold ’em, but the reality begs to differ. At the moment of writing, online casinos and many forms of gambling remain illegal in Texas, and the reason lies in very strict, and often convoluted, laws barring its legislature. 2023 concluded with online casinos making just shy of over $6.2 billion, and many investors and billionaires are looking to expand and have their piece of the pie by doing anything they can to make online casinos happen in Texas.
Alternatives
Seeing as local Texans have to resort to offshore casinos, like the trusted and famous brands which appear on the list by Jonathan Askew here, the demand and need for regulated and quality online casinos exist, now it’s only a matter of settling the legal issues. Famous billionaires and influential investors like Fertitta Tilman, Adelson Miriam and Mark Cuban all agree that Texas is missing a lot. Only three brick-and-mortar casinos exist at the moment on native Indian grounds. Alongside sweepstake casinos, social casinos, pari-mutuel wagering on horse and greyhound racing, and limited charitable bingo and raffles, Texans are out of luck if they wish to gamble on anything else or online.
Unused potential
While the previous list may sound like a lot, projections indicate that nearly 50.000 jobs could pour into Texas should more casinos open and online casinos get legalized. The total revenue estimates stand at over $7.5 billion, making Texas a future greenfield investment, and it may even challenge Las Vegas, where Texans have to travel for their casino desires. The push towards creating more casinos and legalizing online casinos from Clyde Barrow stems from estimates that Texans invest $5 billion per year into their gambling needs in Las Vegas and all nearby states, so their state loses out on potential revenue from taxing casinos.
Billionaire coalition
Adelson Miriam recently acquired the Dallas Mavericks from Mark Cuban and has lobbied towards her goal of legalizing casinos ever since. Her initiative, coupled with political donations, shows a clear interest in creating more casino resorts and convenience in Texas, for locals and tourists. Expanding on the brand and image which Texas holds in people’s hearts could finally tap into the vast market potential which lies in combining the Wild West fantasy with making online casinos and gambling readily available.
The other side
On the opposing end towards such goals lie local tribes who have exclusive rights to build casinos on native land due to the IGRA act and general public concerns that gambling could bring more harm than good. Seeing as Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, West Virginia, Connecticut and Pennsylvania all made online gambling legal, the recipe for success exists, but it may need a bit of tweaking for the Lone Star state. Wherever online gambling and gambling are more widely available, the state also implements a certain percentage of gambling assistance and consulting services, and Texas can also serve as a shining example.
Current progress
A small change and development occurred in 2023 when the Texas House approved House Joint Resolution 155, which would allow voters to vote and decide the legality of casinos in Texas. Afterwards, the bill would still need to go through the Senate, and should it be ratified, it would set the foundation towards making online casinos legal, as it would open up prospecting markets. Finding the sweet spot between the two opposing sides and continuing the conversation can only yield progress. Everyone agrees that the conversation ball must continue rolling, and soon, Texans could expect to see even more casino development.
