Mark Cuban rolls the dice on Dallas gambling. Is Fort Worth even at the table? | Opinion

Mark Cuban has made his move, and Fort Worth leaders must be prepared to make theirs.

Cuban has enlisted the Las Vegas family behind the Sands gambling empire to buy a majority stake in the Dallas Mavericks with an eye toward building a new casino and arena near downtown Dallas.

Gambling is a mixed bag at best for Texas. And we remain unconvinced that Tarrant County needs casinos, especially for Cuban’s stated reason of boosting tourism and convention business. But if Cuban is making plans, then city and county leaders should be ready to ensure Tarrant County isn’t left out.

If gambling fits anywhere in Tarrant County, it’s the Stockyards, where gaming was part of the culture for nearly 100 years, or Arlington’s Entertainment District.

For now, it’s a theoretical discussion. The Legislature hasn’t budged on expanded gambling. The threshold is high — two-thirds of both the House and Senate, along with voter approval in a statewide election. Even attempts to recognize the indisputable popularity of poker and sports betting have been stymied.

But the day will come when Texas lawmakers will allow voters to decide if they want to approve more gambling, just as they did for liquor sales, horse racing and the lottery, despite opposition from Christian conservatives.

It may be that the last real obstacle is Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. The House has shown openness to gaming bills, but Patrick has said the votes aren’t there in the Senate — which generally means Patrick doesn’t want it.

Patrick once said that his current term would be his last, but more recently said he would “absolutely” run in 2026. And he’d probably win. But he will not be there forever, and neither will Texas’ ban on casino gambling.

In the meantime, Cuban and the Adelsons will be laying the groundwork with state and local leaders. The Vegas family is a big player in GOP politics, including a $1 million campaign donation to Gov. Greg Abbott last year from Miriam Adelson, who owns a majority of Sands Corp.

The long timeline is a good thing, if used correctly. Texas needs a thorough debate on expanded gambling, one that reckons with the absolute reality that people will fall into addiction and families will be harmed. Cuban, Sands and other enthusiasts portray posh resorts that mix gambling with convention business and other tourist attractions.

But Dallas will hardly be alone — Galveston, El Paso, Houston and San Antonio would seem to be likely destinations for gaming companies. Rural Texans will want to know what’s in it for them, and the state should think long and hard about opening all of Texas to slots, sports books or even small casinos.

We are skeptical the tradeoffs are worth it. The instant boom of sports betting that followed a Supreme Court decision striking down federal regulation is alarming even some enthusiasts. The ubiquity of such gambling on a smartphone is a particular problem, but how different is it to have a casino a few miles from home?

For Fort Worth, the contrast of trying to draw high-tech companies with top-tier jobs with being yet another casino destination seems odd. But responsible leaders should be prepared, if the voters want it, to have the best possible options and to compete.

Step one: Reach out to the Mavericks’ new owners. We’d love to see the team more engaged in Tarrant County. We’ve got great venues for occasional games, even if just the preseason variety.

Imagine the intimacy of a contest at Dickies Arena or the huge-crowd potential at Globe Life Field. The Mavs played an annual preseason game at the convention center downtown for years in the 1980s and ’90s to benefit the Lena Pope Home. A whole new generation of Fort Worth and Arlington fans is waiting to be engaged.

So is a new cohort of gamblers. Texas and Fort Worth should be cautious, but ready.