Certainly a captivating race for some time, there is optimism surrounding the passage of sports betting in Texas during the 2025 legislative session at least per some supporters. Noted in a recent report from a local authority on the matter, the Texas legislature failed to legalize sports betting during the previous session after a historic House vote approved a bill that the Senate did not pass. However, sports betting advocates suggest this upcoming session might provide a breakthrough. Before the Texas legislature made gambling illegal in 1903, there was still a great deal of gambling in the Lone Star State. The state passed the law that prohibited most types of gambling as a response to social vices that stemmed from the activity, like physical and gun fights. Since 1903, Texas has followed the same principle when it comes to sports betting, but that time may be coming to an end.
In this article, SBS will be going over what to look for from the latest gaming updates coming from the Lone Star State and also some additional notes coming from SBS and beyond.
Covered in this space before and also in the report, House Joint Resolution 102, which would have opened the door to legalizing sports betting and allowed voters to pass a constitutional amendment while doing so, was supported by the Texas House during the 88th legislature. Additionally, the bill, which required a two-thirds Senate majority, was approved by the House, but the Senate did not have the numbers to pass it.
“I have said repeatedly there is little to no support for expanding gaming from Senate GOP,” Lieutenant Gov. Dan Patrick said in a post on X at the time. “I polled members this week. Nothing changed. The Senate must focus on issues voters expect us to pass. We do not waste time on bills without overwhelming GOP support.”
As of this article’s writing, sports betting is inactive in 12 states, including Texas. That said, several interested parties have joined forces to publicly urge the legislature to authorize sports betting through the Texas Sports Betting Alliance (TSBA). Its partners include nearly all of Texas’ top sports teams, including the Houston Astros, Dallas Cowboys, Austin FC, and the Texas Motor Speedway. Additionally, the article notes, that former Texas Secretary of State John Scott, who was Gov. Greg Abbott’s deputy attorney general for over a year, is currently the spokesperson for the Sports Betting Alliance. Additionally, he told one source in the state regarding Patrick’s opposition, “He has always made it clear that if there is a groundswell within the Senate from their constituents that they want this, then he is open to it.”
“I think last time his biggest opposition was that he really had not heard from his members, and the Senate had not heard from constituents that they wanted online gambling,” Scott said.
Per the same report, the public has a major demand for sports betting, and power brokers like the TSBA want to benefit from the increased revenue legal sports betting would bring Texas. According to the American Gaming Association, Texans spent an estimated $6 billion annually on unregulated sports betting in 2022. Additionally, per an estimate by Eilers and Krejcik Gaming, if sports betting were regulated, Texas could earn more than $360 million in direct taxes each year. According to a recent industry forecast, Lone Star State may be the most profitable online sports betting market in the U.S. An estimated $32.1 billion is handled annually. Finally, GeoComply recorded more than 1.48 million attempts to visit legal sportsbooks from Texas in November 2024, an 87 percent increase over November 2023.
Despite a heavy demand for sports betting, there are significant concerns surrounding the industry and the continued normalization and spread of gambling in the United States. Financial woes and gambling addiction are what states and the federal government are continuing to reckon with as sports gambling becomes more common. Despite these moral concerns, Texas is gearing up to join the sports betting party at some point it would appear. Senator Carol Alvarado, a Democrat from Houston, has already introduced one bill that would legalize sports betting. On January 14, 2025, the Texas legislature will reconvene at the Capitol for its 89th session the article notes. Moreover, as this battle to push this legislation through continues, the amount of gaming support has only grown in the state as residents continue to look for options from either neighboring states or through other means that were briefly touched on in this report.
After you are all squared away regarding the latest gaming updates and notes coming from Texas, make sure to tap into the excellent array of information for you over at SBS. Of course, for additional insights into the topic covered here, check out the sports betting in Texas guide which goes over all of the latest news coming from the Lone Star State. Conversely, for those interested in diversifying their deposit and withdrawal options, look no further than the payment methods rundown. Here you can find a variety of options from traditional banking routes to newer options like crypto and beyond. Finally, for those on the go and qualify, make sure to peruse the best betting apps breakdown which covers the nuances of mobile betting and beyond.
About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football and basketball across the country. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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