Gambling News by House of Odds

Despite a lot of gambling buzz around the Capitol, it's probably safe to bet
that the latest effort to give Texans more opportunities to lose their money
closer to home will fail. But the gamblers have friends in high places,
enough friends to make some gambling opponents nervous and the upcoming
legislative maneuvering interesting to watch. The Republican majority in the
Texas House has been a huge obstacle to gambling proposals in recent years
because the GOP officially opposes gambling. Add to that some Democratic
lawmakers who don't like it either, and a two-thirds vote for the necessary
constitutional amendment has been out of reach. Speaker Tom Craddick's
position on the latest push to either legalize video slot machines at
racetracks or establish wide-open casino gambling in Texas (the gamblers
aren't united on their goal yet) isn't clear. But the speaker's chief of
staff, Nancy Fisher, is a former lobbyist for dog track owners, and her
sister, Nora Del Bosque, is a lobbyist for Multimedia Games Inc., a major
provider of gaming devices. Bill Messer, one of Craddick's closest friends
in the lobby, also has represented dog track owners. Do those associations
mean Craddick (if he survives a challenge to his speakership) will actively
promote gambling legislation? Not necessarily. Are they enough to trouble
gambling opponents? You bet, particularly since the speaker also is
suggesting that he is at least open to more gambling. "I have always
believed that the issue is an important one that should get thorough review
and debate, so that all Texans can get a clear picture of exactly what is at
stake," he said in a statement issued through his office. Lt. Gov. David
Dewhurst "personally opposes the expansion of gambling in Texas," said
spokesman Rich Parsons. Less clear, however, is whether Dewhurst would
attempt to block a gambling vote in the Senate. Gov. Rick Perry, who angered
fellow Republicans by endorsing video slot machines at racetracks as part of
an unsuccessful school funding proposal in 2004, now opposes expanded
gambling.
"I think that with a record budget surplus looming, that some say will be
$15 billion or more, the governor is going to be hard-pressed to entertain
ideas about a massive new revenue source," spokesman Robert Black said. It
is interesting to note, though, that retiring state Sen. Ken Armbrister,
D-Victoria, who will be the governor's new chief lobbyist with the
Legislature, was a strong proponent of expanded gambling as a lawmaker. And
Mike Toomey, Perry's former chief of staff, will be a major force in the
pro-gambling push as a lobbyist for Sam Houston Race Park, the horse track
in Houston. But Perry, not Armbrister, will set the governor's legislative
priorities, Black noted. And he dismissed the notion that Toomey will have
any influence with Perry on gambling. "Just because a particular individual
who has known the governor for a long time proposes an idea doesn't mean the
governor is going to go along with it," Black said.

In previous unsuccessful efforts, advocates promoted expanded gambling as a
major source for new education funding. But that horse has been ridden to
death, mainly because the Texas Lottery never has lived up to the public's
expectations that it was going to forever put the public schools on Easy
Street.

This time, gamblers are proposing the state spend a huge chunk (as much as
$2 billion a year) of new gambling revenue on expanded health care for the
poor and maybe to help young people with college tuition payments.

Democratic Rep. Garnet Coleman, whose inner-city Houston residents are some
of the poorest people in Texas, is a strong advocate for more health care,
but he isn't buying the pitch.

More gambling, he said, would make "a few people very, very rich, and
they're not going to be my constituents."