Hot Now: Gambling Expansion Bills Pass Texas Committee, PointsBet Won't Budge

Last week, Kentucky lawmakers surprised us by passing sports betting legislation that appeared to be not so ready for primetime until the next session due to a special increased threshold for 2023.

Now we have Texas.  That's going to be an uphill battle though there's been some progress.

Gaming advocates are pushing to legalize casinos and sports betting in Texas, and there will be stiff opposition. 

The measure did pass committee with hearings.  Last year they got the hearings but nothing was voted out of committee.

Without discussion, the House State Affairs Committee approved the measure.  It provides that voters would decide whether to legalize casinos and online sports betting in Texas with a referendum appearing on the ballot. And it is unclear if voters would actually approve sports betting in the Lone Star State (they did not in California).  The votes in the committee were all 9-3.

If approved by voters, House Bill 2843 would permit casino gambling in Texas, and House Bill 1942 would legalize online sports betting, such as on cellphones.

The legislation faces stiff opposition in the Senate moving forward. Powerful Senate leader and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has only dug in with his opposition to allowing sports betting.

PointsBet Hasn't Budged on Maryland University Partnership

Last week it was revealed that PointsBet and the University of Colorado Boulder campus had severed ties.

The American Gaming Association advised The Associated Press on Tuesday of the new code due to intensive pressure,  This included putting an end to college and sportsbook relationships by July 1.

The University of Colorado Boulder’s 2020 deal with sports book PointsBet included a $30 referral bonus every time someone signed up on PointsBet with the university’s promo code and placed a bet.  That university has since ended the referral bonus program and PointsBet has since ended its partnership with The University of Colorado Boulder. 

“PointsBet and the University of Colorado have decided it is mutually beneficial to end their partnership at this time. Both parties are thankful for the joint efforts throughout the relationship and wish the best for each organization going forward,” PointsBet issued in a statement this week.

PointsBet is still partnering with the University of Maryland and shows no sign of budging.  The current deal is said to be worth seven figures.

Maryland lawmakers are attempting to stifle gambling company relationships with colleges.  SB 620 passed a Maryland House Ways and Means Committee on Thursday and would prevent partnership deals that include promotional sign-up incentives.  PointsBet doesn’t provide sign-up bonus incentives to the University of Maryland so would not be in violation of the proposed legislation.  It could be approved as early as July with only nominal opposition.

PointsBet would not comment further on its plans with the University of Maryland.

- Gilbert Horowitz, Gambling911.com