In 1991, one of the big questions the state of Texas faced was whether or not lawmakers should allow a lottery to meet some of the state’s needs. Many lottery supporters pledged that the proceeds could be used to fund public schools, so during the first special session of the 72nd Texas House of Legislation, Bill 54 and Joint House Resolution 8, called for a vote on the lottery. The following November, Texas voters approved Proposition 11, which would enable the Texas Lottery to be established.
Today in the state we face a problem similar to that of those who want to allow sports betting. In January of this year, House Bill 1121 was filed by Rep. Harold Dutton in the Texas House of Representatives to enable sports betting in Texas. Behind the bill is the Sports Betting Alliance – a coalition of sports betting franchise companies and platforms. Large sports teams, including the Dallas Cowboys, Dallas Mavericks, and Texas Rangers, work with them to make sure the bill goes through.
Rep. Dan Huberty is working on another sports betting bill that would use part of the proceeds for special education, according to his office. While 90% of the proceeds would go to Wetter, the other 10% would be used to fund education for students with special needs. According to Huberty, the bill could “generate several hundred million dollars”. The bill is currently being drafted but has not been tabled.
Opponents of sports betting in Texas include owners and operators of gaming venues in neighboring states such as the Chickasaw and Choctaw nations of Oklahoma. The two tribes have donated more than $ 5 million to Texas lawmakers since 2006 to stop gambling in the state. One opponent with strong political clout is Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, who recently stated that sports betting “is not even an issue that will see the light of day at this session”. While Patrick has announced that he is not an advocate of the expansion of legal gambling, he has stated that the Senate does not support it at this session, stating, “We are far from having the votes.”
But many wonder if sports betting would be held in Texas, would we use the funds to support public education? How we distribute money from the Texas lottery can provide a clue. Nearly 26% of lottery funds are currently allocated to the Foundation School Fund in support of Texas public schools, which is roughly 5% of the budget allocated to public education. The lion’s share of the lottery proceeds – around 62% go to lottery winners. In the past, at least some lottery proceeds went to public schools. Whether it is the amount promised by some or expected by many is a different story.
Finally, some are wondering if, from a moral point of view, we should spend gambling proceeds on public schools, while others feel that the additional income outweighs this and there is such a problem. An old joke tells the story of a gamer who offers a minister part of his winnings. The preacher thought about it for a moment and then said, “The devil has had it long enough. Give it here! “
