Rumors: Texas Sports Betting is Close to Being Legalized

Even if Texas is not one of the states that is getting set to vote on the legalization of online sports betting, the state’s gambling industry, specifically the sports betting one, is still very much in the public’s consciousness. Although attempts to make sports betting legal in Texas in 2021 were unsuccessful, there is little to no question that further efforts will be made in the future to make sports betting in Texas a possibility.

Current Sports Betting Laws In Texas

As of right now, there are no legal options for sports betting in Texas in any manner, shape, or form, including online, in casinos, or in any other setting. An effort was made in 2021 to change that, but tragically, numerous measures presented failed to pass out of committee back in April 2021. It follows that Texans cannot anticipate the legalization of Texas sports betting until 2023 at the earliest, since the legislative session only occurs every two years. 

Thankfully, it is absolutely not against the law for citizens of Texas to place bets through offshore betting sites. The state of Texas is not responsible for issuing licenses, authorizing operations, or enforcing regulations for offshore sportsbooks. Because these sites are regulated in a jurisdiction other than Texas (and the United States as a whole), it is perfectly legal and safe for people living in Texas to place bets through them.

Texas has historically seen quite a conservative backlash against gambling, which has prevented it from becoming one of the major US major gaming hubs.

It is currently considered a breach of Texas law if individual bets on the outcome of a game or event, whether partial or final, or on the performance of a player in a game or event, bets on the outcome of any political candidacy, appointment, or election, or on the likelihood that any contender, nominee, or appointee would come out victorious, or participates in any game using cards, dice, balls, or any other type of gambling apparatus and places bets for cash or other valuables.

Possible Legalization On Sports Betting In Texas

Even though Texas is not one of the states that is getting set to vote on the legalization of online sports betting, which can provide an amazing investing opportunity,  the state’s gambling industry is still very much in the public consciousness. Although attempts to make online sports betting legal in Texas in 2021 were unsuccessful, there is little question that further efforts will be made in the future to make sports betting in Texas a possibility. One of the candidates running for governor in Texas at the moment has even said that, if elected, he intends to support a proposal to legalize sports betting in the state of Texas.

It does not seem likely that the state of Texas will legalize sports betting before 2023. Due to the fact that the Texas Legislature only convenes during odd-numbered years, there will be a gap of two years before another attempt at legalization is made.

In Austin’s legislative culture, there is a deep-seated resistance to any form of betting growth, no matter how little. The people of Texas don’t have a particularly strong aversion to betting on sports. According to the results of a survey that was carried out not too long ago by the University of Texas at Tyler, 43 percent of Texans are in favor of legalizing sports betting in the state, while 31 percent have mixed feelings about the subject. There were only 26% who were completely against it.

The fact that these percentages were relatively similar across all party lines is perhaps the most startling finding; the only group with a larger resistance to expansion was white evangelicals. Even still, just 44% of those people felt sufficiently passionately about the issue to express their opposition to the implementation of sports betting. In a related finding, the same survey found that more than half of respondents supported the idea of legalizing gambling in casinos throughout the state.

On the other hand, elderly adults continue to be the demographic with the highest likelihood of both voting and making financial contributions to political causes. Gambling is seen by this demographic in Texas in a generally unfavorable light. As a result, the minority of voters in the Lone Star State who are opposed to anything have a tendency to be the most vociferous, and they also have the means necessary to get the attention of state lawmakers. It is not a coincidence that both Governor Greg Abbott and Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick have been steadfast in their opposition to the expansion of betting while they have been in office.

Additionally, Texas lawmakers get significant contributions from casino interests located in other states. For example, throughout the years, the Chickasaw Nation, which operates the WinStar World Casino in Oklahoma (which is situated around an hour’s drive north of the DFW Metroplex), has given more than $15 million to various political interests, the majority of which are located in the state of Texas.

Therefore, despite the fact that a majority of Texans appear to be in favor of investigating the possibility of introducing sports betting, there are significant obstacles to overcome on the political front before the issue can be put to the state’s voters.