Texas Sports Betting

Texas betting options are limited by the state’s longstanding aversion to gambling expansion.

Online sports betting remains illegal in Texas despite significant legislative efforts in each of the last four legislative sessions.

Until state law changes, daily fantasy sports apps, social sportsbooks, and prediction market platforms will remain the closest alternatives to legal online sports betting in Texas.

By Wes Burns, Steve Ruddock Hours Updated
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Texas Sports Betting Overview and Updates

Sports betting is illegal in Texas, but proponents are increasingly optimistic they can pass legislation to legalize online sportsbooks.

Lawmakers introduce legislation every year to regulate Texas online sports betting, and some of their efforts have gained significant momentum. They also have the support of influential allies, including former Governor Rick Perry, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, multiple professional sports franchises, and online sportsbook operators.

However, the 2025 legislative session concluded without passing any bills to legalize online sports betting in Texas.

Because the legislature meets only in odd-numbered years, the next opportunity for lawmakers to consider a Texas online sports betting bill will be in 2027.

Legal Betting Alternatives in Texas

In the meantime, Texas residents can consider these alternatives:

  • Daily Fantasy Sports Apps: Fantasy pick’em apps allow fans to submit “more” or “less” predictions on projected stat totals like passing yards and three-pointers for real-money payouts. These contests feel like sports betting props, but they carefully structure their rules to meet the legal definition of fantasy sports.
  • Social Sportsbooks: Apps like Fliff Social Sportsbook operate under Texas sweepstakes laws and allow users the opportunity to earn in-game currency redeemable for cash prizes by predicting game winners, point totals, player props, and more.
  • Prediction Markets: Legal prediction markets allow users to trade “yes” and “no” contracts on the outcomes of future sporting events, including game winners, season champions, and more. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) regulates prediction markets at the federal level, making them legal nationwide.

Past Texas Sports Betting Efforts

Texas lawmakers have considered multiple proposals to legalize online sports betting, including measures in 2019, 2021, 2023, and 2025.

Any expansion of gambling in Texas requires a constitutional amendment and voter approval in a statewide referendum. So far, no proposal to initiate a constitutional amendment has cleared both chambers.

In 2025, the Texas legislature considered multiple bills to legalize online sports betting.

One prominent effort included a pair of companion bills (HJR 134 and SJR 65), which would have put a constitutional amendment on the ballot asking voters whether the state should legalize sports betting.

Had the bills passed and received voter approval, they would have allowed professional sports franchises, certain golf courses, and racetracks to offer sports betting.

The bills were short on details, as they did not specify a tax rate, licensing process, or even whether mobile betting would be approved.

None of the 2025 Texas sports betting bills gained the same traction as their 2023 counterparts.

The 2023 session represented a high-water mark for Texas sports betting efforts.

First was SJR 17, prefiled in late 2022 by Senator Carola Alvarado. The bill was light on details, but it would have authorized up to four commercial casinos and legalized sports wagering if approved by voters in a statewide referendum.

Texas lawmakers also introduced a pair of companion bills (HB 1942 and SB 715) in early 2023 that called for a statewide referendum to authorize online sports betting.

If approved by a majority of voters, the proposal would have placed the Lottery Commission in charge of regulating Texas sports betting sites and established some basic ground rules:

  • Legalize online sports wagering only
  • Allow professional sports franchises, racetracks, and PGA-level golf courses to apply for sports betting licenses
  • Establish a minimum age of 21 to bet on sports in Texas
  • Authorize wagers on professional events, collegiate sports, and esports
  • Establish a $500,000 licensing fee and a 10% tax rate on revenue

In May 2023, the Texas House of Representatives passed HB 1942 by a decisive margin. That was the first time a sports betting bill had ever passed either chamber of the Texas legislature. However, the victory was short-lived.

Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, who presides over the Senate and controls its agenda, refused to bring the bill to the floor for a vote, stating there was not enough support among Senate Republicans.

One of the first efforts to legalize Texas sportsbooks occurred in 2019 with the introduction of HB 1275 by Sen. Eddie Lucio.

HB 1275 and an accompanying joint resolution called for a statewide referendum that would amend the Texas Constitution to give the Texas State legislature authority to legalize sports betting. Had it passed and received voter approval, HB 1275 would have authorized retail sportsbooks and online sports betting apps with a tax rate of 6.25% on handle.

In December 2021, Representative Dan Huberty gave the keynote speech at the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States convention in Austin, Texas. As gaming attorney Daniel Wallach reported, Rep. Huberty said he’s optimistic Texas could legalize sports betting in 2023:

“I really believe there’s an opportunity here to pass sports betting in 2023. If you present it to the voters in the right way, it’s gonna pass. It will pass.”

Pro-gaming lawmakers introduced multiple bills (SB 736, SJR 39, and HB 2070) in 2021 to legalize retail sportsbooks and online sports betting sites, but none made it past the committee phase.

The 2021 legislative session ended without progress on legal sports betting, leaving 2023 as the next opportunity for lawmakers to try again.

Where Texas Stands on Sports Betting

Texas must overcome two major hurdles to legalize sports betting. First, it must gather the political willpower to pass new legislation. Social conservatives hold considerable sway in the Texas legislature, and they aren’t enthusiastic about expanding gambling.

The lack of political will remains the most significant challenge Texas sports betting proponents must overcome. Lawmakers who support legalizing Texas sports betting face considerable opposition from the Texas GOP itself, which opposes all gambling expansions. Item 153 from the Texas GOP platform states plainly:

153. Gambling: We oppose the expansion of legalized gambling.

Additionally, legalizing Texas sports betting will require a constitutional amendment and voter approval in a statewide referendum.

Despite the challenges, Texas remains a prime target for the sports betting industry with numerous pro sports teams, a massive fan base, and a population of approximately 30 million.

In addition, previous legislation had the support of a group including the Dallas Cowboys, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, DraftKings, FanDuel, and Penn National.

Proponents have gained additional allies since then, with former Governor Rick Perry becoming a spokesman for the Texas Sports Betting Alliance and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones coming out in support of legal online betting in Texas.

The American Sports Betting Coalition has estimated that a legal and competitive Texas sports betting market could add $1.7 billion to the annual economy and create more than 9,300 jobs. Opponents believe the social and financial costs associated with expanded gambling would outweigh any economic benefits.

Texas Daily Fantasy Sports

Texas daily fantasy sports sites serve as a close alternative to online sports betting. Although Texas has never formally legalized fantasy sports, neither has it outlawed them. As a result, DFS and player props apps like PrizePicks and ParlayPlay are open for business in Texas.

Sports fans can read more about the legal situation and see BettingUSA's highest-rated Texas fantasy sports sites below:

Texas Online Horse Racing Betting

Online horse racing betting is prohibited in Texas. Locals can bet on live horse races in person at any of the state's authorized race tracks and for a few days every year at the Gillespie County Fair. Each track also offers simulcasting for betting on races held elsewhere.

Read more about horse racing betting in Texas here:

Texas Online Gambling

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Online gambling is prohibited in Texas under state law. Under TX Penal Code § 47.01-47.11, it is a Class C misdemeanor for anyone who:

(1)  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;

(2)  makes a bet on the result of any political nomination, appointment, or election or on the degree of success of any nominee, appointee, or candidate; or

(3)  plays and bets for money or other thing of value at any game played with cards, dice, balls, or any other gambling device.

Class C misdemeanors in Texas are punishable by a fine of not more than $500.

The odds that Texas will legalize online gambling anytime soon appear low. However, sweepstakes gambling sites have emerged as an alternative in recent years due to their resemblance to online gambling, massive payout potential, and free methods of participation.

Players can read more about sweepstakes casinos and online gambling in Texas here:

Online poker in Texas is not legal.

The Texas State Lottery offers a variety of draw games that includes smaller, daily draw games, larger state-level drawings, and tickets to Mega Millions and Powerball. In addition, lottery players can buy instant-win scratch cards in denominations from $1 to $100.

See BettingUSA's Texas Lottery guide below for more information:

Responsible Gambling in Texas

Although Texas lacks a regulated commercial gambling industry, gamblers do have access to problem gambling resources and support.

  • Texas Council on Problem Gambling (TXCPG): Call 1-800-522-4700. Texas residents rely on the national helpline for confidential assistance and referrals to local support groups.
  • Gamblers Anonymous Texas: Numerous peer-led recovery meetings are held weekly in major cities like Dallas, Houston, Austin, and San Antonio.
  • NCPG Texas: Call the national helpline at 1-800-522-4700, text 800GAM, or chat online for information, expert help, and additional resources.

Texas Sports Betting Self-Exclusion

Texas does not have licensed online sportsbooks, so there isn’t a statewide regulator to manage a universal sports-betting self-exclusion list.

In practice, responsible gambling controls are usually operator-by-operator (limits, cooling-off periods, and account closure) plus external tools like Gamban and BetBlocker.

Texas Sports Betting FAQ

No. Lawmakers have introduced sports betting bills in each of the last four legislative sessions, but none have made it past the finish line.

It's hard telling because Texas is conservative on matters of gambling, and the legislature only convenes every other year. As a result, it doesn’t take much effort for two years to pass without a sports betting bill even passing a committee vote. However, proponents of sports betting have gained momentum in recent years, and Texas looks increasingly likely to legalize sports betting.

Daily fantasy sports is de facto legal in Texas, but state law does not formally address its legality one way or another. Multiple DFS sites operate in Texas today without issue.

Yes. FanDuel offers daily fantasy sports contests in Texas. FanDuel temporarily stopped serving Texans in 2016 due to legal uncertainty, but it returned roughly two years later and has remained available in Texas since.

Yes. DraftKings DFS contests are open to Texans.

Poker is technically illegal in Texas, but a loophole in state law has given birth to membership-only poker rooms that charge a membership fee rather than rake the pot. However, there is ongoing controversy over the legality of Texas poker rooms.