Despite several attempts over the past few years, sports betting in Texas remains illegal. Texas is viewed as one of the largest remaining opportunities for online sportsbooks because of its population, major professional teams, and strong sports culture.
I'll be tracking the latest news and developments around Texas sportsbooks, including legal alternatives that are available today.
Here's a quick overview of the current status of legal sports betting in Texas:
| Online Sportsbooks | Not Legal |
| Retail Sportsbooks | Not Legal |
| Next TX legislative Session | January 2027 |
| Earliest Possible Statewide Vote | November 2027 |
| Earliest Potential TX Sportsbook Launch | 2028 |
| Minimum Betting Age | Not Established |
| Texas Sports Betting Regulator | Not Established |
| Texas Sports Betting Tax Rate | Not Established |
📅 July 23, 2026: With just a few weeks until the preseason kicks off, the Cowboys 2026 Super Bowl odds sit at +2500, which is currenly the 16th-best odds across all NFL teams.
📅 June 13, 2026: The Spurs lose to the NY Knicks 94-90, ending their NBA Finals run.
📅 May 6, 2026: Lt. Gov. Patrick announced plans to close "gambling loopholes" that allow prediction platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket to operate in Texas. He's positioning this as a legislative priority for the 2027 session.
📅 April 23, 2026: With their first pick of the 2026 NFL Draft, the Cowboys took Ohio State safety Caleb Downs 11th overall.
📅 March 30, 2026: Lt. Gov. Patrick directed a Texas Senate committee to study prediction markets ahead of the 2027 legislative session, signaling an effort to restrict current betting alternatives.
📅 February 11, 2026: The Texas Racing Commission issued a cease-and-desist order to TwinSpires, forcing the online horse racing platform to stop accepting wagers from Texas residents less than a week after it reopened access.
📅 August 19, 2025: Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced that he would seek another four-year term in 2026. His continued political influence is significant for sports betting because he controls the Texas Senate's legislative agenda and has repeatedly said gambling expansion lacks sufficient Republican support.
📅 June 2, 2025: The 2025 Texas legislative session adjourned without advancing any sports-betting or casino-gambling constitutional amendments. The failure means supporters will generally have to wait until the 2027 regular session to try again.
📅 March 19, 2025: HJR 134 was referred to the House State Affairs Committee. It never received a committee vote or advanced to the House floor.
📅 February 12, 2025: Rep. Sam Harless filed HJR 134, which would have allowed Texas lawmakers to authorize wagering on certain sporting events if voters approved a constitutional amendment. Its identical Senate companion was SJR 65.
No. Texas does not currently authorize state-regulated online or retail sports betting.
Texas Penal Code Section 47.02 generally prohibits making a bet on the result of a game, contest or participant performance. A violation is ordinarily classified as a Class C misdemeanor, although the statute contains defenses and exceptions for certain activities authorized elsewhere in state law.
Regulated pari-mutuel wagering on horse and greyhound racing is authorized under the Texas Racing Act. However, the legality and availability of online advance-deposit horse wagering remain the subject of litigation and regulatory disputes.
As of July 2026, 39 states and Washington, D.C., have authorized some form of sports betting. Texas remains one of the largest states without a legal market.
The next major opportunity will come during the 2027 regular legislative session.
The Texas Legislature generally meets in regular session only during odd-numbered years. Since the 2025 proposals failed, supporters must wait until 2027 unless the governor adds gambling expansion to the agenda of a special session.
Even a successful 2027 effort would not produce an immediate launch. A constitutional amendment would first need legislative approval and then approval from Texas voters. Lawmakers and regulators would also need to establish licensing, taxation, consumer protections, approved wagering rules and enforcement procedures.
Under an optimistic scenario, voters could consider a sports-betting amendment in November 2027, followed by a market launch sometime in 2028. Continued political opposition could push legalization considerably further into the future.
A sports-betting proposal would likely begin as a joint resolution proposing an amendment to the Texas Constitution.
To reach the ballot, the resolution would need support from two-thirds of the members of each legislative chamber. With every seat filled, that generally means at least:
The governor does not sign or veto a joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment.
After receiving legislative approval, the proposal would go before Texas voters. A simple majority would need to approve it. The Legislature would also need to pass implementing legislation establishing the details of the regulated market.
The Senate remains the largest political hurdle. Patrick has repeatedly said he will not move gambling legislation without substantial Republican support, and supporters have not yet demonstrated that they have the 21 Senate votes needed.
It's not for lack of trying that bettors in the Lone Star State are still without legal sportsbooks in Texas. These are some of the most recent attempts:
Sports-betting-only proposals and broader casino measures were filed again in 2025.
HJR 134 and SJR 65 focused specifically on sports wagering. HJR 137 and SJR 82 proposed a larger gambling expansion that included destination casinos and sports betting.
None of the resolutions received a committee vote or reached the floor before the Legislature adjourned on June 2, 2025.
Their failure reinforced the central problem facing legalization supporters: a proposal may be able to attract meaningful support in the House, but it has not demonstrated the 21 Senate votes required for a constitutional amendment.
Texas came closer to legalizing sports betting in 2023 than it had during previous sessions.
HJR 102 proposed a constitutional amendment allowing the Legislature to authorize sports wagering. After initially falling short of the required supermajority, the measure ultimately secured the 100 House votes needed for passage.
The resolution was sent to the Senate but did not receive a vote before the legislative session ended.
The Texas Sports Betting Alliance has led the organized legalization campaign. Its supporters have included major Texas professional sports organizations and national sportsbook companies.
Teams and organizations associated with legalization efforts have included franchises from the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and MLS, along with major golf and motorsports interests.
Supporters have included organizations connected to the:
Sportsbook operators including DraftKings, FanDuel and BetMGM have also supported legalization efforts in Texas.
Advocates argue that Texans already wager through offshore sportsbooks, unregulated platforms or legal sportsbooks in neighboring states. They contend that legalization would create consumer protections and generate tax revenue that currently leaves Texas.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick remains the most influential obstacle because of his control over the Texas Senate's legislative agenda.
Patrick has said he will not advance gambling legislation without strong support from Senate Republicans. A number of socially conservative lawmakers and advocacy groups also oppose expanded gambling because of concerns involving addiction, household finances, crime and other potential social costs.
During the 2025 session, a group of Republican House members also publicly opposed attempts to expand gambling. That opposition made it more difficult for supporters to assemble the two-thirds House majority required for a constitutional amendment.
Some opponents also question whether the projected tax revenue would be significant relative to the size of the Texas state budget.
No operator is guaranteed a Texas betting license because lawmakers have not approved a licensing system.
If Texas eventually authorizes a competitive online market, likely applicants could include:
BetMGM already has an official sports-betting partnership with the Houston Astros, while DraftKings and FanDuel have participated in organized legalization efforts through the Texas Sports Betting Alliance.
The final list of operators would depend on the number and type of licenses, eligibility requirements, market-access rules, application fees and partnerships included in the eventual law.
Operator brands and partnerships could also change before Texas launches. These companies should therefore be viewed as likely applicants rather than confirmed future Texas sportsbooks.
Every legal US betting market features the ability to wager on the most popular sports such as NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and other professional leagues and events. The biggest difference comes in how college sports betting is treated. Some states have no restrictions, some don't allow wagers on in-state schools, while others have banned prop bets. College sports will receive a massive amount of discussion when the time comes, considering how important college sports are to the overall sports culture in Texas.
Possible wager types will likely include:
Texas would likely become one of the country's largest sports-betting markets because of its population and number of major professional and college sports programs.
A 2024 study by Eilers & Krejcik Gaming projected that a mature Texas online sports-betting market could produce approximately $32.1 billion in annual betting handle. The study also estimated approximately $3.7 billion in sportsbook revenue over its five-year forecast and roughly $363 million in annual direct state tax revenue once the market matured.
The study was commissioned by the Texas Sports Betting Alliance, an organization advocating for legalization. Its figures should therefore be treated as projections rather than guaranteed outcomes.
Athough Texas does not offer legal online or retail sportsbooks, there are real-money gaming products available to residents.
Major daily fantasy sports companies, including DraftKings and FanDuel, continue to offer paid contests to Texas residents.
Texas has not passed a law explicitly legalizing or regulating paid daily fantasy sports, but it has also not enacted a specific statutory ban directed at the industry.
In 2016, then-Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a nonbinding legal opinion concluding that paid daily fantasy contests generally constitute illegal gambling under existing state law. The opinion did not itself change the law or require operators to leave Texas, and major fantasy companies have continued accepting entries from residents.
DFS customers typically build a lineup of athletes and compete against other users based on the athletes' statistical performances. Contest formats, eligibility requirements, and available sports vary by operator.
There are also "Pick'em" sites available, such as PrizePicks, that closely mimic traditional sportsbooks, with the massive caveat being you have to combine multiple picks into one slip (i.e., a parlay).
Social and sweepstakes casinos are also available to many Texas residents.
These platforms generally use a dual-currency system. One form of virtual currency is used for standard social gameplay and has no cash value. A separate promotional currency may be used in sweepstakes-style games and redeemed for prizes when the user satisfies the platform's eligibility and redemption requirements.
Texas has not created a dedicated licensing or regulatory system for social casinos. Their operators generally maintain that the sweepstakes model complies with state law because users can participate without making a purchase and because promotional entries are available through alternative methods.
Social casinos should not be confused with regulated online casinos. Texas does not currently license real-money online casino games such as slots, blackjack, or roulette.
Users should review each platform's terms, age restrictions, redemption policies, and availability rules before participating.
Anyone concerned about their gambling can call the National Council on Problem Gambling at 1-800-MY-RESET or 1-800-522-4700. You can also text 800GAM.
The helpline connects callers with confidential support and local resources. Assistance is available regardless of whether the gambling occurred through a legal operator, an offshore site, fantasy sports, a social casino, or another platform.
No. As of July 2026, Texas has not legalized state-regulated online or retail sports betting.
Yes. A number of social and sweepstakes casino platforms accept Texas customers. Be aware, however, these sites operate in a gray legal area, as they are not explicitly legal or illegal. They generally operate through social gaming and promotional sweepstakes models rather than conventional cash wagering.
The next regular legislative opportunity is in 2027. Under the most optimistic timeline, voters could consider a constitutional amendment in November 2027 and sportsbooks could launch in 2028. There is no guarantee that a proposal will pass in 2027.
Yes, as long as you are physically located in a state that has legalized sports betting and you meet the minimum age requirement (21+ in most states). Sportsbooks use geolocation technology to verify a customer's location when a wager is submitted. Being a Texas resident does not normally prevent someone from betting while legally present in another state.
No, offshore sportsbooks are not legal in Texas and we don't recommend using them. These operators offer zero consumer protections and can therefore sell your data, decline withdrawals, and other shady practices. Since they aren't regulated, you also have no government agency to help you go after them if something did happen.
Yes. Major companies including DraftKings and FanDuel continue to offer paid fantasy contests in Texas, despite the fact the state has not passed legislation explicitly legalizing and regulating paid DFS.
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