Texas Wants Slot Machines

For years now, the buses have come in and carted the residents of Texas over their state line so that they could participate in the playing of slot machines. Now, it looks as though the state may finally have gotten tired of all of their money going across the state line and is looking to keep some of it for themselves.

The Texas racing industry is now lobbying for the legalization of slot machines so that they can earn some additional money for their tracks. In fact they are putting forth a $3 million lobbying campaign this year that would press the government to give them a yes on slot machines.

This isn’t the first time that the racing industry has lobbied for the legalization of the slot machines, but it is the first time that they have gone at it with as much vehemence as this. In fact, with the number of tracks that will continue to lose money and need to shut their doors, it was only a matter of time before they stepped up and expressed their dire need for an additional revenue source – slot machines.

The track owners say that with the slot machines, they would get more people coming into Texas to play the horses, instead of their own residents going out. They are concerned with the number of slot machines in other states at their tracks that they just cannot compete with them.

It doesn’t help that Louisiana, New Mexico and Louisiana all offer slot machines at their tracks and that they all border the state. They say that without the slot machines the industry cannot survive because of the competition. They just aren’t bringing in enough money on their own to support the tracks investments and the breeds. Without the slot machines they will see a further decrease in breeding, which just continues on the downward cycle for the state.


 

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