DALLAS — If you’re expecting casino gambling to pass during the next legislative session, don’t place any bets because you’ll likely just lose your money.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick says the issue doesn’t currently have the support of the members, and they’re not hearing from constituents yearning for gambling.
“When we finished this last session, no one called and said oh, you didn’t pass the casino bill. It’s not on anyone’s top 20 list,” Patrick told us on Y’all-itics. “It doesn’t mean there aren’t people who really want it. But like anything else, Jason, it really bubbles up from the ground to tell a House member or a Senator that they want this legislation to pass. And that just has not happened.”
Patrick tells us the Las Vegas Sands Corp., an upscale resort and casino company, has been the most vocal.
Last year, Mark Cuban sold a majority stake in the Dallas Mavericks to casino magnate Miriam Adelson, who is the controlling shareholder of Las Vegas Sands Corp.
“And the casino people have tried, 'Well it’s all about the Senate, it’s all about Dan Patrick, or it’s all about whomever.' No. They’ve never worked the vote. They’ve come in and spent millions and millions and millions of dollars and they just think well magically it happens,” Patrick argued.
A casino bill came within eight votes of passing out of the Texas House during the last legislative session in 2023.
But Patrick says every Democrat supported that legislation, dooming it.
“You don’t pass major legislation in a red, conservative state with the Democrats controlling the show, particularly on a major bill like that,” argued the Republican. “I’m not leading the parade on it. I’m not stopping the parade on it. But we do not pass bills where only 20% or 25% of the elected officials support it. We just don’t do that on any bill.”
The lieutenant governor also says that if a bill were ever to gain traction, then Texans would start to hear more from opponents, such as pastors and businesses opposed to gambling.
But he says you don’t hear from them now because they know what he knows: the support just isn’t there.
Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick says the votes are there to pass school choice. He discusses what that system would look like and other priorities for the next session. Listen to the entire podcast to learn more. Cheers!