Texas House Bill aims to open 9 casinos

Representative Joe Deshotel is attempting to break the state’s long-established ban on casino gambling.

US.- Texas State Representative Joe Deshotel is attempting to authorise casinos in the southern state. Last week, he filed House Bill 2741, which would allow a maximum of nine casino operators to get licenses and open the market in Texas. Eventual winners would be taxed 18 percent of gross gaming revenue (GGR), but first, a voter referendum is recquired to permit change the state constitution to allow commercial casino gambling.

Expectations quickly arose but drop just as fast as little analysis is recquired to figure out that is highly unlikely to get much approval. State is highly reticent to gambling and even its attorney general campaigns against daily fantasy sports (DFS) operators.

HB 2741 states that one license each would be up for grabs in Galveston, Nueces and Jefferson counties, three distributed between Bexar and Harris (two maximum) and one license in each of three first-tier coastal or second-tier coastal counties.

There are currently two working gaming venues in Texas: the Kickapoo tribe’s Lucky Eagle Casino in Maverick country and the Alabama-Coushatta’s East Texas Bingo Hall. The first, federally recognised, the latter is involved in a hard fought legal battle with the state. The federal government and the National Indian Gaming Commission allowed the tribe to conduct Class II gaming on its lands. According to the state, the machines being offered are actually slots (Class III gaming) and aims to shut down the venue. Apparently, HB 2741 has a tough road ahead and will most likely fail, as evidenced by Texas habit to avoid gambling.