The potential outcomes include three options . ( 1 ) There could be no movement in either body of the legislature and the process would start anew in 2025 . ( 2 ) One body could pass legislation and the other could not , creating the necessary framework and progress to continue the legislation in 2025 . ( 3 ) Both houses could act and kick off one of the most competitive , frenzied competitions for gaming licenses in U . S . gaming history for stake in the largest untapped market in the United States .
creating a license selection process . That process could take six months to a year , with the eventual license holders selected in late 2024 to early 2025 . Development of the casino resorts could start soon after , with smaller operations opening in early 2026 and larger destination resorts opening in late 2026 or early 2027 .
The potential outcomes include three options . ( 1 ) There could be no movement in either body of the legislature and the process would start anew in 2025 , when the legislature meets again . ( 2 ) One body could pass legislation and the other could not , creating the necessary framework and progress to continue the legislation , perhaps more efficiently , in 2025 . ( 3 ) Both houses could act and kick off one of the most competitive , frenzied competitions for gaming licenses in U . S . gaming history for stake in the largest untapped market in the United States .
The crystal ball determining what will happen this legislative session is still opaque ; however , the potential outcomes are pretty clear . Due to the budget surplus , one of the main levers to entice legislators on the fence is off the table . However , the overwhelming public opinion polls create inter- esting fodder for their consideration . The priorities of legislative leaders like Abbot and Patrick include fiscal and social issues that could monopolize time in committees . One central question is whether there simply will be enough time on the calendar to get casino legislation through the committee process .
Regardless of the timeline , should the Texas Legislature consider gaming expansion it could ward off revenue loss to neighboring states like Louisiana and Oklahoma . Those annual lost tax revenues could go a long way to sustained funding for various needs and projects while creating meaningful construction and ongoing jobs in the state .
The legislative session continues through May 2023 , and we will provide an update to the outcome of the session .
David Rittvo is the principal at Tailored Hospitality Advisors ( THA ), which specializes in pre-development services , master planning , strategic partner identification , and government relation strategies focusing on the gaming and hospitality sectors . THA is currently advising clients in the Texas market .