Chris Boline
The betting landscape in Texas is always changing, though more slowly than in other states. The relationship between tribes, state legislators, and private betting companies is always evolving. It is important for Lone Star State bettors to pay attention to the latest Texas betting news.
For now, just know that offshore bookies are currently legally available to Texas bettors, and none of the bills or ballot measures likely to pass will affect this. You can continue to access these offshore bookies while we watch the snail’s pace of the Texas legislature.
Let’s review the current state of betting laws and the efforts to move forward. We will also analyze their likelihood of becoming reality.
Prospects of Opening up Betting in Texas
Given the freewheeling and dealing reputation of Texans, and the fact that the most popular type of Poker shares a name with the Lone Star state, it may come as a surprise that it is such an anti-gambling stronghold. As a big and populous state, there is a lot of revenue on the line.
While the state is strict, there are some openings. Pari-Mutuel horse race betting is allowed, but only if you go to the actual racetrack. There are currently three class 1 tracks in texas: Lone Star Park, Retama Park, and Sam Houston Race Park.
The state also runs the Texas Lottery, which has some of the largest jackpots in the nation. The revenue from this venture goes to education and veteran assistance, all very worthy causes.
Many Native American territories within Texas also have their casinos, though their legality is often under question. The state sometimes seems bent on closing them down.
Ever since the 2018 Supreme Court decision that allowed states to legalize sports betting if they so choose, the prospects for doing so in Texas seem far-fetched at the moment. Perhaps it is the southern US culture that makes this prospect seem farther and farther away. Despite the fact that more than half of US states have legalized sports betting, with many others considering doing so, Texas seems locked down as an anti-gambling state.
Las Vegas Sands Go All In
While the outlook is bleak for the legalization of sports betting, many groups are pushing for the opening up of the state. Las Vegas Sands is currently pushing legislation to make this happen.
They even have the backing of some important lawmakers. John Kuempel and Carol Alvorado have been allies of the organization in their case to legalize sports betting and start collecting that tax revenue.
Nonetheless, we expect to see this taken up again in 2023. The Texas legislature only meets every two years, so this will have to wait for a bit longer than in most states. Here, things move slowly.
Texans Can Use Online Betting Sites
While we wait for the legal fate of in-state sports betting to be resolved, there is a legitimate and legal option open to Texas bettors. Because offshore sportsbooks have their servers elsewhere, they are not regulated by Texas law.
You can use any of these Texas online betting sites. No problem!
