Texan Sports Betting

In February 2019, Representative Eddie Lucio III introduced a bill that would allow sports betting operators in Texas to pay a $250,000 fee to obtain a permit. The Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation would oversee sports betting, and the bill would mandate a 6.25% tax be "imposed on each bet placed by a sports bettor."

In 2021, there were multiple sports wagering bills, but none of them came to fruition. As a result of the Texas Legislature only meeting every two years, the next time sports betting can come up for a possible vote is in 2023.

In 2023, a bill aiming to legalize Texas sports betting apps successfully passed the full House but ultimately stalled in the Senate. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick declined to advance any bill to the Senate floor due to insufficient Republican support. Notably, legalizing sports betting in Texas necessitates a constitutional amendment, mandating a two-thirds majority vote and a ballot vote the following November after passage.

In 2025, the Texas Legislature considered multiple sports betting bills, including SJR 82 and HJR 134, which propose a constitutional amendment to legalize retail and online sports wagering under a 10% tax rate. If approved by voters in November 2025, regulated sportsbooks could launch as early as 2027.