Even with so many storied professional sports and college teams in The Lone Star State, sports betting and commercial casinos are still illegal in Texas. However, that might be changing in 2025. After years of high hopes with no action, the Texas state legislature enters 2025 with bills to legalize commercial casinos in the state as part of the addendum.
Even though The Lone Star State has a handful of First Nation retail casinos, the struggle to legalize commercial ones has been a hot bet of contention. In recent years, former Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban and the Sheldon Family, an influential Nevada family in Nevada’s casino scene, have campaigned for commercial casinos in the Austin and Dallas areas.
However, despite tremendous campaigning, those efforts failed to lead to any significant legislation. Historically, Texas, like many states like Tennessee and Alabama, has frowned heavily on gambling activity. However, with the rise of the American online casino industry generating billions alone, the top of retail and online gambling is becoming too much and too lucrative to ignore.
To build on the success of legalized horse racing in the state, Texas Senator Carol Alvarado, towards the end of 2024, introduced bill SJR 16 to specifically tackle the issue of commercial casinos. The measure calls for limited gambling activity at certain resorts. Alvarado’s bill also calls for legalizing sports betting.
When you factor in the amazing sports history in The Lone Star State, it seems only a matter of time before sports betting on historic teams like The Texas Longhorns becomes legal. If successful, the bill calls for a maximum of seven commercial casino resorts. Up to 15% of those gross revenues would be taxed. Specifically, the Dallas and Forth Worth areas would get two land based casinos, and Houston would get one. If SJR 16 is successful, the San Antonio metro would receive a casino. However, it would call for an amendment to the Texas Constitution.
