Texas would establish a Gaming Commission

It would allow casinos to be established as the commission sees fit on resort barrier islands like Galveston and South Padre Island, at existing para-mutual horse tracks, and in cities with populations of 675,000 or more, which would allow casinos in San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, Ft. Worth, Austin, and El Paso.

But Rob Kohler, who is a lobbyist with the Christian Life Commission of the Baptist General Convention of Texas, says casino gambling is an issue whose time has come...and gone.  "At the end of the day when the Legislature meets and considers this issue, we are confident that this legislature...like the previous legislatures, will determine this is not good for the people of Texas," he said.

Kohler says the current makeup of the Legislature, with a far larger concentration of movement conservatives, who think casino gambling is a bad investment, and evangelical Christian conservatives, who think it's immoral, will kill the measure in committee, as has happened each of the times its been introduced before.

"One of the arguments you hear on this issue is 'let the people vote'," Kohler said.  "Well, the people did vote, they voted last week, and the people they sent to the House, the Senate, and elected as Governor are not people who think casino gambling would be a good idea."

Supporters of casinos in Texas say they would provide a lifeline to the struggling para-mutual racing industry, which is fighting against all inclusive gambling resorts in Louisiana and New Mexico.  They point out that large numbers of Texans travel to Las Vegas every year to gamble there, and to the benefit Nevada's roads, schools, and other government projects.

But Kohler says there's a big difference between taking a vacation a couple times a year in Las Vegas, and having a casino on your way home from work every evening.

  "To fly to Las Vegas requires planning, getting a plane ticket, but when it's right around the corner there is much more of a temptation for abuse," he said.  "That's not something we have in Texas right now, and we think that's a good thing."  Kohler says the tide is running against expansion of gambling in general.  He says there is a lot more support in the Legislature to abolish the Texas Lottery than there is to bring in casinos.