Crap(s)!

Gambling is on the table again.

[Lisa Sandberg and Matt Stiles, Chron.com]

Texas gambling interests have grandiose visions for turning the Lone Star State into a gamer's paradise — and when the pitch for slot machines, casinos and more racetrack betting makes its way to the Legislature, the man likely to hold the power in the House will have more than a passing interest.

Joe Straus, the San Antonio Republican who's likely to become the next House speaker, comes from a family intimately entwined in Texas horse racing — a family that would stand to gain from legislation easing the restrictions on racetrack betting.

Since emerging over the weekend as the sole candidate to replace House Speaker Tom Craddick, Straus has promised a hands-off approach to gambling of any sort: "As speaker, I'll stay away from it ... and not allow it to be a distraction or an issue," he said this week.

Gambling supporters say they welcome Straus, but they're not yet counting their fortunes.

"I don't think we win or lose anything" with Straus at the helm, said Rep. Ismael "Kino" Flores, D-Palmview, a fierce gambling advocate who chairs the House committee that oversees gambling.

The hope of gambling and casino business interests is to give Texas what states like Mississippi and Louisiana have: gambling profits.

I make no secret that I'm a gambling advocate. Yes, there are going to be sad stories about people getting addicted and losing it all. Yes, gambling opponents are going to throw out anecdotal evidence that gambling ruins lives. I have no doubt that everything they say is true. For some people gambling is an addiction. Just as for some people food is an addiction as well, yet the Government doesn't take steps to keep them from it. Besides, I would argue that a vast majority of people whose lives are going to be ruined by gambling are already ruining them, either through other addictive activities or by driving to other States and getting their fix. Part of the benefit of gambling taxes is the funding of gambling addiction servics. Any plan involving Texas gambling should also involve Casino and track owners sending a portion of profits (above and beyond any taxes) to help establish a gambling crisis center. Often this type of arrangement is done in exchange for lawsuit protection from some idiot who bets his life savings on black, and then attempts to turn around and sue the casino because they didn't "outline the risks properly". Casino's running a "clean game" shouldn't have to worry about lawsuits. Another key to a successful gambling program is a strong gaming commission. Those are issues to be addressed, in full, later.

Currently there are over 300 illegal poker shops set up in Houston. That's the last number that I've heard and I'm sure its low. I play poker (for free) online and at various "hold 'em" nights at local clubs. Every time I play I'm invited to (at least) one illicit game. Being a chicken, and fairly sure of my inborn ability to get caught automatically were I ever to break the law, I politely decline each time before I hear more than I want to. I don't want to know about the underground poker world in Houston. I currently drive to Lake Charles, LA, Durant, OK, or Shreveport, LA, if I want to play "live" poker. Because I can't play "live" in Texas I'm forced to make this drive quite frequently. In 2007 I had a good year, declaring gambling profits on my tax return. 2008 was a mixed bag, I didn't get to play as often as I like due to rising fuel and other distractions, so I pretty much broke even for 2008. Were I able to play on a consistent basis, I'd do a lot better. I say this not to highlight my poker acumen, but as a means of full disclosure. If gambling (especially poker) were legalized in Texas I stand to make a profit from it.

That being said, there's a hypocrisy inherent in a system where the Government runs the only legalized game in town, and its a game where the odds are tremendously against any one single player winning. Texas wants to have its cake and eat it too.

Of course, poker is no different than horse racing. The betting is pari-mutual with the house taking a rake. At the very least it'd be a positive step-forward to see Texas legalize poker (both on-line and in person) and allow racing tracks to offer a limited seleciton of slot machines. After all, if people go to a race track they're at said track to gamble. Saying that one type of gambling is acceptable while outlawing another flies in the face of common sense. Gambling is gambling, some forms are more popular (and profitable) than others.

Still not convinced? Imagine the Astrodome as a casino. Let's get grown-up about gambling in Texas.