Texas seen as major untapped gaming market

Friday, January 19, 2007  

The Texas Gaming Association is pushing for the legalization of gaming on and off the state's reservations, citing the potential for a billion-dollar industry.

Texans can already play the lottery and gamble at racetracks. "It's already happening. It's already here," a lobbyist told the Associated Press.

The Tigua Tribe and the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe have made the same argument in defense of their gaming enterprises. But the state succeeded in shutting down their casinos, which were being operated without a tribal-state compact.

The tribes are now considering several options to revive their economies. They include a constitutional amendment to legalize gaming on the reservation, legislation to authorize slot machines for racetracks, a Tigua casino in New Mexico, and rules from the Interior Department that would bypass the state.

But if the state gets involved, the Texas Gaming Association says gaming could generate $2.1 billion in revenues for the state, $729.7 million for local governments and 250,000 jobs.

Get the Story:
Casino Supporters Make Renewed Push In Texas (AP 1/18)