Texas online sports betting laws

Texas could potentially have one of the most lucrative sports betting markets in the United States. Its population, at more than 29 million, is second only to California. And the state is home to some of the country’s most famous pro sports teams as well as a long list of outstanding college programs.

Among the teams who play here are the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys, officially the sports team with the highest brand value in the world. All three of the state’s NBA teams have won championships, the Houston Astros have won the World Series and the Dallas Stars have won the Stanley Cup.

This is a state that loves its sport and loves to bet. It has been estimated that Texans spend $2.5 billion a year in border casinos in other states. However, the state’s lawmakers and many other powerful social interests remain entrenched in their unwillingness to entertain the idea of Texas sports betting.

That’s despite growing public opinion in favor. A March 2021 poll showed 57% of residents want casino gambling, and 43% are keen on sports betting. Eight bills were launched at the start of the 2021 legislative session, but only two managed to get committee time, and none reached final approval.

Owners of many of the leading sports teams in Texas, keen for a share in the massive potential sports betting market in the state, have thrown their weight behind legalization efforts. Texas faces a budget deficit in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis, a consideration that has also encouraged the interest of some politicians in sports betting. However, in this deeply conservative state, there is no shortage of opposition.

Dan Patrick, the state’s lieutenant governor, showed the height of the obstacles that Texas sports betting must clear with some forthright comments in February 2021 . Patrick said bluntly that sports betting was “not going to see the light of day this session”. He added that Texas Democrats, in a minority in the state Senate, were “nowhere close” to being able to force the public vote that would be needed to change the state constitution and allow sports betting. With various different parties pushing for legalization, and a heap of opponents firmly dug in, it is extremely unlikely that Texas sports betting will become a reality in the near future.

Although online horse-racing betting, just like all other forms of sports betting, is prohibited within the state, Texans can bet on live horse races in-person at any of the state’s authorized racetracks, which also offer simulcasting to facilitate betting on races held elsewhere.

This wasn’t always the case for one of the world’s oldest sports. In 2011, state lawmakers amended the Texas Racing Act to prohibit advance deposit wagering – taking bets online – and as a result this has had a significant hit on horse racing within the state. Today, you can find live racing at four horse-racing tracks, Gillespie Fair and Festivals, Lone Star Park, Retama Park, and Sam Houston Race Park, as well as three dog-racing venues.