This surprises me

Governor Greg Abbott says he backs legalized sports betting in Texas pic.twitter.com/7EWI5eHNDn

— Dallas Texas TV (@DallasTexasTV) February 6, 2025

It will require a constitutional amendment - so the voters will have the ultimate say.

He was told to back it by Mirriam Adelson if he wants to keep being bankrolled. I think the main reason its not already legal here is bc Oklahoma, Lousiana and Vegas pay a ton of money to keep it illegal.

KaiBear said:

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Yep, just what Texas needs.

A dozen more millionaires and 100,000 more destitute families.

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You cannot protect people from themselves. If people want to piss away their money on sports gambling, they should be able to. The Lottery has been here for many, many years.

A whole bunch of folks have disposable income and money to burn. For example, just look at $Trumpcoin, $Bitcoin, and $Fartcoin.

KaiBear said:

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Yep, just what Texas needs.

A dozen more millionaires and 100,000 more destitute families.

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Question....don't we already have alot of this now? EXCEPT, they get in their car and drive 1 to 3 hours to Oklahoma or Louisiana, right???

RD2WINAGNBEAR86 said:

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KaiBear said:

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Yep, just what Texas needs.

A dozen more millionaires and 100,000 more destitute families.

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You cannot protect people from themselves. If people want to piss away their money on sports gambling, they should be able to. The Lottery has been here for many, many years.

A whole bunch of folks have disposable income and money to burn. For example, just look at $Trumpcoin, $Bitcoin, and $Fartcoin.

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Nothing wrong with Fartcoin. If you got in early, you are rich now.

ScottS said:

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RD2WINAGNBEAR86 said:

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KaiBear said:

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Yep, just what Texas needs.

A dozen more millionaires and 100,000 more destitute families.

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You cannot protect people from themselves. If people want to piss away their money on sports gambling, they should be able to. The Lottery has been here for many, many years.

A whole bunch of folks have disposable income and money to burn. For example, just look at $Trumpcoin, $Bitcoin, and $Fartcoin.

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If you got in early, you are rich now.

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This could be applied to most everything. Did you get in early?

RD2WINAGNBEAR86 said:

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ScottS said:

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RD2WINAGNBEAR86 said:

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KaiBear said:

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Yep, just what Texas needs.

A dozen more millionaires and 100,000 more destitute families.

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You cannot protect people from themselves. If people want to piss away their money on sports gambling, they should be able to. The Lottery has been here for many, many years.

A whole bunch of folks have disposable income and money to burn. For example, just look at $Trumpcoin, $Bitcoin, and $Fartcoin.

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If you got in early, you are rich now.

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This could be applied to most everything. Did you get in early?

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Nope. It could be a good deal though. Its just 56 cents right now.

KaiBear said:

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Yep, just what Texas needs.

A dozen more millionaires and 100,000 more destitute families.

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I understand this sentiment, but I work with multiple people who just make a
quick trip into Oklahoma or sometimes Louisiana to throw away their money.

They might as well throw it away in Texas.

ScottS said:

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RD2WINAGNBEAR86 said:

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ScottS said:

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RD2WINAGNBEAR86 said:

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KaiBear said:

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Yep, just what Texas needs.

A dozen more millionaires and 100,000 more destitute families.

---

You cannot protect people from themselves. If people want to piss away their money on sports gambling, they should be able to. The Lottery has been here for many, many years.

A whole bunch of folks have disposable income and money to burn. For example, just look at $Trumpcoin, $Bitcoin, and $Fartcoin.

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If you got in early, you are rich now.

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This could be applied to most everything. Did you get in early?

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Nope. It could be a good deal though. Its just 56 cents right now.

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Bet the farm, Baby!!!!! Go for it.

KaiBear said:

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RD2WINAGNBEAR86 said:

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KaiBear said:

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Yep, just what Texas needs.

A dozen more millionaires and 100,000 more destitute families.

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You cannot protect people from themselves.

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This is not about providing Texans with still more entertainment options.

Merely another money grab.

Usually from those who can least afford to lose. ( go to North Las Vegas sometime--you will see the not so glamorous aspect of gambling )

BTW less than 20% of American families have at least 3 months of cash reserves.

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I don't believe its that high

[The survey found that 32% of Gen Z respondents had less than $1,000 in savings, followed by millennials at 31%, Gen X at 27% and baby boomers at 20%]

For reference the youngest millennials are now in their late 20s

1 out of 3 Millennials (people born from 1981 to 1996) don't have a $1,000 bucks in case of emergency....much less 3 months of cash reserves

It will save the gas $ to get to Oklahoma, Louisiana, or New Mexico.

Forest Bueller_bf said:

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KaiBear said:

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Yep, just what Texas needs.

A dozen more millionaires and 100,000 more destitute families.

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I understand this sentiment, but I work with multiple people who just make a
quick trip into Oklahoma or sometimes Louisiana to throw away their money.

They might as well throw it away in Texas.

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Forgive me but are we talking about two different things. Sports gambling is illegal in OK. Casino gambling is legal under the Tribal-State Compact.

As for casino and sports gambling in the state, I would be inclined to allow them both. Recreational or professional gambling is NOT a sin providing one is using discretionary income and not using funds required to living.

As other posters have stated, MANY Texans are making the drive north or east to gamble there. We may as well keep the money here.

It would bring in a good amount of tax dollars.

I agree with the general sentiment. Yes, I acknowledge it probably is a cop out but ...

I would oppose if gambling was only legal in Las Vegas and Atlantic City.

However, there are easily accessible casinos very close to Dallas and Houston.

If folks want to gamble, they can make a quick drive to Oklahoma, Shreveport, or Lake Charles, etc.

Might as well reap the benefits and keep the money in state. Casinos provide a lot of well paying jobs - they may not on the W2 but waitresses, dealers, etc., get lots in tips.

Having been the Shreveport and the Indian casinos a few times, virtually all the plates are Texas.

I suspect the Indian tribes are the single biggest anti-gambling lobby in the state given the investments in Winstar and Choctaw.

Ugh, definitely don't want casinos. We already have enough trashy people, no sense in growing more.

No I'm not saying all people who go to casinos are trashy, only that casinos will sprout more of them. Gamblers can easily go to Louisiana or Oklahoma.

Gambling may be a net gain in taxes, but it's a net loss in community life. Would prefer it to stay out of Texas. Old school thinking, I know.

Coke Bear said:

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Forest Bueller_bf said:

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KaiBear said:

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Yep, just what Texas needs.

A dozen more millionaires and 100,000 more destitute families.

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I understand this sentiment, but I work with multiple people who just make a
quick trip into Oklahoma or sometimes Louisiana to throw away their money.

They might as well throw it away in Texas.

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Forgive me but are we talking about two different things. Sports gambling is illegal in OK. Casino gambling is legal under the Tribal-State Compact.

As for casino and sports gambling in the state, I would be inclined to allow them both. Recreational or professional gambling is NOT a sin providing one is using discretionary income and not using funds required to living.

As other posters have stated, MANY Texans are making the drive north or east to gamble there. We may as well keep the money here.

It would bring in a good amount of tax dollars.

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Thanks for setting me straight here. Certainly think Casino gambling in Texas should be legal since folks are going to do it anyway.

Sports gambling probably I would think would be ok, but the Casino version absolutely, since that money is just flowing out of state anyway.

Adelson wants casinos in Texas. And she owns a chip (mavericks) that will get her attention.

Wonder if this would include online sports gambling? That has obviously exploded in popularity lately. You can't watch a sports broadcast any more without tons of online sport gambling adds...and even promotional offers being talked about during the games.

I wouldnt mind the sports betting being legal. I think it would be fun to go to a sportsbook to watch games and make a couple of wagers. If you can go to the horse races you should be able to put $50 on Baylor to beat auburn.

Gov. Greg Abbott this week signaled he is open to authorizing online sports betting, though his support is unlikely to sway state senators blocking its legalization. https://t.co/jlm8NSYIX5

— WFAA (@wfaa) February 7, 2025