What was behind Dade Phelan‘s term as Speaker of the Texas House? The well-funded gambling lobby funds Phelan. Last year, Dade appointed Mike Toomey as his chief of staff. I quote Dade Phelan:
“Mike is a storied titan of Texas politics, and his impressive experience in both the public and private sectors—combined with a legendary work ethic and reputation as a seasoned strategist—make him exceptionally well-suited to lead our team.“
Mike Toomey is currently a partner at Texas Lobby Group. What is the significance of this appointment? Toomey is a taxpayer-funded casino lobbyist.
Why is former Governor Rick Perry endorsing Dade Phelan for Speaker? The well-funded gambling lobby hired Rick Perry. Perry, a Republican, joined the Sports Betting Alliance — a group comprised of professional sports franchises in Texas and gaming companies.SOURCE
I greatly appreciated Governor Rick Perry’s support for our right to armed self-defense. Governor Perry cleared the way for License-to-Carry (LTC) Texans to carry firearms within the State Capitol. How well I remember the few encounters with Rick Perry in Austin and alongside my congressman Ralph Hall in Rockwall.
Is there money to be made with sports gambling? Yes, the lobbyists and the gambling organizations greatly prosper.
What are the benefits of legalized gambling to the Texas economy? None. In fact, legalized gambling actually increases public spending on mental health for gamblers.
- UCLA HEALTH (2021): Gambling addiction can cause psychological, physiological health challenges
- AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION (2023): How gambling affects the brain and who is most vulnerable to addiction
- UC San Diego (2024): Legalized gambling increases irresponsible betting behavior, especially among low-income populations
- NBC NEWS (2024): Sports gambling takes a toll on Americans’ checkbooks, research shows
Does anyone win?
Let’s look at the Texas Lottery. Yes, a few, but very few.
In 2023, an Austinite instantly became a multimillionaire after winning Lotto Texas. His takeaway: $20,205,534.60 before taxes.
Keep in mind that the money won was contributed by millions of Texas losers. As reported in the Texplainer (2017): Does the Texas lottery fully fund public education? I quote: “Under state law, lottery revenue — including ticket sales and money from unclaimed prizes — must contribute to Texas causes and programs. However, only 27 percent of that money goes toward Texas education.“
The vast majority of Texas lottery ticket buyers are poor, low-income residents.
“After assisting investors who stacked the odds to guarantee winning a $95 million Lotto Texas jackpot last year, Texas Lottery Commission officials said they have changed their procedures to prevent another such occurrence in the future – but not before state lawmakers, citing Houston Chronicle reporting, ripped into agency leaders for helping the group orchestrate a giant payday at the expense of everyday players.” Microsoft Start (September 2024)$95 million Lotto Texas win had stacked odds, a Chronicle investigation found. Now there’s new rules.
The only source of wealth is manufacturing, including farming. Gambling pools the bets and pays out the few winners. Gambling diminishes public wealth.
Read—National Institute of Health : Gambling harm is everybody’s business: A public health approach and call to action (Great Britain)
“There is a growing consensus that gambling is a public health issue and that preventing gambling related harms requires a broad response. Although many policy decisions regarding gambling are made at a national level in the UK, there are clear opportunities to take action at local and regional levels to prevent the negative impacts on individuals, families and local communities. This response goes beyond the statutory roles of licencing authorities to include amongst others the National Health Service (NHS), the third sector, mental health services, homelessness and housing services, financial inclusion support.”
In the 88th Texas Legislature, HB 2843 was introduced to legalize casino gambling. HB 1942 was introduced to legalize sports betting.
The 89th Texas Legislature has an ongoing campaign by Dade Phelan to buy enough Republican votes to join with his Democrat votes to pass gambling bills.
The gambling lobbyists care nothing about the overall welfare of our fellow Texans. I am truly disappointed in Rick Perry for going to the dark side of the special interest lobbyists. Money is the siren’s lure.
In March of this year (2024), Texas Scorecard posted: Rick Perry’s Dwindling Political Influence in Texas—In the twilight of his political relevance, Perry sells out. I quote:
“Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, once an imposing figure in state politics, is watching his stature wane as he works to cash in on his remaining political currency. The former presidential candidate has recently endorsed causes and candidates often at odds with the conservative base.
In 2023 and 2024, the gambling lobby and Texans for Lawsuit Reform have called on Perry to advance their agendas—before that, he was hocking COVID air conditioning units, pushing toll roads run by foreign entities, and prioritizing STD shots that nobody needed or wanted for their teen daughters.“
John White
Rockwall, Texas
John N. White 