Texas Citizens Aren’t Happy With Beto O’Rourke Backing Sports Betting

Chris BolineChris Boline | May 6, 2022
Texas Citizens Aren't Happy With Beto O'Rourke Backing Sports Betting

Just when you thought things couldn’t get any more dramatic when it comes to Texas sports betting, there’s been a new shift in things. That’s because some Texas citizens aren’t happy with Beto O’Rourke backing sports betting to become legal in the near future. This was surely expected, as there’s a major divide in Texas on whether or not to move forward with potential legalization plans.

If you ask O’Rourke, though, he sees things as a no-brainer for Texas legislation to legalize legal sports betting as soon as possible. O’Rourke, a longtime politician, has seen the incredible benefits for states across the country from a revenue standpoint. That’s why he’s in favor of things. Per a report, there’s plenty of people who aren’t happy with him for this. On the other side, he’s also gained support.

“If we were to make legal casino gambling and sports betting in the state of Texas — which, as you all know, many Texans engage in now, it’s only that those revenues go to other states and to other state governments — we would be able to bring in billions of dollars more,” O’Rourke said recently to the public. “And from listening to Texans from across the state, firstly, it’s a very popular proposal.”

What’s wild in this case is that plenty of people came out in support of O’Rourke recently with his take on the legal sports betting. Then, there’s also been a shift in things with people unhappy with him for taking one side over the other. This is only going to keep going leading up to election day. O’Rourke wants to be the next governor. His take on the betting could make or break his case once next fall arrives.

Texas sports betting remains at a stand still

What has made things even more interesting here is that Texas sports betting remains at a stand still. There’s really an even split on whether or not the sports betting should go down, as it feels like half the people in the state are all for it, while the other half doesn’t want things to be given the green light. This is only making things even more complicated for the local officials, which no one wants to see.

For the majority of sports fans, though, they’re all for the sports betting. People want to be able to check out the NFL betting odds and place bets on the Dallas Cowboys. With the 2022 NFL Draft going down last week, it would have been a fantastic opportunity for people to place wagers on who Dallas would select with its first-round pick. They ended up going with standout offensive tackle Tyler Smith. He’s a great player.

Think of all the wagers that would have been placed on this had people in the state been allowed to do so? Not only that, but the baseball season in full effect and fans are checking out the best rated sportsbooks on a daily basis. While the Texas Rangers may not hold the best MLB odds out there, they still have a huge following and people are always going to be intrigued by how things are going for them.

With all of that said, nothing is going to change unless everyone in Texas can get on the same page. If you ask O’Rourke, sports betting needs to come by 2023. Plenty of people agree with him, but now this latest update shows that people aren’t fully on board with him either. Now, things will only be more up in the air leading up to the November decision. O’Rourke is hoping to win – but who knows if that happens.

Jerry Jones keeps pushing for sports betting himself

When it comes to the legalization of Texas gambling, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones keeps pushing for sports betting himself here. This is no surprise, as Jones has said multiple times in the past that he thinks Texas sports betting would be a no-brainer. Not only that, but Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban has also come out in favor of sports betting. These two powerful men know the impact it’d have.

With Jones specifically, he’d love to see people make their way to AT&T Stadium in Arlington and place bets through sportsbooks at the stadium. AT&T Stadium is one of the biggest and most head-turning stadiums in the world. There’s no denying that. Now, imagine a future where sportsbooks would be present and people would place bets. It’d draw even more people to the games each week for sure.

Right now, there’s a wait and see for the millions of people who want Texas sports betting to come and Jones is most definitely on the list. He’ll continue to speak in support of this happening down the road. Once legalization arrives – which people are optimistic for – we could see the Cowboys take advantage of things. Jones, Cuban and so many other people would be fired up to see this happen. We’ll see if it goes.

Chris Boline

Chris Boline is an avid sports fan and currently works within the sports industry. He has previously written for outlets covering the NBA G League, Los Angeles Chargers, Mountain West Conference football and basketball and has been a writer for over 10 years. Chris is very involved within his local community and spends his free time working with community organizations, sitting on boards, and spending time with friends and family.