Voices in Favor of Texas Sports Betting are Reportedly Growing 'Louder'

The future of Texas sports betting remains shrouded in mystery. But supporters of legalization are apparently growing in number—and decibel.

Any potential increase in advocacy for sports betting in Texas is a fairly big deal. It is going to take an overwhelming majority of members in congress for there to be real movement. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick has basically confirmed as much on multiple occasions, without explicitly saying it. Industry insiders almost universally believe a Texas sports betting bill will fail to gain real traction until Mr. Patrick is out of office or support from the Republican party, specifically, reaches a level the Lieutenant Governor can no longer ignore.

As we close out 2024, the prevailing consensus continues to be that sports betting in Texas remains quite a ways off. But might support actually be mushrooming enough to change this outlook? Or should residents of The Lone Star State keep gearing up for a long wait?

Financial Arguments for Texas Sports Betting Appear to be Resonating with More People

Advocates for Texas sports betting focus on a multitude of upsides when making their case. In recent years, though, they are focusing more on financial gain. More specifically, they are spotlighting how much money The Lone Star State loses to sports betting in Louisiana.

Brian Martin, a prominent attorney in Texas with knowledge of the legal gaming industry, recently spoke with Tulsa World’s Michael Dekker about this approach. And while he acknowledges a bunch of warring agendas continue to complicate any Texas sports betting timeline, he also says that the dollars and cents of it all are starting to gain a stronger foothold:

As in Oklahoma, [Texas has] lots of competing constituencies that have the ear of various politicians. 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.”

To be clear, Texas is not losing money to The Sooner State. Though legal Oklahoma sports betting is up for consideration, it is not yet approved. Louisiana sports betting is a different story. The same goes for sports betting in New Mexico. The state borders Texas and has offered in-person gambling services for years.

Texas Will Need More Than Financial Arguments to Legalize Sports Wagering

This all says nothing of Texans betting on sports with offshore sportsbooks. Experts have in the past estimated that illegal Texas sports betting is a billion-dollar industry by itself. Right now, that money is not being taxed. And given how much revenue is generated in cases such as New York sports betting, Texas may be missing out on more than $1 billion in tax money each year. 

That number alone is enough to get plenty of Texas sports betting opponents to reconsider their stance. But it will not sway everyone. Many argue that sports gambling is immoral and predatory and ultimately hurts more people than it entertains. This is not an opinion that will necessarily be moved by profit projections. As such, the case for Texas sports betting invariably needs to take a different form.

A bunch of different approaches have and will continue to play out. Believe it or not, though, the issue of avoidability may have the strongest legs. 

Indeed, there are downsides to having legal sports betting in the United States. Supporters can easily admit as much. But they can also point to the existence of illegal sports betting at all. Put another way: These people can argue that there is no stopping Texas sports betting. Keeping it illegal will dissuade some—but not everyone. 

Texans will invariably turn to other states with legal sports betting,  illegal domestic sportsbooks and offshore operators. The latter two should be considered harrowing occurrences by state officials. At least with legal sports betting, the market is regulated. Illegal bookies and offshore sites are not. This increases the risk for those who bet on sports in Texas right now.

Will We Learn Anything About Texas Sports Betting in 2025? 

Of course, while everything just discussed may provide a roadmap to an effective pro-Texas sports betting argument, it may not matter. This entire conversation is complicated by a completely mysterious outlook for Texas sports betting debates. 

Never mind the actual prospect of legalization. As of now, we cannot even guarantee that legal sports betting in Texas will meaningfully crack the state legislature agenda in 2025. Technically speaking, no further discussion may take place.

Granted, this is not the expectation. Casino stakeholders are almost assuredly going to push for Texas casino legalization this coming year. This subject will inevitably lead to sports betting. Many consider the two industries intertwined. Plus, if there is already a growing contingent of Texas sports betting supporters in congress echoing the financial benefits, you may not even need the casino issue as a prompt. 

Regardless, the trajectory of current sports betting talks is unclear. We would be shocked if they do not eventually crack the agenda. And it does seem like support for gambling legalization is on the rise. But there remains a lack of more official developments. Everything is anecdotal. Or rooted in speculative logic. Until we start seeing and hearing more open dialogue among lawmakers about the subject, it stands to reason Texas sports betting will not get legalized in the near future.

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