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Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick was defeated in Tuesday’s midterm election, according to Sports Business Journal. But anti-gambling lobbyist Rob Kohler said Patrick’s departure is unlikely to change the legislative dynamics for legal casinos or sports betting.
Kohler says gambling expansion lacked legislative votes
Patrick was a staunch gambling opponent, including a critic of how the Texas Lottery operated. Kohler said no pro-gaming legislation would reach the Senate floor while Patrick was in office, but argued that opposition extended beyond the lieutenant governor.
“I know he’s been characterized (as the bulwark against gambling), but in recent sessions there just weren’t the votes in either chamber for it. Patrick got a lot of the headlines, but at the end of the day, the members’ votes weren’t there,” Kohler said.
Kohler said he does not expect that to change with Lt. Gov.-elect Vikki Goodwin as president of the Senate.
Prediction markets could be the next policy fight
Prediction markets have also featured in earlier Texas gambling-policy coverage. PlayTexas reported on Oct. 26 that Texas Sen. Ted Cruz planned a state authorization bill for prediction markets.
Kohler said the next battle “will likely be over the emerging prediction markets.”
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Source: As reported by Sports Business Journal.
