The efforts to get gaming legalized in Texas continued as Las Vegas Sands representatives met with North Texas leaders. The casino and hospitality powerhouse hopes to secure enough support to get resort-style casinos legalized in the state finally.

While experts predict that gambling could create as many as 70,000 new permanent jobs and over twice as many construction jobs, some lawmakers are still reluctant to back casino resorts.

Texas Is a Huge Untapped Market

Texas has cemented itself as one of the more conservative states when it comes to gambling. Previous efforts to legalize various verticals have fallen through without leading to any significant change.

However, Las Vegas Sands remains bullish on the Lone Star State. As reported by Dallas Morning News, LVS lobbyists met with leaders from North Texas to discuss the matter. Assembled by the North Texas Commission and the Texas Association of Business, the meeting sought to evaluate the potential impact casino gaming could have on Texas.

The commission seeks to create an exploratory committee that would focus on how casinos would affect North Texas in particular. The committee is set to be formed this autumn. Patrick Brophey, chief operating officer of the North Texas Commission, told a Dallas Business Journal representative that the goal would be to truly understand how gaming would impact social services, public safety, charities, the entertainment sector, business and the North Texan communities as a whole.

Chad West, a member of the Dallas City Council, said that Texas still has a lot to understand when it comes to destination gambling.

LVS Has Been Trying to Make Texas Casinos a Reality for a While

The efforts to legalize casino gaming in Texas align with Las Vegas Sands’ long-term efforts. The casino giant has spent millions to get casino gaming greenlit and tap into the second most-populated state in the US.

LVS has already secured a 108-acre site across from the site of the Dallas Cowboys’ former stadium, and it is awaiting the time casino resorts are permitted in the state.

According to LVS lobbyist Andy Abboud, the company is interested in opening at least five resorts in Texas, two of which would be located in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. He added that the operator would focus on key areas instead of trying to be on every corner.

In 2023, an Axios report suggested that LVS has some 72 lobbyists in Texas, singlehandedly outnumbering other organizations. The company has spent approximately $100 million on lobbying in Texas, according to reports.

The post LVS Remains Bullish on Texas, Meets with Local Leaders appeared first on Keno Wizard.

The US gambling sector is closely monitored and guarded. Each state that offers legal sports wagering or iGaming has its established regulator that ensures operators follow the guidelines, while authorities in states that do not offer such services can hunt down and prosecute illegal gambling activities.

Given the strict rules, many gambling companies fear how can a regulator react if a breach of the rules is uncovered. Whether that would be a financial penalty or worse, license revocation. Although sometimes fears are unfounded, this may not be the case for Penn Entertainment which recently fired a Barstool employee after uttering a racial slur while rapping. Earlier this week, Ben Mintz, a famous Barstool Sports personality was fired by Penn, the parent company that recently finalized the acquisition of the network, after he rapped a racial slur during his “Wake Up Mintzy” show.

Local media outlets revealed that Mintz accidentally uttered the “N-word” while rapping a song. Reportedly, the immediate action from Penn came over fears of “retaliation” from gambling regulators. However, Barstool Sports’ founder, Dave Portnoy, wasn’t particularly happy with Penn’s decision. He posted a video on social media criticizing the decision of the company.

Portnoy retold the story and explained that Mintz was seen “turn white as a ghost” instantly when he rapped the racial slur. “When he (Mintz) read it, he knew he f***ked up, he’s been super apologetic and in shambles basically. If anybody watched the clip, they’d understand that there was no way he (Mintz) meant to do that,” explained Barstool Sports’ founder.

“By the way for everybody saying Barstool is dead to them I knew this would happen. I said it’s so against everything we stand for that it could be a death blow.  Penn understood this. They still did it. That’s how frightened they were of regulators who operate with no impunity,“

reads a statement released by Dave Portnoy

Additionally, Portnoy explained that it is clear that Mintz didn’t say the slur out of hatred but was aware that he messed up. Still, Barstool’s founder said that he didn’t expect to see Mintz lose his job over this accident. Speaking about Penn, Portnoy said he was stunned by their reaction. He claimed that the company operates in a world that is strictly regulated and referred to Penn’s gambling licenses.

The topic quickly gained popularity on social media. As always, most opinions differed but many people showed support for Mintz, saying they understood that he made a mistake and was apologetic about it. Others criticized Portnoy for agreeing to sell Barstool to Penn saying that he will now have to abide by their rules.

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