Is gambling legal in Texas?

Texas is one of America’s most famous states, but surprisingly, the Lone Star State does not have much to offer in the way of gambling. The laws that apply locally to games of chance are among some of the toughest in the country, with few exceptions made in between.

Even the regulated sector, such as the lottery, has come under a lot of scrutiny recently, not least because of overseas syndicates that have been able to win millions from the lottery without ever setting foot in the state.

Are there legal gambling apps in Texas?

Yes, presently Texas does offer a limited range of gambling apps, but there are caveats. There are no traditional gambling apps, such as real money casinos or sports betting platforms. Instead, the Lone Star State allows several other forms of gambling apps:

• Texas Lottery
• Daily fantasy sports
• Prediction markets
• Sweepstakes casinos

These activities are either regulated under existing state laws or are not outright banned. Prediction markets, for example, operate under a mandate from theCommodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) as federally regulated platforms.

Sweepstakes casinos use a dual currency, which allows players to play for free, but also to redeem prizes if they choose to. The problem has proven problematic in some states, such as Montana and New Jersey, which have chosen to ban the activity.

Daily fantasy sports are still available in Texas, even though the state has not made any attempts to regulate mobile or in-person sports wagering, while the Texas Lottery allows the sale of digital tickets.

Notably, however, Texas bans the use of lottery courier services, which took effect on April 29, 2025. The ban came after news surfaced that a group has purchased all available tickets through a courier service to secure a $95m lottery payout.

Is online sports betting legal in Texas?

Online sports betting, as well as brick-and-mortar options, remain an unpalatable issue for the Texas legislature, with few attempts made to change the current status quo, which is that the activity is prohibited in all of its forms.

Efforts to change that have been sparse, with draft laws pitched during the 88th and 89th Legislative Sessions probing the issue once again to no avail, with a noticeable uptick in those efforts picking up in 2021.

Sports betting isn’t an immediate priority for lawmakers either, although surveys are showing that anythingbetween 47% and 60% of state residents are for legalizing online sports gambling.

There have been eight sports betting bills trying to make their way and jumpstart the issue over the past 11 years, including:

• HB 1942 (2023)
• HJR 97 (2021)
• HB 2070 (2021)
• HJR 68 (2021)
• HB 1121 (2021)
• HJR 61 (2019)
• HB 4040( 2015)

Then there is the matter of daily fantasy sports. This activity is technically not illegal, but it treads murky legal waters. The last prominent action on the issue came in 2016 when Attorney General Ken Paxton issued a non-binding opinion aimed at elaborating on the issue, and taking a stance against the actiivty.

"Under section 47.02 of the Penal Code, a person commits an offense if he or she makes a bet on the partial or final result of a game or contest or on the performance of a participant in a game or contest. Because the outcome of games in daily fantasy sports leagues depends partially on chance, an individual’s payment of a fee to participate in such activities is a bet. Accordingly, a court would likely determine that participation in daily fantasy sports leagues is illegal gambling ‘under section 47.02 of the Penal Code."

No actual enforcement action has followed however, meaning that many daily fantasy platforms continue to be available locally.

Are there casinos in Texas?

Casinos in Texas are another limited affair. For one, online casino gambling like the one available in New Jersey is off-limits. There are no licensed real money Internet casinos in any form.

Further to this, the Lone Star does not allow almost any form of land-based casino gambling either.

The only exceptions are the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas in Eagle Pass, near the border with Mexico, and Naskila Gaming, a bingo parlor on the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe reservation off Livingston.

Both locations, given the state’s vastness, mean that for many people, traveling to the available gambling option is not really something they can undertake often.

Casino resorts, however, are a hot-button topic, with Mark Cuban, the owner of the NBA franchise Dallas Mavericks, and the Las Vegas Sands Corporation havingbeen lobbying the issue.

A Las Vegas-style casino resort is still not on the cards for Texas, but many expect it to become a reality before long.

What does Texas think about poker?

Texas prohibits poker games as such, even though the state is not past lending its name to one of the most iconic iterations of the card game - Texas Hold’em, of course.

Texas does not openly allow poker games hosted in the same sense other states allow it, i.e., a venue that hosts the game and collects rake.

However, there is a roundabout way that the Lone Star State has recognized as an agreeable way to balance between laws and a clever loophole - private games.

The private games rule means that everyone participating in the game must have an equal chance of winning, and that no outside party may profit from it. But even then, a small formal exception is allowed - the venues where people gather to play private games, outside of their homes, that is, can charge for amenities, but mostly membership.

There has been no effort by law enforcement or the Attorney General to change this model.

Horse-race betting - the exception

Out of every type of gambling activity, horse-race betting is perhaps the major exception on the list. Presently, pari-mutuel betting at the state’s tracks are completely legal. There are four venues to choose from:

• Gillespie County Fair and Festivals, Fredericksburg
• Lone Star Park, Grand Prairie
• Retama Park, Selma
• Sam Houston Race Park, Houston

Texas remains a holdout state

Texas has a long and proud tradition of gambling. The state has given rise to one of the world’s most famous poker games of all time, and it is associated with it.

While casinos and sports betting are not available, there is a growing demand for these products, with many Texans crossing state lines to place a bet or roll dice.

With serious business interests now converging on the Lone Star State, it may not be long before gambling actually expands locally.

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