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Who said Texas betting isn’t a thing? It is, just with some handcuffs.
The Lone Star State has a few casinos, all managed by local Native American tribes. These are not commercial properties, nor are they Las Vegas-style casinos you’re probably thinking of (most don’t offer poker or slot machines). It’s primarily “bingo” games — yes, just like your grandparents played.
Anyway, the state is in the process of getting a new casino. And this construction is interesting against the current backdrop of legal betting in the state. Stick with us as we explain what’s going on.
New Casino Is A Big Project
The Alabama-Coushatta Tribe is building an entirely new Naskila Casino Resort on a 95-acre site in Livingston, Texas. This is a relocation project essentially. While they have a current casino in the area already, this will be an upgrade nearby. Livingston is to the north of Houston and not that far off the eastern border. The tribe appears to be going big with the build, too.
When everything is finished, the resort will span roughly 685,000 square feet. The plans call for a 366-room hotel, multiple restaurants and bars, a resort-style pool, entertainment venues, conference space, and, of course, a much larger casino.
The gaming floor itself is getting a huge upgrade from what they currently have. Phase one alone will feature approximately 3,400 electronic bingo machines, along with separate smoking, non-smoking, and high-limit VIP gaming areas (that’s where the big money is in the legal betting industry).
The first phase is expected to open in late 2028, but the tribe isn’t making visitors wait that long. Later this summer it’ll open a temporary facility called Naskila Casino Leggett on the future resort property. That location will operate around the clock with 300 electronic bingo machines, food service, and players club amenities while construction continues on the larger development. We think it’s a genius move to make the new location routine for visitors early on.
The expansion also speaks to just how successful Naskila has become since opening in 2016. According to an economic impact study commissioned by the Texas Forest Country Partnership, the property now generates roughly $252 million in annual economic activity and supports more than 1,000 permanent jobs. This new resort is designed to build on that success while attracting even more visitors to East Texas.
That’s what makes this project noteworthy. It shows the success a legalized casino industry could have on the state if lawmakers changed course. That’s a big “if” though, as we get into in the next section.
Texas Lawmakers Still Aren’t Budging
For all the success of Naskila or other tribal casinos in the area, a legalized betting industry in Texas feels further away than ever before. The state is one of 11 that hasn’t legalized sports betting, little less casino gaming.
This is happening despite two big casino moguls occupying the Texas orbit. We’re talking about Tilman Fertitta and Miriam Adelson. Both happen to own basketball teams and sprawling casino empires. But neither has had any influence on betting expansion in the state, and this is despite Adelson donating millions to local politicians.
No one can crack the Republican Party in the state. You see, Texas gambling bills do not just need a simple yes-or-no vote. They likely need enough support to put a constitutional amendment in front of voters, and that’s where any progress seems to stall out. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has also made clear he does not want gambling expansion pushed through the heavily Republican Senate. If Patrick isn’t for it, then neither is the rest of the party.
A lot of Texas Republicans see betting as a cultural fight, not an economic one. They worry about problem gambling, and the optics of turning “God-fearing” Texas into yet another casino state. So even with billionaire owners, pro teams, lobbyists, and tribal casinos proving there’s demand, lawmakers keep treating gambling expansion like something that costs more politically than it’s worth.
Texas Betting Is Already Happening In Weird Ways
This is the ironic part about Texas gambling. The state can keep saying no to casinos and sports betting, but Texans are still finding ways to gamble. Some drive to Louisiana, Oklahoma, or New Mexico. Some use popular offshore sportsbooks or prediction markets. And as the numbers prove, many drive to Livingston and play bingo!
That’s our main takeaway with this Naskila expansion. Texas may not have a clean, fully regulated betting market… but it definitely has gambling in patches everywhere. Tribal casinos here, offshore sportsbooks there, prediction markets entering the picture, and neighboring states happily raking in dollars from betting-minded Texans.
Naskila’s new resort is proof that the demand is already there, big time. You do not build a 685,000-square-foot casino resort with a hotel, restaurants, event space, and thousands of gaming machines unless people are already showing up. Texas lawmakers can keep fighting this thing, but there’s no stopping Texans from doing it through some avenue. And if they do, wouldn’t it be nice to get some tax dollars from it? Sounds like it to us…
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