In a recent report highlighting the ongoing battle for gaming legalization in Texas, it would appear that the gaming headwinds have cooled at the legislative level in the Lone Star State. Per an update article, the path to legalization of sports betting consideration rests in Texas’ lawmakers’ hands. While popular, sports betting lacks the urgency and emotional investment to make moves quickly. Moreover, some sources point out that optimistic assessments put Texas sports betting unlikely to come to fruition until at least 2024. Additionally, two high-ranking Texas political officials, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick and Governor Greg Abbott opposed sports betting legalization, giving the bill no high-profile political supporters outside of governor hopeful Beto O’Rourke.
For this article, SBS will be going over what to look for from the latest round of gaming news coming out of Texas and some other thoughts and notes about Texas gaming.
In the same report, while support at the legislative level is murky, it is still abundantly clear that big-time players in the gaming space are betting on Texas gambling legalization in the next five years. As the article points out, operators like DraftKings and BetMGM would not be investing serious marketing capital into partnerships solely for signage on the walls at Minute Maid Park or branding in the home arena of the Houston Rockets. Moreover, there also seems to be a clear belief among gaming operators that the tide will turn in Texas thanks to the pull of some of the industry’s biggest names.
Texas has already seen what legal online sports betting looks like thanks to neighboring states like Louisiana and Arkansas putting it into effect within the last couple of years. However, they should have some urgency when it comes to legalization since other states on the cusp are also close to new gaming plans. Californians are voting on two sports betting referendums in November, including Prop 27 which could see operators pay extraordinary $100 million one-time licensing fees to access the state’s 39+ million people. Additionally, Texas could offer a similar licensing package for participating operators looking to get into the state.
Per the report, for now, Texas residents are left to play with daily fantasy sports products from DraftKings, FanDuel, and several other operators. As referenced in this space before, major Texas power broker Jerry Jones along with the Sports Betting Alliance are currently investing in rapid legalization. However, this will likely have to endure, in all likelihood, several more seasons of play before their first wager can be accepted.
As one report states, outside of lobbying, Texas has not had a huge public figure promoting gambling legalization for some time. Perhaps the most outward-facing representation of gaming in Texas is the famous furniture store owner and active gambler Mattress Mack. The furniture store mogul is notorious for laying down large sums of money on his hometown Houston Astros to win the World Series among other large wagers. His presence in the sports gamlbing culture has shined a clear spotlight on him, despite the state’s non-legalized status as one article alludes to.
Once you are all caught up on the latest gambling news coming out of Texas, make sure to also check into the great resources that SBS has put together for you. This includes our sports betting in Texas guide which highlights all the latest ways to get the most out of Texas-centric gaming activities. In addition to that page, SBS has done a lot of the heavy lifting for you by compiling our best bonus betting sites breakdown which goes over all the latest welcome bonus offers available. This page offers a great catalog of the different bonus offers available to you to maximize your bets. On a final note, if you are curious about which ways to place your deposits and withdrawals, do not worry as we have you covered there with our payment methods rundown. This page goes over all the ways to make your gaming experience as smooth as possible from a payment transaction point of view.
About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football in the Mountain West Conference, and basketball. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones.
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