A renewed push among gambling enthusiasts to legalize sports in Texas includes the attendance of a former lawmaker who has tough cards: former Gov. Rick Perry.
Perry called through the Sports Betting Alliance, an organization that includes all of Texas’ major sports franchises, to convince hesitant lawmakers that the money the state can raise by legalizing sports betting outweighs any consideration they’ve raised.
Perry, the governor from 2000 to 2015, posted a video through the alliance saying he supported legalizing sports and that lifting the state ban would give Texas $250 million more a year in tax revenue, according to a study by a California gambling consultant.
“The legalization of mobile sports betting will, however, allow the state to protect consumers from illegal overseas gambling sites while keeping the money generated through gambling in Texas for the benefit of Texans,” Perry said.
In the United States, sports earnings through September reached an all-time high of $4. 7 billion, a 10% increase over the 2021 total, according to the American Gaming Association.
The U. S. Supreme Court The U. S. Department of Justice in 2018 paved the way for the legalization of sports after repealing a federal law opposing gambling and leaving the resolution to individual states.
A total of 36 states have passed the legalization of sports betting, some of which is available in casinos and sports betting and others through online betting sites. Meanwhile, 14 states have failed to act: Texas, Alabama, Alaska, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Oklahoma, Utah and Vermont.
While the bill is being submitted for next year’s Texas legislative consultation, no lawmaker has yet proposed a law to legalize sportsArray. resemble that of a failed push in 2021.
“We expect the bill to be submitted before the consultation or right at the beginning of the consultation,” said Gustafson, who declined to call the lawmaker who could submit the bill.
The biggest hurdle may be Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who made it clear he has no interest in legalizing sports betting. Patrick, who appeared on Chad Hasty’s radio screen at KFYO in Lubbock in the last legislative session, said the expected gain would make a small dent in a state that spends $125 billion a year. He also cited infighting between gaming teams as an explanation for why Texas remains out of the gambling business.
Patrick said last year that a sports betting bill wouldn’t get much in the Texas Senate, the legislative framework he presides.
“We have the votes for this,” he said.
The former governor is close to Patrick and, according to a Texas Tribune article, Patrick encouraged Perry to challenge Gov. Greg Abbott in this year’s Republican primary. On one occasion for a congressional candidate last year, Patrick called Perry “one of my friends in life,” according to the Tribune.
Could Perry convince Patrick to bet on sports betting?Gustafson, the coalition’s spokesman, said the key to passing the bill is convincing the Senate leader.
“We had all the legislators, adding to the leaders, the data on income, illicit markets and guarantees,” he said.
Patrick’s did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
Since this would require an amendment to the state constitution, lawmakers cannot legalize sports betting. The most productive thing they can do, with a two-thirds vote, is to consult the Texas electorate for their decision.