With the way prediction markets have grown in popularity in recent years, it's no secret that it has impacted Texas betting news in a major way. This loophole has arrived for local citizens to take advantage of, which is something that the state has strongly been against for a little while. However, until things do change, it looks like the Lone Star State is eyeing some changes, as Texas is hoping for prediction markets regulations to protect the youth in mind.

This is something that has surprised some people, but it makes some sense. In particular here, the Texas Medical Association, better known as the TMA, has urged prediction markets to raise the gambling age in the state to 21. Right now, people as young as 18 are allowed to place bets through Kalshi and others, which has made things even worse for the state. Will a jump of three years be on the way in the near future?

"Young people are increasingly trying these prediction market platforms, which allow users to bet on future events like the outcome of sporting events or the results of an election via apps typically accessed on smartphones," The Kilgore News Herald recently wrote. "Texas physicians recently adopted new TMA policy recommending the minimum age of 21 years for participating in these platforms, in line with gambling and sports betting apps."

As you can see here, the hope is that the jump will arrive soon, but again, no one knows how things are going to turn out there. It will be interesting to see how the TMA's newest request will be taken, but with how slow things have moved in other areas, it feels like it could take a while for any kind of a change to come in. Only time will tell if Texas gets good news here, but we're not going to be holding our breath.

World Cup betting has shined the spotlight on Texas sports betting moving forward

Another thing to keep in mind here is that World Cup betting has shined the spotlight on Texas sports betting moving forward. According to multiple reports, there's been an estimated $50 billion projected to be wagered on the World Cup for the 2026 edition, including around $3 billion in the United States. Why does this matter for Texas? It's because with no legal sports betting, everyone is relying on the prediction markets.

And with any of those bets, Texas isn't getting a dime in terms of revenue. Imagine if Texas had legal sports betting or authorized in-person sportsbooks? There would be an insane amount of tax money coming in for the state on the World Cup. Now, picture if that same revenue also provided money from NFL betting, NBA betting, MLB betting and more. This is something that local officials must continue to keep in mind.

The issue here, though, is that there's still a ton of division, as republicans and democrats can't seem to get on the same page. On one side, half of people seem to be in favor of sports betting due to the money it would generate, but others are arguing against things because of addiction concerns. Either way, the two sides must unite somehow, otherwise the push will continue to be delayed.

When can Texas sports betting actually end up being legalized?

As people continue to question on a consistent basis, when can Texas sports betting actually end up being legalized? There's no simple answer there, but we know for sure that nothing will be coming this year. The deadline is way past for history to be made, which means there will once again be no football betting for people to enjoy. This fact alone is a major bummer because of the popularity with the Dallas Cowboys.

This season is looking to be another big one for Dak Prescott, though he's going to be fired up to wipe away the rough memories from next season after Dallas wasn't able to make the kind of noise that was expected of them. Can he help Dallas win the NFC East? That's something people will be hoping for, while the Houston Texans are ready to step up their game too. Will that end up happening? It's tough to say.

All in all, the Los Angeles Rams remain the Super Bowl betting favorites, as adding Myles Garrett via a trade completely turned the NFL world upside down. Now, the pressure is on for the Rams, as people in Texas are also expected to bet big on them to win it all via those prediction markets. The hope is down the road legalization will open other avenues for betting needs to be met, but for now, it's all a bit unknown and unclear, which is a major problem.