Chris Boline
In some great news, more and more people are coming out in support for Texas sports betting making its way over sooner than later. We’ve seen Jerry Jones, Mark Cuban, Beto O’Rourke and many others voice their pleasure. Now, you can add Rick Perry to the list. In a positive spin for the battle for wagers, the big news came in of the former Texas governor pushing for legal sports betting in the state.
It goes without saying, but this really feels like it’s massive for Texas. What makes things even more intriguing here is that Perry, who served as governor from 2000-2015, has joined the Texas Sports Betting Alliance. It’d be one thing if Perry just came out and said he wanted betting to go down. Nope, that’s not enough, as him joining the alliance takes things to a new level and people are thrilled about it.
“Betting on sporting events is nothing new. 35, 36 other states already do this because the Supreme Court met and said, you know, you can’t ban this,” Perry said in an interview with Fox 7 Austin in Texas. “This is a state issue. So two-thirds of the states have already said, you know what, this is going to go on. Let’s regulate it. Let’s make sure that it’s safe. Let’s make sure that your information doesn’t get used by some nefarious platform somewhere. That’s why the time is right.”
As you can see in that quote from Perry, he knows that the time indeed is right for Texas to move forward with sports betting. We’ve seen bills try and get approved in the past, but there’s been a road block that’s come in the way. This is something that a lot of people, including team owners, are hoping can change soon. With all eyes on 2023 for Texas sports betting, Perry appears to be all in on making something happen.
Former Texas governor and U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry has joined the Sports Betting Alliance and says the time is right. https://t.co/beNlukfJJL
— FOX 7 Austin (@fox7austin) December 14, 2022
Texas sports betting could be approved by 2023
What’s important to remember here is that Texas sports betting could be approved by 2023. If that happens, then the long wait for everyone will be over and folks will no longer have to travel to outside states to make their sports bets. Right now, people would love to check the NFL betting odds for the Dallas Cowboys, as the NFC East powerhouse is hoping to go on a deep run in the postseason.
With Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb and others playing so well, Dallas sure has exciting Super Bowl betting odds and people want to be able to bet on them. However, that’s not an option as things stand. Perry has seen well over 30 other states in the USA move forward with legal sports betting, and he’s frustrated that officials and legislators haven’t put their heads together to help Texas move forward with a strong, strategic plan. Perry is also tired of illegal betting going down.
“I want to say about $8.7 billion worth of bets (was placed) last year in the state of Texas,” Perry told Fox 7. “I mean, sports betting is not going to go away. My point is, it’s here. It’s going to stay. Let’s make sure that Texans that are – they’re safe, secure and that they know that if they do place that bet, that they’ll receive their payment, if they make the right bet and that their private information is not used in some form or fashion, and that’s not appropriate.”
Illegal sports betting in Texas has become far too popular, and with millions of dollars being exchanged in unregulated fashion, this is bad news as a whole for the state. High criminal activity continues to be recorded and someone needs to step in to fix this. Perry wants to see the legislators take charge and do the right thing. Sports betting in Texas would be fantastic for everyone involved if it does come in 2023.
Coming up clutch!@dak mic'd up for the @dallascowboys game-winning drive. pic.twitter.com/jpJid2ruq2
— NFL UK (@NFLUK) December 14, 2022
People are hard at work to try and bring Texas sports betting
What’s great about Perry’s efforts is that it shows people are hard at work to try and bring Texas sports betting to the Lone Star State. With so much interest in the NFL, NBA, MLB, college sports and more, it just feels like a no-brainer for legal activity to be allowed. The failed efforts in the past have people worried, but the good news here is that folks like Perry are ready to roll up their sleeves to see change. He’s not worried about the casino gambling debate being mixed in either.
“I think the members of the legislature are wise enough to know the difference,” Perry said during his interview. “I think they’re educated enough to understand that casino gambling is a very different animal, so to speak, then the sports betting issue. Totally different animals.”
Looking ahead to the potential of Texas sports betting, there’s obviously a lot of moving parts. In recent years, we’ve seen politicians speak out against the idea. That’s why Perry stepping up like this is such massive news for Texas. We’ll see if he can prove to be a needed leader in the hunt for Texas sports betting. Things sure are heating up there.
