Tarrant County, TX — With early voting set to begin October 20, the special election for Texas Senate District 9 is drawing attention not only for its political stakes but also for the substantial financial backing and contrasting views on gambling policy among the candidates.
Republican hopeful John Huffman, a former mayor of Southlake, has reported $575,000 in campaign contributions, with the bulk of the funds — $500,000 — coming from the Texas Sands PAC. This political action committee, heavily supported by Miriam Adelson of Las Vegas Sands Corporation, is advocating for legalized casino gambling in Texas. Huffman’s campaign has also benefited from over $633,000 in independent advertising funded by the Texas Defense PAC, another Adelson-backed group.
Huffman has expressed support for allowing Texans to vote on expanded gaming, emphasizing that any future legalization should be tightly regulated and limited to upscale resort-style venues. “I support putting the question of expanded gaming on the ballot for voters to consider,” he said, while opposing widespread slot machine access.
The Opposition – Leigh Wambsganss
His Republican opponent, Leigh Wambsganss, has raised concerns over Huffman’s funding sources, noting that nearly all of his financial support comes from a single out-of-state donor. Wambsganss, a veteran of conservative grassroots activism, has secured over $844,000 in donations and holds $617,000 in campaign funds. Texans United backs her campaign for a Conservative Majority (TUCM), an anti-gambling group funded by West Texas oil magnates Tim and Terri Dunn. TUCM has contributed $100,000 directly and provided roughly $196,000 in advertising support.
Wambsganss, endorsed by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, has taken a firm stance against gambling expansion, citing its negative impact on families and communities. However, questions have surfaced about her husband’s past ownership of Newmarket Entertainment, a Virginia-based distributor of electronic gaming machines. She clarified that she had no involvement in the business, which operated legal pull-tab machines for charitable organizations.
Texas Online Betting Options
Currently, there are no state-licensed online betting sites catering to 18+ players in Texas, but you can find many reputable offshore services that cater to Texas players. Since state laws do not forbid online gambling in general and only restrict the tribal casinos from operating online, players are free to gamble online as they wish.
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As the legality of commercial casinos in Texas intensifies, online casinos are attracting players and providing a valuable service to many avid gamblers in the Lone Star State.