Johnson explained that consulting the city council is a major thing casino operators need to consider. The Council Would Decide if a Company Can “Plop a Casino” While the legislature will ultimately decide whether casino gaming can happen at all, Johnson believes that the conversation doesn’t need to start there. And so, it would need to become legal by a change in state law. Obviously, casino gambling is not legal in Texas, right? It’s not. The recent acquisition of the Mavericks, which is still subject to approval from the NBA, has sparked theories that the coming of casino gaming may be on the horizon. While Texas doesn’t currently allow commercial casino gaming, activists have sought to change that for years, with some spending millions on lobbying. Johnson reflected on this possibility in the wake of the deal between Las Vegas Sands and the Dallas Mavericks which saw the casino operator acquire land in Irving. He outlined some of the challenges operators may have to face, warning them that the legalization of casino gaming is not the only thing they need to keep in mind. Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson commented on the future of casino gaming in the city during his annual interview with the Dallas Regional Chamber of Commerce.
