Gambling in Texas cleared a historic challenge Thursday, but the effort still faces a much taller challenge.
Lawmakers in the Texas House passed House Joint Resolution 102, which would legalize online sports betting in Texas through a constitutional amendment, and its enabling legislation, House Bill 1942.
It is the first time either chamber in the Texas Legislature has passed a gambling measure. The legislation now moves to the Senate, where proponents of the bill face inevitable failure.
HJR 102 passed, 101-42. Since it calls for amending the Texas Constitution, the bill needed 100 votes – two-thirds of the House – to progress. HB 1942 passed, 82-51. HJR 102’s pursuit of 100 votes did not come without some theatrics.
Tx sports betting episode
Rep. Shaun Leach closed his argument for Texas sports betting on Thursday by reminding lawmakers that they should trust their constituents to decide whether sports betting should be legal. Leach, a Republican from Plano, reminded lawmakers that an estimated 1 million Texans are already placing bets illegally and could be considered criminals.
“This bill will make our unregulated and illegal market legal and safe,” Leach said. “It regulates it. It makes it safer.”
Moments later, lawmakers seemed to pass HJR 102, 100-42, and the chamber erupted in applause. A subsequent verification vote, however, revealed that Rep. Oscar Longoria, D-Mission, was not on the floor for the vote, and his “yes” vote was invalidated. That left the resolution one vote shy of the 100-vote threshold.
However, two lawmakers’ “no” votes were changed to “yes” votes after they cited voting machine malfunctions. With the vote switches, HJR 102 reached its final count of 101-42.
Gambling bill details
HB 1942, which outlines how sports betting works in the state should voters get a chance to approve it, passed the house easily Thursday. After being amended Wednesday, the bill offers sports betting licenses for the following Texas sports franchises or facilities:
– Dallas Cowboys
– Houston Texans
– San Antonio Spurs
– Dallas Mavericks
– Houston Rockets
– Texas Rangers
– Houston Astros
– Dallas Stars
– Austin FC
– FC Dallas
– Houston Dynamo
– Dallas Wings
– PGA Tour
– Lone Star Park
– Sam Houston Race Park
– Texas Motor Speedway/NASCAR
The bill was amended Wednesday to tax operators at a 15% rate instead of 10%. Ninety-eight percent of the tax revenue will be directed to property tax relief.
Is this the finish?
The gambling effort now makes its way to the Texas Senate. That probably spells disaster for HJR 102 and HB 1942.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has repeatedly suggested that the Senate does not have enough votes to pass the measures, especially Republican votes.
Sen. Lois Kolkhorst filed Senate Joint Resolution 39 and Senate Bill 715 as companion legislation to Leach’s House legislation. Kolkhorst’s bills have gathered dust in the State Affairs Committee without a hearing.
Jason Schaumburg is a content manager for Catena Media, including PlayTexas. He has more than two decades of writing experience and spent almost four years as communications director at the Illinois Lottery. Jason graduated from Northern Illinois University and was the last student-journalist to cover the men’s basketball program in the NCAA tournament.
