Legal sports betting in Texas? Odds are slim, for now

AUSTIN (Nexstar) — As fans across Texas sit down for the Longhorns’ first-ever College Football Playoff appearance on Monday, untold fortunes in illegal bets will undoubtedly leave Texas wallets for out-of-state sportsbooks. Yet the odds of Texas legalizing gaming any time soon are slim-to-none, after an unprecedented push by casinos and sportsbooks failed to gain traction in this year’s legislative session.

After a multimillion dollar lobbying push from powerful casino interests like the Las Vegas Sands Corporation, the Texas legislature made more inroads towards sports betting than ever before. In May, the Texas House passed a bill to legalize sports betting for the first time — but all measures failed to become law.

“Maybe it’ll happen in 2025. Maybe, as we get closer to the session, the momentum will start building. But from where I sit right now, I just I don’t see it,” regulatory writer for XLMedia Robert Linnehan said.

Stopped in the Senate

There’s one state leader who observers single out when throwing cold water on the prospects: Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.

Patrick, the leader of the Senate and the most powerful legislator in the state, decides what legislation moves or dies. He has repeatedly cast doubt on any sports betting or casino bills.

“From day one, we had zero support for casino gambling or sports betting,” Patrick said in March, midway through this year’s regular legislative session. “Unless I have 15, 16 Republicans — meaning it’s a Republican-driven bill because we’re in a Republican-driven state… I’m not bringing a bill to the floor. I need to have consensus by the Republicans. Otherwise, it’s a bill that the Democrats are passing. We don’t do that in the Senate.”

This May, the Texas House passed a sports betting bill on a 82-51 vote. Still, only 35 Republicans voted in favor. Citing a lack of Republican support, Lt. Gov. Patrick did not refer the House’s bill to a Senate committee.

“Patrick and the Republicans in the Senate have sort of dug in their heels, and there’s not an appetite for it,” Linnehan said. “With Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, in power through 2026, I think casino expansion and sports betting have an extremely difficult hill to climb.”

Adelson advantage?

On Wednesday, the NBA approved the sale of the Dallas Mavericks to the Las Vegas Sands casino company, in a purchase that renewed speculation about the growing push for gaming in Texas.

“It’s a new ally for Texas gaming expansion,” Linnehan said. “They may be able to bend some ears that Mark Cuban wasn’t… But look, the truth of the matter is you had one of the most powerful, if not the most powerful, franchise owner in the history of sports in Jerry Jones publicly stumping for legalized sports betting in the state the last couple of years, and nothing has happened.”

Since the beginning of 2022, the Sands Corporation has donated millions to Texas lawmakers. Donations include at least $225,000 to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, $300,000 to House Speaker Dade Phelan, and $200,000 to Gov. Greg Abbott.

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