Could legal sports gambling expand into Texas? Cowboys owner Jerry Jones certainly seemed interested by the idea in an interview on K&C Masterpiece on 105.3 The Fan [KRLD-FM] Friday morning.
Jones suggested Texas could stand to benefit from the money gambling would bring to the state, and improve in areas like education. The topic came up after House Speaker Dade Phelan said he was open to bringing resort-style casinos to Texas in a brief interview with reporters Thursday. The Beaumont Republican said he believes voters would approve the constitutional amendment needed to expand gambling in the state.
Jones, whose Dallas Cowboys face Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in an NFL Wild Card playoff game Monday, thought it was time Texas got involved in the scene.
“Well, I think it’s really a thing that needs to be addressed at this time. One of the reasons why I think it does is because it’s happening at this time. There’s a huge amount of gaming going on in and around sports at this time. And, so, to have all of the benefits or all of the control over it, it needs to be recognized and parameters put on it and discipline put in it. Then, also the benefits that go, can go in Texas, could adhere to the right kind of people, or some property tax. Certainly help educate our great state’s children. All of those things can be enhanced by something that’s presently going on in a big, big way.”
Jones has been consistent in his stance for a while now, and spoke on the topic in July 2021 as well, saying, “the handwriting’s on the wall. Gambling has been here a long time.”
He wouldn’t be the only major sports franchise owner in Dallas to welcome it, either. Mark Cuban said in December that he has a Vegas-like vision for the city and his Dallas Mavericks. So much so that the Mavericks would build a new arena.
Jones appeared to be in agreement.
“We should be getting the benefit of it as other states are. Other states surrounding us are,” Jones said. “So, it’s a time for us to, I think, set the rules up and execute on it and get the benefits of it.”
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