HOUSTON — A new survey by the Hispanic Policy Foundation shows strong support for some types of legalized gambling in Texas.
The survey sampled 1,600 likely voters for a week in April and has a margin of error of +/- 2.45%. Respondents disliked sports books in sports arenas and stadiums most with 41% for vs 42% against.
Online sports gambling fared better with 47% approval to 37% disapproval. The leading opponents were women who saw that type of betting as more dangerous -- leading to debt and addiction. The same women, though, see destination resort casinos as more family-friendly and so tip the scales in favor to a strong 56% for 30% against.
Rice political science professor Mark Jones said a current proposal has eight casinos going up in Texas including some in Houston and in Dallas.
"If this legislation passes, well, we'd see two casinos here in Houston. Expect Tillman Fertitta to be involved in at least one of those. Who knows who the other would be? Up in Dallas, the Adelsons from the Las Vegas Sands would be expected to have at least one of those casinos," Jones said. "Destination resort casinos came very close to passing in the last session in the House."
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick opposed the measure helping kill it, but if he changes his mind, casinos could be coming to Texas as soon as 2026.
Read the full survey report by clicking here.