By: Geren H.J.R. No. 137
A JOINT RESOLUTION
proposing a constitutional amendment, to be submitted to the voters
of Texas for approval, authorizing the legislature to strictly
regulate and authorize casino gaming and sports wagering by general
law and establishing certain requirements for such law, including
imposition of a tax on casino gaming and sports wagering revenue,
requiring licensing of casino gaming and sports wagering operators,
and requiring license application fees.
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 47, Article III, Texas Constitution, is
amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (f) to
read as follows:
(a) The Legislature shall pass laws prohibiting lotteries
and gift enterprises in this State other than those authorized by
Subsections (b), (d), (d-1), [and] (e), and (f) of this section.
(f) The Legislature by general law may authorize and
strictly regulate casino gaming and sports wagering. At a minimum,
the law must:
(1) define the activities that constitute casino
gaming and sports wagering;
(2) require licenses and license application fees for
casino gaming and sports wagering operators;
(3) determine where licensed casino facilities may be
located and where sports wagering may be conducted;
(4) restrict the conduct of casino gaming, as defined
by the Legislature, to onsite casino gaming at a licensed casino
gaming operator's physical premises in this state;
(5) limit the total number of casino gaming licenses
and locations with initial license terms of at least 40 years to no
more than 10 licensed facilities in this state;
(6) impose a tax on casino gaming and sports wagering
revenue not to exceed 15 percent;
(7) prohibit the imposition of any additional tax or
fee by the state or political subdivision of the state on casino
gaming revenue or sports wagering revenue, or on the
non-casino-gaming revenue or non-sports-wagering revenue of a
license holder's operations, other than a tax or fee generally
applicable to a business operating in this state; and
(8) establish a process for this state to negotiate in
good faith and execute in a timely manner, a Tribal-State gaming
compact with any of the three existing federally recognized Indian
tribes with Indian lands in this state to conduct Class III Indian
gaming on a Tribe's existing lands, and as prescribed by the Indian
Gaming Regulatory Act (Pub. L. 100-479), consistent with the
provisions in 25 U.S.C. Section 2710(d), and upon the request of the
tribe.
SECTION 2. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be
submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 3, 2025.
The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the
proposition: "The constitutional amendment to permit the
Legislature, by general law, to authorize and regulate casino
gaming and sports wagering at a limited number of locations in this
state, require licenses and license application fees for operators,
and impose a tax on casino gaming and sports wagering revenue."