Texas has a reputation where everything there is done on a large scale, as in “everything is bigger in Texas.” When it comes to sports wagering and gambling, this has not been the case and might not be the case until next year per a recent article. In this June report, a source noted that for decades, the state’s residents have left to places like Oklhaoma or Louisiana to satiate their gaming desires. With that in mind, there have been a number of changes regarding the future of betting in Texas. When that comes to pass though, it is up in the air.
In this article, SBS will go over some of the highlights from this report and also what other resources you can tap into regarding betting in Texas.
According to a recent spotlight, there is a big battle in terms of trying to legalize gaming in the state. Since 2015, current Texas governor Greg Abbott has taken a strong stance against gamlbing and casinos in the Lone Star State. During his tenure as governor he has made sure to keep gaming out of Texas and thus sent potential revenue to neighboring states. As the article points out, the Winstar Casino has been a popular destination for locals of Texas to visit Oklahoma since 2003. What’s more, in Lake Charles, many Texans are able to find gaming at their leisure when they cross over to Louisiana in the east.
Per a report from 2019, an estimate in the Dallas Morning News said that over $2.5 billion is spent annually by Texans at casinos in neighboring states. With that much potential revenue at stake, Governor Abbott has softened his stance a little as of late. In February of 2021 he said he would like an opportunity to visit with members of the Texas Lottery to get their feedback, along with the feedback of voters in Texas on the topic of gaming legalization in the state.
This certainly will be a tense topic during the upcoming voting cycle. According to one source, democratic candidate for Texas governor Beto O’Rourke has supported the initiative for legalized sports gaming. This ballot initiative would potentially come to fruition during the Nov. 8 election cycle if all goes well. As pointed out by the author, a recent poll from the Dallas Morning News found that 57% of Texans support gaming.
Though Abbott has indicated he is open to revisiting gaming, the rest of his party does not feel the same way. Per one article, the Republican Party of Texas is still very much opposed to the idea of sports gaming legalization. According to Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Partick, Texas is not very close to having the votes to push legalized sports betting into effect. He also pointed out that there is no bill that has been filed to the Texas Senate to push the initiative along. As one author notes in their report, with Patrick and the Texas GOP silencing a pro-sports wagering bill in 2021, it would be impossible for a new bill to be introduced until at least 2023.
However, there are some other major power brokers making a play for a sports gaming push in Texas. For instance, the Houston Astros inked a partnership with BetMGM back in May of this year. This came after influential Cowboys owner Jerry Jones vocalized his support for sports wagering back in summer of 2021.
If you are interested in checking out more details regarding wagering in the Lone Star State then our Texas sports wagering guide is just the right thing for you. On this fantastic page you can find a ton of resources relating to betting in the state along with a plethora of information in relation to bonuses and deposit methods. Speaking of deposit methods, our SBS overview of payment options is a great tool that allows you to pick and choose which sites are the best for your desired payment methods. This includes options like Bitcoin or a more traditional avenue like Discover Card. In fact, our American Express wagering page might be a good place to start and familiarize yourself with these options and what is accepted.
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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