Texas sports betting: Is it legal to bet on sports in Texas?

Sports betting in Texas remains illegal, and the most recent legislative session in 2025 generated minimal momentum for legalization. Although Texas has the potential to be one of the largest sports gambling states in America, lawmakers have been reluctant to pass legislation to this end.

With multiple professional franchises and their loyal following, however, sports betting in Texas will be legalized at one point in the future. The question is when.

For the time being, the state remains one of a dozen or so states to have opposed sports betting legalization firmly, joining the likes of Alabama, Alaska, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Minnesota, Oklahoma, and South Carolina.

Is Sports Betting Legal in Texas?

No, you may not bet legally on the outcome of sports events through a traditional sportsbook in Texas. The Lone Star State has repeatedly opposed efforts to legalize the activity in any form, physically through a land-based sportsbook and online through a mobile app.

A big push arrived in 2023 with HB 1942, which failed to garner support in the Senate and petered out by the session’s end. A House Joint Resolution faced a similar fate, hitting a dead end after a bigwig legislator stepped in and killed its momentum.

Where Is Texas Sports Betting Right Now?

The current status quo is unlikely to be shaken off any time soon. Efforts to legalize sports gambling in 2025 did happen, but they elicited a very strong opposition from members of the Grand Old Party (GOP), the Republicans, who are the majority in legislation in Texas.

In early March, several bills were introduced to the House of Representatives, with the GOP stating that they would block any attempts to progress with such pieces of legislation, effectively sapping the momentum of these new draft laws upon arrival.

Some of the critical voices of sports gambling legalization included lawmakers who, during the 2023 legalization push, had supported the idea of legalizing sports gambling, but have now changed their minds.

Yet, one person has been central to the foiled efforts to have sports gambling in Texas. Lt. Governor Dan Patrick has consistently opposed such measures. He repeatedly said that there are very few Senators who would actually support the legalization of sports gambling.

In 2023, Patrick led the efforts to stall HB 1942 in the House of Representatives. Additionally, he exercised his powers to block the proposal, which passed in the House with a strong majority – 100-43 in favor. The idea behind HJR 102 was to put the issue of sports gambling in Texas on the 2023 ballot and let voters decide.

Despite the bill enjoying strong bipartisan support, Patrick decided to go the other way and blocked HJR 102 from getting a Senate vote, which could have seen a constitutional amendment go through and allow voters to take matters into their own hands.

Nothing substantial has transpired ever since in terms of a regulatory push to change the status quo. Sports franchises have repeatedly spoken in favor of the regulation, but there has been little legislative momentum backing this up.

However, Gov. Greg Abbott has tentatively put it forward in an interview in 2025 that he could be open to online sports gambling, and this is important as any legislative efforts could be easily dismantled by a governor who is unwilling to sign a bill into a law.

Is Any Sports Betting Legal in Texas?

Technically, the state of Texas allows daily fantasy sports (DFS) betting. The idea here is that they are skill-based competitions, and not games of chance that would fall foul of the law in the Lone Star State.

However, there has been at least one attempt to shutter this industry as well, with Attorney General Ken Paxtonissuing an opinion in 2016 that DFS contests have a significant element of chance and thus would be deemed illegal should the matter be brought to the courts.

DraftKings even challenged Paxton’s opinion in court, but there has been no public record of any resolution. The matter seems to be on the back burner for all intents and purposes.

So, Is Gambling Legal in Texas?

Technically, yes. Gambling is indeed legal in Texas, but there are many specific laws that define it and what activities are legal. If you are looking to bet on the outcome of sports in Texas, we have bad news for you.

However, if you are looking to participate in DFS, for example, or the lottery, or even host a private game of poker, as long as you are not acting as the house and taking rake, you will have no trouble gambling in the Lone Star, at least for now.

Poker has emerged as a more popular activity owing to clubs across major cities in the Lone Star State, where these clubs charge you for a seat or membership, and allow you to play poker games between yourself. However, there is no rake involved, so they are technically "legal," although they operate on thin legal grounds that can be challenged at any time.

The lottery has come under a lot of scrutiny recently, with one Texan resident winning an $83.5-million jackpot after she purchased her ticket through a courier service. These services have been banned ever since this win.

At the time the win was announced, lawmakers were quick to judge that the state’s lottery had been ransacked by foreign syndicates (which had already happened once by that point) and moved to outlaw these services, criticizing the lottery over its complacency.

Other legal gambling activities include charitable bingoand raffles, as well as pari-mutuel betting on horse and greyhound racing, although this activity has been in steep decline.

Online Gambling in Texas: A Big No!

In the meantime, it remains illegal for residents to participate in online gambling of any sort. Sportsbooks and online casinos that may be available to you in the state are, in fact, prohibited under state law.

Texas does not have physical sportsbooks or casinos, and it does not extend any exceptions to the online gambling industry.

When Can We Expect Legalization of Sports Betting in Texas?

The legalization of sports gambling in Texas is a hot-button topic that will continue to return every legislative session. As of the time of writing, late 2026 is the earliest realistically possible timeframe during which Texas may see sports betting legalized.

The chances for this happening, though, would be incredibly long, and a more realistic outcome could be 2027, through a legislative push, or subsequent ballot proposals in 2028 onwards.

Texas Sports Betting FAQs

Can I bet online on sports in Texas?

No, you cannot bet on sports online in Texas. Sports betting is not legal in the Lone Star State, and this extends to online gambling.

When will sports gambling become legal in Texas?

No information right now. After 2023, there has been no significant change in attitude towards the activity, with the same people opposing it then, opposing it now.

How old do I need to be to gamble in Texas?

You need to be at least 18 years of age to participate in lottery games. To sit and play in poker clubs or place pari-mutuel bets, you need to be 21 years old.