Texas' new lieutenant governor wants a public vote on gambling

Texas' new Lieutenant Governor Vikki Goodwin said she prefers that the legalization of gambling be put to a public vote.

Goodwin became the first Democrat to win the post by defeating incumbent Republican Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick in the midterm elections. She also made history as the first Democrat and the first woman elected to this office since 1999.

Speaking to KSAT 12, Goodwin said she is neither opposed to nor in favor of loosening Texas' gambling laws. In her first statement since the election, she said her real preference is to let Texans vote on the issue. In earlier remarks, she emphasized personal freedom and responsibility, and said some of her friends had traveled to Las Vegas or Louisiana to gamble and asked why it was not available in Texas. Commentators believe her position has not changed, but that she is using more conciliatory language because she depends on the Republican-led state senate.

Fort Worth representative Charlie Geren proposed a constitutional amendment in 2023 covering casino and sports betting. However, Dan Patrick, who has long opposed legalizing gambling, blocked that effort. Geren has now filed HJR 52. The resolution calls for a public vote on casino games and sports betting on November 2, 2027. Geren also asked the legislature to permit this market and to establish strict regulation with eight specific restrictions.