New Poll Shows Extensive Support for Texas Online Sports Betting

A new poll shows support for Texas online sports betting is on the rise.

With the future of sports betting in The Lone Star State engendering plenty of discussion and division, voter sentiment is beginning to be more frequently thrust under the microscope. These efforts have intensified even further ever since Governor Greg Abbott expressed an openness to Texas online sports betting.

Once upon a time, the results of such studies were considered a foregone conclusion. A lack of advocacy for online sports betting in Texas is often traced back to the Senate. For so long, though, their views supposedly reflected those of constituents. 

In recent years, it has become clear this isn’t exactly the case. And now, as it turns out, there may be a stark disconnect between voter sentiment on Texas sports betting and how it is viewed by state policymakers.

More Than Half of Voters Support Texas Online Sports Betting

This latest poll is the brainchild of the University of Houston’s Hobby School of Public Affairs. They surveyed Texans aged 18 and older on various subjects. These topics included not just Texas sports betting, but also casino commercialization and the legalization of marijuana.

According to the results, well more than 50 percent of respondents say they support the legalization of Texas online sports betting. Here is Pat Evans from Legal Sports Report with more:

“The survey found that 73 percent of Texans support the legalization of destination resort casinos. Texas billionaires such as Mark Cuban and Jerry Jones support the issue. Sixty percent of Texans support online sports betting, while 56 percent of the respondents support in-person sportsbooks at Texas stadiums. Various demographics of respondents, whether age group, partisan affiliation, or race, all answered similarly in the report. The Hobby School of Public Affairs conducted the survey through a YouGov panel of 1,200 Texas adults between Jan. 13-21. There was a margin of error of 2.83 percent with a sampling frame on gender, age, race/ethnicity, and education. It was conducted in English and Spanish.” 

The fact results held up across a variety of different demographics speaks to a certain consensus. Of course, the poll does not appear to mention anything about religious denominations. And Texas is teeming with Christian Conservatives. That group, the thinking goes, will be starkly opposed to sports betting. 

However, polls from the previous two years show a declining share of opposition among conservative christians. Factor in the low margin for error on this poll, and it suggests that if Texas online betting ever makes it on to the electoral ballot, it may have little trouble passing.

Sports Betting in The Lone Star State Still Faces Uphill Battle

Despite a favorable sentiment among voters, Texas online sports betting efforts continue to face an uphill battle. That’s why very little is being made of the latest bill on the table.

House Representative Sam Harless recently filed House Joint Resolution 134 (HJR 134). The initiative seeks to legalize Texas sports betting, among other things. Experts believe it will be successful inside the House of Representatives, specifically. Last time a Texas sports betting bill was up for consideration, the House voted in support of it.

Carving out similar momentum in the Senate is a different story. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick has repeatedly said there isn’t nearly enough support among members. Pro-gambling stances are so sparse, in fact, he doubts any sports betting measures will be worth discussing, let alone prompt an actual vote. 

Many continue to hold hope that he’s wrong. They point to, among other things, the rising popularity of sports betting in the United States. Once Missouri sports betting launches later this year, 39 states as well as the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico will offer it in some form. That is a big enough majority to influence policy stances in other states. Especially when billions of dollars over the next decade may be on the line.

Will the Latest Attempt to Bring Sports Betting to Texas Be Any Different?

Sports betting statuses across the United States have not influenced Texas before. It is hard to believe this time will be much different, if any differently at all. 

Still, one function of HJR 134 is piquing attention. As it currently sits, the measure focuses on retail sports betting. This means it is punting on attempts to legalize Texas online sports betting. And by extension, this also limits access to sports betting in general. That potentially curbs one of the major concerns: overexposure to gambling. 

States that legalize online sports betting tend to see dramatic upticks in problem gambling reports. This remains an issue when wagering is on-site only, but the more limited accessibility works to stymie the increase. 

Whether this approach resonates with Texas lawmakers remains to be seen. To be brutally honest, we are not sure that it will. Most retail sports betting pushes happen in states with strong tribal casino presences. The Lone Star State also does not allow those types of establishments.

This is among the reasons why many believe Texas casino expansion and legalization must precede sports betting approval. At the very least, the two seem as if they must launch in tandem. To this point, the Senate has shown little interest in either. So regardless of how HJR 134 is structured, it will take a major shift in thinking among the Senate for any form of Texas sports betting to have a puncher’s chance.

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