Dan Patrick’s Reelection Bid Dims Hopes for Texas Sports Betting, Casino Expansion

Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick has decided to seek a fourth term, casting doubt on the state’s prospects for gambling expansion, including sports betting and commercial casinos.

Patrick, who announced his reelection bid on August 19, presides over the Texas Senate. He controls which bills are brought to the floor for consideration. He has consistently resisted gambling expansion, and that authority has long been a roadblock for gambling proponents, especially Democrats.

“It’s Groundhog Day,” said Mike Lavigne, a long-time Austin-based consultant on gambling issues. “The situation has not changed,” describing how little has changed in the Senate’s posture on gambling under Patrick’s leadership.

Patrick’s Record of Anti-Gambling

Patrick has previously shut down multiple attempts to expand gambling in Texas on moral and social grounds.

In 2023, the House passed a sports betting constitutional amendment 101-42 and a casino amendment 92-51. However, both measures died in the Senate, without even receiving a committee hearing.

Patrick has repeatedly insisted that there’s no support among Republicans in the chamber, effectively killing any chance for a debate. Democrats led the 2023 sports betting effort, which did not sit well with Patrick. He said that no bills will pass in the Senate with Republicans in the minority.

But while Patrick states there’s no support from Republicans, multiple state polls have suggested that the public’s support for sports betting is growing.

A Senate Resistant to Expansion

The lieutenant governor has held a firm grip over the Senate, which has consistently opposed expanded gambling.

Conservative skepticism runs deep, and Patrick himself played a role in escalating scrutiny of the state’s gambling oversight. Earlier this year, he urged the Texas Rangers to investigate the Lottery Commission following reports of mismanagement.

Within weeks, lawmakers advanced a bill to dissolve the agency entirely. As of September 1, the Texas Lottery Commission was disbanded amid scandal.

That swift dismantling reinforced the Senate’s hard line, fueling a climate of distrust toward any kind of gambling expansion.

Industry Stakeholders Hold Out Hope

Still, gambling supporters are not giving up.

The Texas Sports Betting Alliance, a coalition of online gaming platforms and 12 Texas professional sports franchises, including the Dallas Cowboys, Texas Rangers, Dallas Stars, and Dallas Mavericks, said it was prepared to engage with Patrick.

“While he has expressed concerns about sports betting in the past, we’re optimistic that with growing support among Texans, meaningful conversations about expanding sports betting can continue,” said Karina Kling, a spokesperson for the alliance.

Meanwhile, gambling giant Las Vegas Sands is ramping up its years-long effort to build a destination casino resort in Texas by pouring over $9.3 million into its political action committee, Texas Sands PAC.

With that cash, the company is likely preparing to fund election campaigns for politicians open to gambling expansion. The 2026 elections could play a critical role in any gambling expansion.

All 150 seats in the state House of Representatives and 16 out of 31 state Senate seats will be up for grabs. Also, numerous statewide and judicial offices, as well as the Governor’s seat, are on the ballot.

Outlook

Gambling expansion, specifically sports betting, is gaining support in Texas, and even Governor Greg Abbott has signaled openness to sports betting and has “no problem” with the idea, provided regulatory safeguards are in place.

However, Patrick holds the ultimate power, and his decision to remain at the helm reinforces the status quo. Unless Senate leadership changes—or pressure from voters and economic interests intensifies—Texas remains unlikely to see progress on casinos or legal sports betting in the near term.