As much as 12 casinos might be up and running in 3 years in Texas cities and the islands along the Gulf Coast, after Tuesday's proposal, that was filed before the legislative session that will open in January.
Houston Democrat Rodney Ellis filed Senate Joint Resolution 8, which will become law if two-thirds of both houses of the Legislature approve it and then be put before the voters in November 2007 as a constitutional amendment.
This will essentially replace the state's two gaming commissions, the Texas Racing Commissions and the Texas Lottery Commission, with one body, the Texas Gaming Commission, which would govern all state-regulated gambling. The commission will also have the option of granting up to 12 licenses for operating casinos.
A similar measure offered by Ellis in 2005, was rejected. This time, however, things are looking more optimistic to the lobbyists and other supporters of gambling regulation.
Bill Stinson, a lobbyist representing the gambling industry, said that if legislators pass the casino legislation the voters would likely also agree, since polls show that a minimum of 51 percent of the people and a maximum of more than 60 percent of the people approve this.
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