In the Lone Star State, legalized gaming is at the forefront of many people’s minds and if/when it will be approved on a broad scale in the state. Per a recent report, the state of Texas holds between a 25-40% chance of legalizing sports betting in 2025, according to the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) political scientist Jon Taylor. The major headline in this report says that Texas could legalize sports betting if Donald Trump wins the presidency and Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick joins his administration. Noted in the article, the Texas legislature made major advances toward passage, giving hope to long-time gamblers in the Lone Star State. Next week’s election could play a big role in whether or not sports wagering gets ratified next year.
In this report, SBS will be going over what to look for from the latest gaming news coming from the Lone Star State along with some updated notes and info regarding Texas gaming.
In the 2023 legislative session, one report points out, the House passed a sports betting bill (HB 1942), but it died in the Senate. A few Republicans were against it, such as Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick. “Could you get a critical mass to be able to get it through the House again? I think you could,” Taylor recently told a local news outlet in the state. “The problem, again, is Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick in the State Senate.”
There are roughly 16 Senate races slated for this election. However, almost all of them will probably be held by the incumbent party. The only one, Senate District 27, is currently held by the Democratic incumbent Morgan LaMantia. If the Republican nominee Donald Trump defeats Vice President and Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in the Presidential Election, there’s a significant chance that Patrick will end up in the former president’s administration. That could be the key in order to get the ball rolling on sports betting regulation in Texas.
Noted in the same report, Taylor says the House side could also see a couple of swings this year. Multiple Democrats are projected to flip seats formerly held by Republicans, including Districts 118 and 121 in San Antonio. Overall, the political scientist is giving the Lone Star State less than a 50% chance to legalize sports betting in 2025. “I put the odds at much less than 50%, probably closer to about 30%, maybe 25% maybe even lower,” Taylor said.
Even if Trump wins the election, the senator that would replace Patrick would not be in favor of sports wagering any more than his potential predecessor, according to Taylor. “The guy that is going to be replacing, potentially, Patrick, is someone who is adamantly opposed to casino gambling and to online gaming,”Taylor said.
Per the article, the presumed Senator who would take over for Patrick if he was to leave to be part of Trump’s cabinet is Sen. Charles Schwertner (R-Bastrop). Taylor says lawmakers have been becoming more open-minded to the gaming bills over the years. This could be because several of their campaigns are funded by donors from the gaming industry. “What’s interesting, though, is if you look at the members of the State Senate, the Republican members, there are some that are getting donations from casino groups, from gaming groups,” he added. As noted before in this space, Texas is one of just 12 states that have not yet legalized sports betting.
In other Texas gaming news, after a decade-long legal battle, Fort Worth officials are poised to ban game rooms across the city by the end of 2024. Since 2015, the city has been involved in litigation over its attempts to regulate and prohibit game rooms. In June, the Texas Supreme Court denied a game room operator’s request to rehear the case, enabling city officials to make good on their plan to prohibit the controversial game rooms. Game rooms, or stores that feature six or more game machines, are found in gas stations and convenience stores across the city. The game machines, which city officials sought to classify as illegal gambling devices, are commonly referred to as eight-liners. Critics, including in Fort Worth’s Northside, say game rooms attract crime to neighborhoods.
Chris Mosley, senior assistant attorney for the city, told City Council members during an October 8th work session meeting noted in the same article that game rooms are “going to go.”
Once you are all squared away in relation to all of the most recent news coming from Texas, make sure to check out the wide array of info for you over at SBS. Of course, for even more information on the topic covered here, you can check out the sports betting in Texas guide which goes over all of the latest updates related to gambling in the region. Of course, for more updates on mobile wagering for eligible customers, you can check out the best betting apps rundown. Here you can learn more about the perks of mobile betting and how you can stay on top of the action if you qualify. Of course, if you are someone that is interested in some higher-stakes gaming, and qualify, look no further than the VIP sports betting sites breakdown where you can learn more about VIP betting.
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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