Legalization of Texas Sports Betting Considered 'Matter of Time'

The immediate outlook on Texas sports betting remains wrapped in layers of mystery. Some will even go as far as to call it bleak.

Long term, though? That is a different story. In fact, it is almost the exact opposite. Many in the industry believe that the legalization of sports betting in Texas is a matter of when rather than if. 

This will come as a source of comfort for those who want The Lone Star State to join the growing ranks of places to offer legal wagering. At the same time, this sentiment is draped in levels of obviousness. 

With Missouri set to launch legal gambling sometime in 2025, 39 states plus the District of Columbia now offer some form of legal sports betting. The majority has now become a supermajority. And when that is a case, it always feels like only a matter of time before holdouts such as the Texas sports betting market follow suit.

To that end, without a semi-concrete timeline for change in place, it can make optimistic takes ring a little hollow. This is not to say they aren’t true; it is just that they don’t add much to the conversation.

And yet, when it comes to Texas sports betting, the inevitability slant carries more weight. Casinos in The Lone Star State are not even legalized. When you look at the landscape of sports betting in the United States, it seems pretty clear that casino expansion needs to come first. And that, in theory, puts both the short-term and long-term future of Texas sports betting in doubt. 

Prominent Attorney Says There is Progress on Texas Sports Betting Front

To really feel like Texas sports betting is inevitable, you have to see or hear about some kind of progress. Typically, we are covering developments that skew in the complete opposite direction. But that is not the case this time.

Speaking with Michael Dekker of Tulsa World, prominent Texas attorney Brant Martin paints a different picture for the future:

“‘I think it’s coming to Texas,’ says Brant Martin, a partner at Wick-Phillips, a Texas law firm with about 70 attorneys and offices in Dallas, Fort Worth and Austin. ‘It’s just a matter of time.’ Martin, who argued and won a tribal gaming case before the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022, helped write legislation for casinos and legal sports betting in Texas. The legislation passed in the state House there in 2023 but stalled in the Senate.

“As in Oklahoma, [Texas has] lots of competing constituencies that have the ear of various politicians,” [Martin says.] In Texas, one of the traditional powers is the church. The religious element…they are often, as is their right, very vehemently opposed to gaming, and they have a lot of power. But the economic argument for the vast majority of voters (is) that all of our money is going to Oklahoma or to Louisiana. Why not keep it in the state? That’s the argument that is being used for the pro-gaming forces in the state, and I would say that those voices are getting louder than they have been in the past.’”

This last bit is most important. If policymakers are starting to think more critically about the financial benefits of Texas sports betting, it presumably sets the stage for stronger bi-partisan efforts in the years to come.

Will There Be Another Push for Sports Gambling in Texas During 2025 Legislative Sessions?

If the voices of “economic reason” are growing in volume and number, then Texas sports betting will absolutely be top-of-mind during next year’s legislative sessions. We will know for sure by the middle of January. That is when the The Lone Star State Legislature is scheduled to convene.

Still, from our vantage point, it will take epic reversals for sports betting to have a viable chance. If you listen to Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, it continues to sound like Texas sports betting remains a distant possibility. And anything he says must be taken seriously.

As many might now, Mr. Patrick has repeatedly stated he will not consider proposals championed by Democrats. Texas, after all, is a Republican state. But the 2023 Texas sports betting bill garnered support among a handful of right-wing lawmakers. Some of those included allies of Mr. Patrick. The measure still failed to get any shine in the Senate.

Lieutenant Governor Patrick insists the delay isn’t on him, per se. Instead, he cites a general lack of support among Republican Senate members. And look, he may be correct. But it is tough to know for sure without taking an initiative to a vote. 

That is perhaps a realistic goal for progress in 2025. As it stands, the legalization of Texas sports betting remains an ultra-long shot. Especially when there seems to be stronger lobbying for casino legalization. Equally important: It’s tough to see a complete policy shift when sports betting agendas have so far struggled to gain Senate consideration.

Putting the (presumed) 2025 sports betting measure to a vote would give everyone—supporters and opponents alike—a firmer idea where those in power stand on the matter. Even if it flops spectacularly, sponsors can at least gain an understanding of why. They can also figure out just how far away Texas sports betting is from majority support. 

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