The road to legal sports betting in Texas has officially cleared another hurdle. It just isn't yet clear whether it will matter.
On Wednesday, May 10, a pair of Texas sports betting bills received initial approval from the House of Representatives. The first initiative, House Joint Resolution 155, focuses on the commercialization of the casino business. It passed by a 92-51 vote. The second proposal, House Joint Resolution 102, would legalize in-person and online sports betting in Texas. It passed by a stronger margin, with a 97-44 vote.
However, both measures ultimately need 100 votes to make it out of the House and onto the floor of a Senate Committee. Though they fell short of that mark for now, they received the initial majority. That means the House has until Friday, May 12 to rework them and bag the extra votes.
Texas officials are optimistic they'll get them. The casino legislation needs eight additional votes while the sports betting proposal only has to pick up another three. It is widely expected both the casino and sports betting initiatives will close their respective gaps, at which point all eyes turn to the Senate.
As anyone who has been following the drama surrounding sports gambling The Lone Star State knows, this is hardly a comforting notion. While many painted the legalization of Texas sports betting as a formality entering this year's legislative sessions, those hopes quickly devolved into a long shot. Does the latest vote in the House suggest the push for wagering has more legs than expected? Let's find out.
Texas Casino Legislation Receiving Far More Push Back Than Sports Betting Bill
The outcome of Wednesday's vote was seen as a victory for both sports betting and casino supporters. Even before they officially make it out of the House, this is the closest Texas has ever come to legalizing the expansion of in-state gambling.
Still, hurdles remain for both. And there are more roadblocks in the way for the casino proposal. Despite receiving a majority approval from the House, the idea of casino expansion has been met with intense disdain by many officials. Push-back has ranged from "Texas isn't ready for this" to far more dire reasons. Patrick Svitek has more for The Texas Tribune:
"The most vocal detractor was Rep. Matt Shaheen, R-Plano, who from the beginning has fought the latest push to expand gambling. He warned that if Texas legalized casinos, the number of sex-trafficking and domestic violence cases would 'go vertical.' 'This bill is not going anywhere,' Shaheen said. 'The Senate has not even given this a hearing. This is dead.'
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