LVS Wants Texas to Allow for Five or More Casinos Statewide, Experts React
Because Oregon is home to a DraftKings monopoly and only makes up a small portion of Nevada's population, Nevada has some geographic advantages over its neighboring states of California, Idaho, and Utah, which all forbid sports betting.
During a roundtable in the state last week, Andy Abboud, Senior Vice President of Government Relations at LVS, stated that two of these casinos ought to be located in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
LVS intends to establish a gaming property there. According to reports, Golden Nugget intends to establish a casino in Houston.
However, the government must pass contentious legislation that is supported by the state's citizens before any casinos may open there.
Professor of political science Brandon Rottinghaus of the University of Houston advises exercising cautious.
"Saying you want a specific number and specific location when the state currently has none is like counting your winnings at the table,” Rottinghaus told Casino.org.
“The state is still very mixed on expanded gaming in Texas, both in the public and among politicians,” he added. “There have been several attempts to amend the constitution to add destination gaming resorts, but they have not gotten much traction because of the political hurdles in front of them.”
According to Rottinghaus, "a very small step towards expanded gaming, likely a large feasibility study and possibly including a modest number of licenses or online sports betting" is the most likely course of action to be allowed. In any case, it will be a first step toward Texas's gambling industry being more widespread.
DFW could support two destination resort casinos, according to Clyde W. Barrow, a political science professor at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, who made the comment to Casino.org. Additionally, he anticipates two in McAllen/Rio Grande Valley (RGV), two in San Antonio-Austin, one in Corpus Christi, and two in Houston.
According to Rice University professor Mark P. Jones, the majority of plans provide the DFW metroplex at least two destination casino licenses, metro Houston two, and San Antonio one. Larger plans include one in the RGV, Austin, and Corpus Christi.
Casinos owned by Tribes
One problem with commercial casinos is tribal gaming.
"Embedded within these proposals are also provisions that allow the Alabama-Coushatta (Livingston), Kickapoo (Eagle Pass), and Tigua (El Paso) to operate something not of the scale of a destination resort casino, but with enough gaming opportunities that the communities would not be worse off from the passage of destination resort casino legislation than they are today,” Jones told Casino.org.
According to Jones, the bare minimum for any "potentially successful" casino legislation in the state would be five casinos. San Antonio has one, Houston has two, and the DFW metroplex has two.
“More likely though would be a more expansive bill that would provide at least Austin and the RGV with a casino as well, while also allowing for sufficient gambling options for the Alabama-Coushatta, Kickapoo, and Tigua such that their venues would be at least a little bit better off after the passage of the legislation than at present,” Jones added.
The Governor's Assistance Is Essential
Texas Governor Greg Abbott (R) is one of the political figures that could have a significant impact on the approval of legislation. According to Jones, he wants casinos to be genuine destination resorts that bring in large sums of money from both nongambling sources including conferences, athletic events, concerts, and trade exhibits, as well as from tourists.
According to Jones, Abbott seems less inclined to support casinos that are mostly visited by locals for gaming purposes.
“Thus, while there is an advantage to adding additional casinos as a way to gain the support of local representatives and senators, there is also a tipping point where this would result in pushback from Governor Abbott and other Republicans who are now more open to casino gambling than they were five years ago, but who still have some qualms about it,” Jones said.
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