Is Sports Betting Legal in Texas?

by Dan Favale

Updated: June 16, 2026

No. Texas does not have legal, state-regulated sports betting. There are no licensed online sportsbooks, retail sportsbooks, or tribal sportsbooks operating in the state. The legislature has not passed sports betting legislation, and voters have not approved a constitutional amendment.

So how are Texans accessing sportsbooks? Many use offshore sites that accept U.S. players. Others travel to neighboring states like Louisiana, Oklahoma, or Arkansas to bet in person. Some use DFS pick’em apps as a workaround. Each option has different rules and risks.

This guide covers Texas gambling laws, the current legal status, what gambling options are allowed today, and what Texans can use while the market remains unregulated. We also walk through the legislative history and the realistic timeline for future legalization.

For a broader overview, see our guide on sports betting in Texas.

Is sports betting legal in Texas right now?

No. As of 2026, Texas has no legal framework for sports betting. There are no state-licensed sportsbooks. No retail sportsbooks operate at the state’s three tribal casinos. No online betting apps are authorized to take wagers from Texas residents.

This applies to every major U.S. operator. DraftKings Sportsbook, FanDuel Sportsbook, BetMGM, Caesars, Fanatics, and ESPN Bet do not offer sports betting in Texas. They cannot legally accept bets from anyone within state lines. These platforms only operate in states with legal sports betting frameworks.

Texas legalization requires a constitutional amendment. The legislature alone cannot legalize sports betting. The amendment needs two-thirds approval from both legislative chambers. Then it goes to voters for final approval. That makes Texas one of the highest-bar states in the country for legalization.

Many Texas residents still access offshore sportsbooks. Sites like Bovada, BetOnline, and MyBookie hold international licenses and accept U.S. players. They are not licensed by Texas. They are not regulated by any U.S. state authority. Players use them at their own discretion.

For Texas-specific gambling law information, see the Texas State Law Library gambling guide.

Texas sports betting laws explained

Texas gambling law is governed by the Texas Constitution and Penal Code Chapter 47. The constitution requires the legislature to prohibit gambling, with specific exceptions. Major gambling expansions generally require a constitutional amendment passed by both chambers and approved by voters.

Penal Code Section 47.02 makes it a Class C misdemeanor to make a bet on “the partial or final result of a game or contest or on the performance of a participant in a game or contest.” That language directly covers sports betting. The penalty is up to a $500 fine. Casual social betting between individuals has a defense built into the statute.

Penal Code Section 47.03 covers gambling promotion, including bookmaking, operating or participating in the earnings of a gambling place, and selling chances on game or contest outcomes. Under the current official text, an offense under Section 47.03 is a Class A misdemeanor, not a third-degree felony. Penal Code Section 47.04 separately covers keeping a gambling place and is also classified as a Class A misdemeanor. See the official Texas Penal Code Chapter 47.

Federal law also matters. The 2018 Supreme Court decision in Murphy v. NCAA struck down PASPA, which had previously banned state sports betting outside Nevada. After Murphy, individual states could decide whether to legalize. Texas has not.

Some forms of gambling are constitutionally permitted in Texas. The state lottery (1991 amendment), pari-mutuel horse and greyhound racing (1987 amendment), and charitable bingo (1979 amendment) all received voter approval. Sports betting has never been put on a Texas ballot. The closest attempt was HJR 102 in 2023, which passed the House but was blocked from a Senate vote.

Until Texas voters approve a constitutional amendment, sports betting remains illegal. The legislature can’t bypass this requirement. Those structural barriers are why Texas remains one of the most difficult states to legalize gambling expansion.

This is different from how most states have legalized sports betting. Many states, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, were able to legalize through simple legislation. Their state constitutions didn’t require a public vote on gambling expansion. Texas’s constitutional structure adds an extra hurdle that other states don’t face.

Several neighboring states have moved ahead. Louisiana has legal retail and online sports betting. Arkansas has legal sports betting through casino operators. New Mexico has retail sports betting at some tribal locations. Texas remains one of the most restrictive large states for sports betting.

For the official legal text, see Texas Penal Code Chapter 47.

What gambling is legal in Texas today?

Texas is restrictive, but a few forms of gambling are legal. Here’s what residents can access right now.

The legal options are narrow and specific. The Texas Lottery is one of the most visible forms of legal gambling in the state. Three tribal casinos offer Class II gaming, mainly bingo-based electronic games. Horse racing exists, but the industry is much smaller than in major racing states. Charitable bingo and raffles serve nonprofit fundraising purposes.

Notably absent: commercial casinos, online casinos, sports betting, and online poker. Texas has never authorized these activities and shows no near-term signs of doing so. The legal gambling menu in Texas is roughly the same as it has been for decades.

The Texas Lottery deserves special mention. Established in 1991 by constitutional amendment, it generates billions annually for public education. The lottery is the only state-run gambling operation in Texas. The state has resisted expanding its offering. Online lottery ticket sales have been proposed multiple times, but have not been authorized. The official Texas Lottery app supports non-wagering features such as scanning draw-game and scratch tickets, viewing winning numbers, checking jackpot amounts, entering promotional second-chance drawings, saving lucky numbers, finding scratch tickets, and locating licensed retailers. It should not be treated as an app for real-money lottery play or online ticket purchases.

Pari-mutuel horse racing was authorized in 1987 but the industry has struggled. Tracks like Sam Houston Race Park, Retama Park, and Lone Star Park host live racing. Online and telephone horse race wagering is not broadly authorized in Texas. State racing rules say that a person other than an association may not solicit or accept wagers from the public on pari-mutuel horse or greyhound races, so avoid presenting ADW platforms such as TVG or TwinSpires as clearly permitted options for Texas residents.

Offshore sportsbooks available to Texas players

Since no state-regulated sportsbooks exist, some Texas residents look at offshore sites. These platforms may hold licenses from jurisdictions outside the U.S., but they are not licensed by Texas or regulated by any U.S. state authority.

Why do players use them? The reasons come down to access and product breadth. Offshore sportsbooks offer the full betting menu: spreads, moneylines, totals, props, parlays, futures, and live betting. They work on mobile. Most accept cryptocurrency. They’re available immediately without waiting for Texas to legalize.

Commonly used offshore sportsbooks among Texas players include Bovada, BetOnline, MyBookie, BetUS, and BookMaker. Each operates a sportsbook, casino, and poker room under the same umbrella. First-deposit bonuses range from 50% to 200% of the amount deposited. Each platform has its own strengths in different markets.

• Pros: Full market access, mobile betting, crypto deposit options, immediate availability, and broad sport coverage, including international leagues.
• Cons: Not Texas-licensed, no state consumer protections, variable withdrawal times, limited dispute resolution, legal gray area for players.

Important context: Texas law primarily targets sportsbook operators, not individual bettors. A gambling offense under Penal Code Section 47.02 is generally treated as a Class C misdemeanor, while operating an illegal gambling business carries much more serious penalties. This does not make offshore play state-regulated, but it helps explain the difference between player risk and operator risk.

For a deeper look at sportsbook apps available to Texas players, visit our Texas betting apps page. For specific reviews, check our sportsbook reviews.

Texas sports betting timeline and legalization efforts

Sports betting legalization has been a recurring topic in Texas for nearly a decade. Multiple bills have been introduced. Several have made progress in the House. None has made it past the Senate. Here’s the timeline that brings us to 2026.

The pattern is consistent. Bills get filed. Some pass the House. None pass the Senate. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick controls the Senate and has consistently blocked sports betting from coming to a vote. His term runs through January 2027. He has indicated he plans to seek another four-year term, which would extend his control through 2031.

Despite the political resistance, lobbying continues. The Sports Betting Alliance (DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Fanatics) and the Texas Sports Betting Alliance (Cowboys, Astros, Mavericks, Spurs, Rangers, Texans, Rockets, Stars, FC Dallas, and others) both spend heavily to advance the issue. Their strategy appears to focus on long-term lobbying and incremental legislative progress.

Is Texas going to legalize sports betting?

Not in the immediate future. The 2027 legislative session is the next opportunity. Even if a bill passes both chambers, voters would need to approve it through a constitutional amendment referendum. The earliest realistic timeline for sports betting going live in Texas is 2028.

Several factors make near-term legalization difficult. Dan Patrick remains the Senate gatekeeper through January 2027 at a minimum. His position has not softened. The 12 House GOP members who pledged to oppose gambling expansion in 2025 still represent a meaningful voting bloc, according to the Texas Tribune.

That said, conditions are slowly changing. Governor Greg Abbott has signaled openness to letting voters decide. Texas pro sports teams have unified behind legalization. Casino interests have spent millions on lobbying, advertising, PACs, and long-term political advocacy in Texas, according to reporting from the Fort Worth Business Press.

The most likely scenarios for eventual legalization include: a 2027 bill that passes both chambers and reaches voters in November 2027, a 2029 effort if Patrick declines re-election or loses his seat, or a future Lt. Governor more favorable to expansion. None of these are guaranteed. Texas remains one of the toughest states in the country to legalize gambling.

Texans already spend billions gambling in neighboring states and Las Vegas, while one estimate puts Texas’ missed tax revenue at nearly $300 million annually, according to Axios Dallas.

Pro sports teams represent another lever. The Cowboys, Astros, Mavericks, Spurs, Rangers, Texans, Rockets, Stars, and FC Dallas have all aligned in support of legalization. They want sponsorship deals, in-venue betting, and the marketing partnerships that come with legal markets. As more teams push publicly, political resistance becomes harder to maintain.