The Reality of What It Will Take to Legalize Texas Sports Betting is Daunting

Another year is about to go by without any real movement on the future of Texas sports betting. And the reality behind the continued stagnancy paints a pretty clear picture of what’s to come: more of the same.

Make no mistake, it is not as if sports betting in Texas has become an afterthought. On the contrary, it continues to be frequently debated and discussed. During the latest round of legislative sessions, House Joint Resolution 134 was the bill most talked about. It has since fizzled out due to, predictably, a lack of support among Senate members. 

The reasons for their opposition vary. And there are plenty of them. But so many believe that the legalization of sports betting in the United States should be put in the hands of voters. So why not figure out a structure, and let residents of The Lone Star State decide the fate of Texas sports betting?

That logic holds weight on its face. But it falls apart if there is widespread opposition to sports betting itself. Legislators aren’t going to green light an issue they don’t support at all. 

Yet, this isn’t necessarily the case when it comes to Texas sports betting. A previous bill already made it past the House of Representatives. There are also state Senators who advocate for legal sports betting and/or the voters’ rights to choose. 

So really, the biggest issue facing these discussions isn’t necessarily reflective of consensus opinion. As we are starting to find out, it’s more about the incredibly specific circumstances under which Texas sports betting legislation will be allowed to gain traction.

The Senate will Only Put Texas Sports Betting to a Vote If This One Thing Happens

Given how things are run in the Senate, thanks in large part to Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, issues will only be voted upon if they have universal Republican support. Consider this sentiment a Deadspin article written by Mike McKean:

“The main issue is the unique way legislation is done in Texas. They will not bring a bill to the floor unless it can pass with only Republican votes. If just one democrat is needed for it to pass, they won't bring it for a vote. It’s been this way in Texas for a long time. In the past, gambling legislation has always had a majority support but they can never get it to the point where only Republicans can pass it.”

This is illuminating. And it certainly tracks with comments made in the past. Just this year, a handful of GOP party members said the Texas sports betting bill was destined to fail before it ever got off the ground. That alone speaks to the inner workings and agenda of the Republican party.

Whether this ever changes is debatable. Many are quick to point fingers at Patrick. But he is not the only person who champions this approach. For Texas sports betting to pass with bi-partisan support, it may take a shift in the majority party. And if you are waiting on The Lone Star State to award control of the House and Senate to Democrats, well, you’ll be waiting a long time. 

Indeed, people can also hold out hope that legal sports betting in Texas gets the necessary support from Republicans. That is not impossible, particularly as newer GOP members take office. 

Then again, multiple reports from this year’s legislative meetings suggest that incoming officials in the House of Representatives more widely opposed sports betting compared to their predecessors. 

Here’s Why Sports Betting in The Lone Star State May be Further Away Than You Think

In some ways, then, the push for Texas sports gambling may be taking a step back.

This says nothing of the accompanying issues attached to sports betting in The Lone Star State. For the time being, it is considered inextricably tied to the expansion of Texas casino gaming laws. This push is ongoing, but it runs into the same lack of support as sports betting. 

What’s more, many believe the state will need to dive into casino-gaming expansion before addressing the sports end of the spectrum. It isn’t clear whether this is accurate. But it significantly pushed back a prospective timeline if it proves correct.

Remember, the Texas state legislature only meets in odd years. So after 2025, they will not convene again until 2027. On top of that, any vote for a constitutional amendment must take place during a general election. Those occur in even-numbered years.

So let’s go ahead and say a Texas sports betting bill gets approved in 2027. In that scenario, it will not be voted on by the general population until November 2028. By that point, it likely would not launch before mid-2029.

Mind you, this assumes that a Texas sports betting initiative gets the stamp of approval next time around. That’s a big leap from the current state of affairs. And if that progression doesn’t conclude by 2027, it pushes everything back by two years. If an agreement is struck in 2029, sports betting is unlikely to launch before 2031. So on and so forth.

Granted, sports betting stances and legislation can change fast. But Texas’ officials have been steadfast in their opposition. And if the Senate still requires universal Republican support for any significant measure, well, we’d argue that sports betting isn’t coming to The Lone Star State anytime soon.

Take a look at this list of the top online sportsbooks so you can find one that works for all of your sports betting needs: