While Texas lawmakers have a tendency to oppose sports betting-related measures, attempts at legalization have become more common recently. The House passed a bill to legalize the pastime during the 2023 session, but the bill ultimately died in the Senate.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who controls the Senate, is one of the main reasons why. He previously said that he would kill any retail or mobile sports betting bills presented to him.
Even still, the conversations are becoming more common. That’s partly because of an increased push for casino expansion, which was compounded by the Dallas Mavericks’ sale to Las Vegas Sands owner and casino tycoon, Miriam Adelson.
“The big push is on sports gambling and then on the casinos, the five locations they’ve identified for resort type casinos, and those are the ones they’ve really put a lot of money into lobbying… and so we deal with it every session for the last four or five sessions,” according to Texas Rep. Doc Anderson.
Many lawmakers opposed to sports betting worry about the ties to addiction and the increase in problems that would follow. So for now, Texas gamblers will have to leave state borders to place their bets.
“I’m perfectly happy going to Louisiana,” McIngvale said to Gambling.com. “All I do is sell furniture and go to Louisiana and bet."
Of the four most-populated states, two, Texas and California, are still yet to legalize sports betting.
New York has consistently been the top state in the national market, although New Jersey produced a record $1.72 billion in wagers in January.