“There are hundreds of our constituents, citizens of all ages, including minors, who right now, especially with March Madness, are placing unsafe, unsecure, illegal, criminal bets very easily,” Leach said.
He added that a regulated model would help protect consumers. Leach said in a House State Affairs Committee hearing that illegal sports gambling is already rampant in Texas because of websites and apps residents can access over the internet. John Kuempel, R-Seguin, would also permit casino gambling in Texas. Jeff Leach, R-Plano, would permit regulated sports betting that is already legal in 29 states. Supporters stressed that the efforts would be an economic boon for the state, creating thousands of jobs and millions in tax revenue, while opponents appealed to lawmakers’ sense of family values, stressing the immorality of legalizing the potentially addictive gaming. John Kuempel, R-Seguin, would permit casino gambling in Texas.Ĭritics and proponents of legislation to expand gambling in Texas pitted two key conservative tenets against one another as they testified before lawmakers in a House committee hearing Wednesday.
