Texas lawmakers may once again take up the issue of statewide casino legalization
A Texas state senator has filed a bill for next year’s legislative session that would allow the state’s voters to decide if they want to legalize casinos. The move came on the first day lawmakers were allowed to submit legislation.
State Sen. Rodney Ellis, D-Houston, has been a gaming expansion supporter in the past.
“Clearly, we need the money,” Ellis told the San Antonio Express-News, adding many Texans already travel to neighboring states where they can gamble in casinos legally, such as Oklahoma and Louisiana.
Texas lawmakers, who meet in odd years, have rejected gaming measures in the past, the last being in 2011. Passage of gaming requires a change to the Texas constitution. The change would only happen after and two-thirds majority vote in the legislature plus passage of a statewide voter referendum.
Union Gaming Group managing director Bill Lerner said there are too many roadblocks in the way for Texas to approve casinos, which could have an impact on Pinnacle Entertainment, which operates L’Auberge du Lac in Lake Charles, La., and Ameristar Casinos, which is building a hotel-casino in Lake Charles.
“Texas lost three proponents of gaming (in the last election) and has become more conservative in the legislature, which certainly doesn’t bode well for future passage of a gaming expansion,” Lerner told investors.
While polls have shown support among Texas residents in favor of gaming, Lerner said “we still maintain that legislative passage is unlikely in the near-term.”