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The Texas Tribune
The Texas Tribune
National
Patrick Svitek

Gambling proponents have a new plan to ask Texas voters to legalize casinos

Advocates for legalizing casinos in Texas unveiled new legislation Friday that makes a stronger effort to partner with horse-racing operators throughout the state — a retooled approach after their 2021 push came up short.

State Rep. Charlie Geren, R-Fort Worth, filed House Joint Resolution 97, which would let voters decide in the November election if they want to legalize casinos. If approved, gaming companies could apply for licenses to build seven high-end “destination resorts” across Texas, including two in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and two in the Houston area.

Geren’s legislation has the backing of Las Vegas Sands, the gaming empire that first came to Austin two years ago with a high-profile push to legalize casinos. Despite hiring an army of lobbyists and running millions of dollars of TV ads, Sands did not get far at the Capitol, with its bill receiving only a committee hearing in the House.

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