Texas legislators have once again filed bills to legalize sports betting in the Lone Star State, but familiar obstacles in the Senate suggest the effort faces long odds in 2025 despite growing public support and the governor's tacit approval.
Rep. Sam Harless (R-Spring) recently filed House Joint Resolution 134, which would allow voters to decide whether to amend the state constitution to permit sports wagering. The resolution appears to focus on retail sports betting at professional sports venues and racetracks, though it doesn't explicitly prohibit digital wagering.
"We appreciate Rep. Harless introducing this constitutional amendment," said Karina Kling, spokesperson for the Texas Sports Betting Alliance. "Right now, unregulated sports betting is happening across the state, putting consumers at risk and costing Texas millions in lost tax revenue every year."
The alliance, a coalition that includes the state's professional sports teams, racetracks, and betting platforms such as FanDuel and DraftKings, has been pushing for legalization for several years. Their efforts gained momentum in 2023 when a similar proposal passed the Texas House with 101 votes before stalling in the Senate.
Governor Greg Abbott recently expressed openness to sports betting, telling the Houston Chronicle, "I don't have a problem" with such legislation—echoing previous statements that he wouldn't stand in the way. A January poll from the University of Houston's Hobby School of Public Affairs found that 60% of Texans support legalized sports betting, including 59% of Republicans.
Despite this growing support, the path to legalization faces a significant roadblock in the form of Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, who controls the Texas Senate. Patrick has consistently refused to bring gambling bills to the floor without significant Republican support in the chamber, which he claims doesn't exist.
"Despite Herculean lobbying efforts by Las Vegas Sands and other gambling entities, polls that show Texans favor legal gambling and governor Greg Abbott saying he doesn't 'have a problem with online sports betting,' prospects for passage are muddy," one industry analysis noted.
With Patrick in office until at least January 2027 and vowing to seek another term, gambling proponents have settled into a strategy of building incremental support in the House while waiting for Senate leadership more amenable to their cause.
The resolution would need two-thirds approval in both chambers to appear on the November 2025 ballot as a constitutional amendment. If voters were to approve it, the legislature would then need to create a regulatory framework in 2026, meaning Texans likely wouldn't place legal bets until late 2026 or 2027.
Texas remains one of 11 states that have not legalized sports betting since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act in 2018. It is also one of the few states without any form of commercial casino gambling, with restrictions dating back 169 years.
The current legislation is somewhat vague regarding which entities could become licensed operators. It would allow professional sports teams "as defined by general law," PGA Tour stops, and Class I racetracks to offer sports betting, potentially covering the state's 13 professional sports teams and four horse racing venues.
Opponents of gambling expansion include the Texas Republican Party, the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas, and advocacy groups like Texans Against Gambling. The Texas Public Policy Foundation has warned about potential social costs.
"Unfortunately, we also anticipate a large increase in some of the social maladies that go along with gambling, both in terms of mental health issues and crime," said Dr. Derek Cohen, TPPF's Chief Research Officer. "When Ohio went ahead and legalized online sports wagering, they doubled the amount of calls to their problem gambling hotline."
For lawmakers who support legalization, the political calculus remains complicated. Rep. Jeff Leach (R-Plano), who carried the sports betting measure in 2023, told the Austin American-Statesman in December he did not plan to push his own legislation again unless the Senate moved first.
Meanwhile, parallel efforts to legalize "destination resort" casinos in Texas' largest cities continue, led by Las Vegas Sands' lobbying campaign. The University of Houston poll found even stronger support for casino legalization at 73%, though the casino bill fell short in the House in 2023 with just 92 votes.
As the March 14 filing deadline approaches, industry observers will be watching closely to see if additional gambling bills emerge and whether any can build enough momentum to overcome the Senate's resistance in 2025.