Casinos came up snake eyes on last week's Texas primaries, with most pro-gambling candidates going down to defeat in races for the Texas House and Senate, despite millions spent by pro-casino groups like the Texas Sands PAC and Texas Defense PAC. Both PACs are funded by the billion-dollar Las Vegas Sands Corporation, which has been trying for years to bring legalized casino gambling to Texas. So far, the effort has had minimal success, with some pro-gambling legislation passing the House in 2023, but failing to even make it that far in 2025.
The biggest obstacle for the casino industry in Texas is Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, a staunch opponent of legalized gambling who has vowed to block any effort to pass it in the Texas Senate. Since Patrick runs the Senate (and is likely to be re-elected this fall for another four years) the Texas prospects for the casino lobby remain bleak for now. But they're not giving up. A statement from Sands PAC following last weekend's election read, "The long game matters, and Texas Sands PAC is playing to win."
It's not like they don't have the money to throw around...there's a reason for the Vegas saying 'the house always wins.' "What they are saying to people, win or lose, is we're not going away," says Bill Miller, political consultant with HillCo Partners. "Which is exactly the message they want people to understand---we have setbacks, we may lose, but we're not going away. We're gonna keep coming, and we're gonna wear you down."
While Patrick and other hardliners remain, there are positive signs for pro-gambling interests in Texas. Last year, Gov. Greg Abbott signaled for the first time he would be open to some legalized gambling and sports betting. At the same time, Texas voters have gradually grown more supportive of the idea. "The Texas electorate will change in the next ten years or so, and so will the leadership," says Miller. "So their opportunity is on the horizon, and they're gonna keep writing checks and keep trying to elect people...and little by little, one day they'll get there."
Photo: EyeEm