Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Says He Doesn’t Support Casinos ‘Yet’
Posted on: December 8, 2025, 10:55h.
Last updated on: December 8, 2025, 11:06h.
- Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has opposed casinos for years
- Abbott doesn’t plan to change his casino position anytime soon
- Abbott is up for reelection in 2026
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) has been a casino opponent throughout his governorship. He doesn’t have any immediate plans to change his anti-gaming stance.
Since Abbott took office in January 2015, several states, like Texas, that were historically opposed to nonlottery gambling, have authorized commercial casinos, including Arkansas, Nebraska, and Virginia. Dozens more authorized sports betting, something that remains banned in the Lone Star State.
Abbott has remained steadfast in not allowing casinos to come to Texas. Amid strong lobbying from Las Vegas Sands and the company’s controlling stakeholder, billionaire Dr. Miriam Adelson, Abbott recently doubled down on his position that now isn’t the time to consider casinos or sports betting.
I’m not there yet. I’m simply not there yet,” Abbott told CBS News Texas in Fort Worth.
Abbott repeatedly adding “yet” could hint that he’s considering a policy change.
Casino Lobbying
Abbott says his casino opposition is primarily due to concerns about financial hardship caused by problem gambling. He’s also concerned that sports gambling threatens the integrity of sports.
We’ve seen increasing problems that go along with gaming. Whether it be addiction or whether it be things that are happening in sporting events and athletes who are on the take,” Abbott explained.
“That caused us to pause, step back, take a look at this, and make sure that we wouldn’t do anything that would be harmful, either to the people of the state of Texas, the culture that we have in the state, or to sporting events that we have in the state,” Abbott continued.
Adelson and her Dallas Mavericks minority owner, billionaire Mark Cuban, have proposed building a new arena for the NBA franchise with a neighboring Las Vegas-like casino resort. Cuban believes Texas needs new draws to promote general tourism.
Sands has spent many millions of dollars in recent years lobbying state lawmakers to get on board with gaming. Though the company’s bet hasn’t yet paid off via legislation, Sands presumably won’t give up anytime soon.
Sands’ late founder, Sheldon Adelson, made it a career goal to enter Texas, the largest untapped casino market in the country. His widow, Dr. Adelson, has carried on her husband’s priorities since his January 2021 death, which include supporting GOP candidates on the federal and state levels.
Texas Governor Betting Odds
Abbott is the betting favorite for Texas’ 2026 gubernatorial election. But he’ll face a Republican primary challenge from at least two candidates, Pete Chambers, a former US Army Special Forces lieutenant colonel, and Mark Goloby, a conservative activist and businessman.
Abbott’s latest approval rating of just 40% is the lowest of his tenure. Texas doesn’t have term limits on the governor, but many say it’s time for a change.
Abbott has received less support in the two gubernatorial elections he has won. After winning the governor’s office in 2014 with 59.3% of the vote, he gained 55.8% in 2018, and 54.8% in 2022.
Kalshi bettors believe the governor’s office will remain red, with the latest odds implying about a 93% chance the 2026 Republican candidate wins. The last Democrat to be governor of Texas was Ann Richards in the early 1990s.
Texas’ changing population is likely the primary culprit of Abbott’s popularity decline. The state is the national leader in population growth despite declining birth rates. Both domestic and international immigration have been cited for population surges in Dallas-Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio.
More than 320K people from abroad took up residency in Texas between July 2023 and July 2024.
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