Poll Shows Lone Star State Voters Support Texas Sports Betting Legalization...Sort Of

A recent poll conducted by the Texas Hispanic Policy Foundation found that a majority of would-be voters support some form of Texas sports betting and casino gaming legalization. 

However, the results come with a slight twist. But is it one that suggests legal sports betting in Texas isn’t something in which residents are interested? Or is it more of a footnote?

And above, how much, if at all, do these polls matter when it comes to swaying state officials charged with tackling the topic?

Let’s find out.

Results from a Texas Sports Betting Poll Paint a Mixed View Among Voters

The survey in question reportedly included 1,600 respondents who count themselves as likely voters. While that’s a tiny sample relative to Texas’ population of over 30 million people, any poll that features over 1,000 participants is often found to portray a reasonably accurate general consensus.

This is to say, the results of the Texas sports betting poll are worth taking seriously. And speaking of results, here’s how things shook out, according to FOX 4:

“56 percent of the people surveyed supported the construction and operation of Destination Resort Casinos in Texas, compared to just 30 percent who opposed.The poll found 47 percent of Texans support legalizing online sports gambling compared to 37 percent who said they were against it. The only measure with more people in opposition (42 to 41) was to legalize the operation of sportsbooks at Texas professional sports venues. The polling found men were much more likely to support the bills legalizing gambling than women. The breakdown was fairly evenly split among political affiliations.”

This is a treasure trove of information packaged into a small space. The most notable data point? That would 47 percent of people saying they would support the legalization of Texas sports betting.

Of course, this share of respondents doesn’t represent a majority of everyone. Based on this information, it seems like 23 percent of participants either didn’t answer the prompt or were undecided. 

Indeed, 47 percent in favor versus 30 percent against is a big difference. That should be taken into account when weighing whether there’s interest in top online sportsbooks in the United States entering the market.

But is it enough for the returns to impact how Texas sports betting bills are discussed in 2025?

Do Voters Polls Actually Have an Influence Over State Policies?

The answer to this question is yes, polls can absolutely sway state policies. And that makes sense. Officials are supposed to serve their constituents. If voters want online sports betting in Texas, it should factor into whether a bill is passed during the next round of legislative meetings in 2025. 

And yet, this is an idealistic view of the way America’s political system works. Lobbyists, campaign donors and corporations tend to influence policies more than the general population. On the flip side, there are plenty of lobbyists and corporations, including pro sports teams, that would love to see Texas sports betting legalized. The fact that the state hasn’t shifted their laws yet speaks to a larger opposition. We are, of course, referring to Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick. He remains one of the staunchest opponents of Texas sports betting. His party line continues to be that there’s not enough interest among Senate members to thoroughly consider sports betting legislation.

Should it matter that a Texas sports betting initiative most recently made it through the House of Representatives? Or that a poll like this implies more Texas are for sports betting than against it? Again, yes. But these factors need to be more pronounced if they’re going to inject change upon the system.

Why the Latest Texas Sports Betting Poll May Ultimately Not Matter

At this point, it doesn’t seem like this poll will wind up mattering all that much. And it has nothing to do with the results. The returns will likely prove fairly accurate when extrapolated. 

Nevertheless, a 47 percent approval rating isn’t nearly enough to alter the thinking of or motivate officials. More importantly, the 23 percent of non-answers and undecided voters represents a massive margin of mystery. If most of them end up being opponents, there’s a chance anti-gambling stances represent a majority opinion. Equally important, if people are undecided now, they may remain indifferent in 2026. That’s the next time a Texas sports betting proposal can realistically appear on a general election ballot. And if too many voters are indifferent, they’re less likely to convey support. 

So, for results like this to matter and have a real impact, they need to be more concrete—more convincing. Until we know, with reasonable certainty, that the majority of voters support Texas sports betting, the uncertainty gives opponents like Lieutenant Governor Patrick the ammo necessary to continue nuking consideration.

To be sure, this isn’t meant to paint an impossibly bleak outlook of sports betting in the Lone Star State. Heck, the CEO of DraftKings is optimistic Texas sports betting will be live by 2026. And given how much money the Las Vegas Sand corporation has invested in the market, it seems like only a matter of time before Texas sports betting gets the go-ahead. But “matter of time” does not have to mean “by 2026.” It could mean 2028. Or 2030. Or later. There’s no real way of knowing until 2025 where the state stands—no matter how convincing, or unconvincing, the next sports betting poll might be.

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