Texoma Patriots set July 28 meeting in Sherman on gambling and Texas taxpayers

The Texoma Patriots have scheduled a 7 p.m. meeting for Tuesday, July 28, at the Grandy's at 3201 Texoma Parkway in Sherman, according to an announcement posted on the group's website. That notice gives the program the title "Predatory Gambling and Texas Taxpayers" and lists Destin Sensky of Texans for Fiscal Responsibility as the speaker.

Grandy's lists a Sherman restaurant at the same address on its own website, matching the venue named in the announcement. The Texoma Patriots describe themselves online as an organization that started in Grayson County in 2009, which places the July 28 gathering on the calendar of a long-running local group rather than making it a stand-alone event.

Gambling rules in Texas are set in the state constitution, so the kinds of proposals covered by the announced topic would reach Cooke County residents along with everyone else in the state. The constitution, as published by the Texas Legislative Council, still directs the Legislature to prohibit lotteries and gift enterprises, with exceptions written into the document for charitable bingo and charitable raffles, along with lotteries operated by the state.

Because of that language, efforts to widen legal gambling have been filed as proposed constitutional amendments, and the Legislature's bill records show where each one stopped. The Texas House adopted HJR 102 in 2023, a measure that would have authorized wagering on certain sporting events and dedicated at least 98 percent of the net state tax revenue from it to property-tax relief. The last action recorded for that resolution was its receipt by the Senate. A separate 2023 measure on casino gaming, HJR 155, was reported out of committee but ended with a postponement in the House instead of final passage.

Two proposals filed in 2025 did not get that far. HJR 134 would have legalized wagering on certain sporting events. HJR 137 would have authorized casino gaming and sports wagering under state regulation and taxation. Bill records list both as remaining in the House State Affairs Committee.

One gambling-related law did take effect during that session. SB 3070 became effective June 20, 2025, abolishing the Texas Lottery Commission and transferring administration of the state lottery and charitable bingo to the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation.

Across the Red River, Oklahoma's gaming compliance report for fiscal year 2025 counts 33 tribes operating 138 Class III gaming facilities. Those tribes paid more than $221 million to the state in state-tribal exclusivity fees, according to the report, with the Choctaw Nation accounting for roughly $50.7 million of the total.

The group's own posting is the source of record for the meeting's date, time, location, topic and speaker.