AUSTIN, Texas — Last session, the Texas Legislature stopped short of legalizing sports betting in the state after a historic House vote approved a bill that the Senate refused to consider. Sports betting advocates say this session could yield better results.
“I would be willing to bet every dollar on it,” Texas Sports Betting Alliance spokesman John Scott told CBS Austin. Scott served as Texas’ secretary of state for more than a year, served as deputy attorney general in the Greg Abbott administration, and was named interim attorney general during Ken Paxton’s impeachment trial. He now advocates legalizing sports betting, calling it a harmless issue where Texans can spend their money however they like.
The Texas Sports Betting Alliance is comprised of multiple stakeholders who are publicly calling on Congress to legalize sports betting. Its partners include nearly every major sports team in Texas, from the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Astros to Austin FC and Texas Motor Speedway.
Texas is one of only 11 states in the nation that has not legalized sports betting, which is often done through mobile apps. An estimated 1.5 million sports betting attempts were made in Texas in November, according to data from GeoComply. In 2022, the American Gaming Association Texans spends an estimated $6 billion each year on illegal and unregulated sports betting. Eilers & Krejcik Gaming estimates that if sports betting were regulated, Texas could receive more than $360 million annually in direct taxes.
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In the 88th Congress, the Texas House of Representatives approved House Joint Resolution 102. It set a path toward legalizing sports betting and gave voters the opportunity to approve a constitutional amendment to do so. In a surprise vote, the House approved the bill, which required a two-thirds majority, but the Senate never considered it.
“We have repeatedly said there is little to no support for gaming expansion from Senate Republicans. We surveyed members this week,” Senate President Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said in a social media post at the time. Ta. Nothing changed. The Senate must focus on the issues voters expect us to pass. There is no time to waste on a bill without overwhelming Republican support. ”
“He’s always made it clear that if we hear from the voters of the Senate that they want this, he’s ready to do it,” Scott told CBS Austin. “I think his biggest objection last time was that he didn’t really hear anything from members, and the Senate didn’t hear from voters that they wanted online gambling.”
A bill to legalize sports betting has already been introduced by Sen. Carol Alvarado (D-Houston). Congress will return to the Capitol for its 89th session on January 14, 2025.
