North Texas Commission Announces New Committee Focused On Gaming Expansion

The North Texas Commission is forming a committee of business and community leaders to study issues related to destination resorts and casino gambling, as the push for legalization remains on the agenda for the 2025 legislative session.

North Texas Commission is forming a new exploratory committee that will consider the impact of gaming expansion

The exploratory committee will study the implications of destination gaming and make recommendations regarding issues such as infrastructure requirements, workforce demands, transportation, economic development, and public safety impacts.

Furthermore, NTC COO Patrick Brophey said elected officials, tourism leaders, economic development officials, chambers of commerce members and representatives from religious and faith-based organizations are all invited to apply. The committee is expected to launch this fall.

“This is open to North Texas Commission members who we traditionally cater to, but well beyond that as well to get the full scope of our community including social services, public safety, nonprofits, arts and entertainment, mental health professionals and business and industry leaders. We want parity across the region,” Brophey said.

The call for applications came following a roundtable discussion hosted by the NTC and the Texas Association of Business on July 24 in Hurst. An executive from Las Vegas Sands Corp. pitched business leaders on why destination gaming will benefit Texas, especially the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.

Texas Legislature might allow a constitutional amendment for legalized gambling on the ballot for voters

Andy Abboud, SVP of Government Relations for Las Vegas Sands Corp., and Chris Wallace, CEO of the NTC, said during the roundtable they want the Texas Legislature to pass a bill that would put a constitutional amendment on the ballot.

This is so voters can decide whether or not they want legalized casino gambling. A constitutional amendment requires two-thirds approval in both chambers of the legislature and then the support of a majority of voters in the state.

If the amendment passes, Abboud said the state will be able to move forward with issuing a limited number of operating licenses through a competitive bidding process. Limiting the number of licenses helps maximize the economic impact of destination resorts.

“It doesn’t need to be everywhere,” Abboud said. “It’s like NFL teams or MLB teams. … It doesn’t need to be on every corner. If you diminish the market, you diminish the investment. You’re just diminishing the economic impact that it can have.”

Legalized gambling could add an estimated $13 billion to the Texas economy, create 70,000 permanent jobs

According to a study by Professor George Zodrow of Economics at Rice University for Sands, legalized gambling could add an estimated $13 billion to the economy of Texas and create 70,000 permanent jobs.

Additionally, the study revealed that Dallas-Fort Worth could see a $34.7 million increase in tax revenue from ongoing operations. This includes $5.9 million from sales tax, $28 million from property taxes, and $700,000 in other non-gaming taxes.

One participant in the study described the jobs casinos create as not being “the typical high-tech, high-paying jobs” the NTC typically tries to help bring to Texas.

“A lot of people need the jobs that we provide, and you never can have enough jobs in your community and increased visitation,” Abboud said.

“People are moving from all over. Let’s be clear: people are moving into Texas from all over the world because of the opportunity.”