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While things remain a bit uncertain for Texas sports betting news, no one can question the fact that people in the state are taking things quite seriously. Yes, politicians have not been able to get on the same page, which has led to a delay in the project getting off the ground. However, more proponents are coming out to speak in favor of legalization. That’s why the news that Texas sports betting was discussed at South By Southwest.
For those of you who don’t know, South By Southwest is one of the biggest film festivals in the world that takes place each year in Austin, Texas. This year, things got started on March 8 and shortly after plenty of panels took place discussing some major issues. In a great update for local sports fans, Texas sports betting indeed was discussed at a South By Southwest panel, with plenty of people showing their support.
In 2023, Texas legislation met with the hopes of trying to get sports betting done, but it didn’t happen. With there being no legislative meeting this year, that means that people are going to have to wait until 2025 to see if the laws can change. This was a major topic of conversation during the panel, as the majority of people on hand said they wanted to see this finally happen for the state.
The main thing that was noted was the high amount of tax revenue that the state would be able to generate. According to a report, the total sports betting revenue across the world reached $8 billion. That’s a major chunk of change, with a strong amount of that number coming from the USA. More than 35 states have legalized betting, but Texas remains on the outside looking in. We will have to wait and see if that will change next year, but folks are feeling hopeful following this new panel.
Texas sports fans are furious they can’t bet on March Madness
For people at South By Southwest who have voiced their displeasure about no legal betting, this brings up the fact that Texas sports fans are furious they can’t bet on March Madness. In January and February, those same people were surely upset that they could not bet on the NFL postseason. The Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans were both in the NFL postseason, but anyone checking the NFL betting odds for them was just doing so for fun and not for wagering purposes.
This will be the case for people checking the NCAAB betting odds over the next three weeks or so. That’s because conference tournaments are taking place right now and then Selection Sunday for the 2024 NCAA Tournament will follow this weekend too. While the Texas Longhorns are already out of the Big 12 Tournament, the Texas Tech Red Raiders are in the semifinals and they’re taking on top-seeded Houston with a trip to the title game on the line.
Made a statement 💯 pic.twitter.com/DpwwKS0nSm
— Texas Tech Basketball (@TexasTechMBB) March 15, 2024
People in Lubbock would love nothing more than to place money on this game, but it’s not an option. Will that change next year? It’s up in the air, but again, the hope is that legal sports betting will be on the docket for 2025. The good news here is that a sports betting bill has already been pre-filed for next year. This shows how seriously proponents are taking things, as the bill already has a ton of support.
With Texas being one of the biggest states in the USA, it remains unreal that they’re so behind with the sports betting efforts. Both California and Texas are in the same boat in terms of not being able to get things processed, but both states are hoping that 2025 will be the year that they can finally get things done for their citizens. It will be interesting to see how things shape out here, but no one can argue that betting should be a priority moving forward.
What’s next for the Texas sports betting push?
Following the panel in Austin, people are wondering, what’s next for the Texas sports betting push? At this point, we’re going to have to wait and see what goes down in 2025, but the work is being put in early to make sure a new bill has its best chance to succeed. One thing to keep in mind is the Texas Sports Betting Alliance with pro teams and their owners remaining in play. The names to watch here are Jim Crane, Mark Cuban and Jerry Jones, owners of the Astros, Mavericks and Cowboys, respectively.
Astros owner Jim Crane and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones issue statements in support of legalizing mobile sports betting in Texas, via Texas Sports Betting Alliance. pic.twitter.com/xyxgLBYCV3
— Brian T. Smith (@BTSmithUK) February 6, 2023
For a while now, both Cuban and Jones have spoken about how important betting would be for the state. With Jones in particular, he sees this as a great opportunity to enhance the experience for people who visit AT&T Stadium to watch the Cowboys play. Could you imagine if sports betting kiosks were present for the action when Dallas was playing? It’d be awesome and it’s something Jones wants to get done soon. Luckily, it could come as early as next year, but we have to wait and see.
