If either the mobile sports betting bill, land casino bill, or both, were to pass, then the issue would go directly to the voters in November of 2023. Separately, there is a bill that would authorize land-based Commercial Casinos in the state. Despite casino-lobbying groups pouring millions of dollars into policymakers’ pockets in recent years, state lawmakers failed to move forward on legalizing either during the 2021 legislative session. “Given that Texans are already participating in mobile sports betting, legalization would be a win for all involved.”īoth online sports betting and casinos are illegal in Texas - except for three casinos operating legally on Native American territory in the Lone Star State due to federal law. “The legalization of mobile sports betting in Texas would mean implementing smart and efficient oversight to preserve the integrity of sporting events, empower Texans to safely participate in mobile sports betting, and fight illegal gambling,” Perry said in a press release. It would have to be mobile, and almost certainly would have to go through the Texas Lottery, as the state does not have any Commercial land casinos. Update: According to KXAN, one of the bills that might receive a vote in the Legislature during the 2023 Legislative year concerns the authorization of mobile sports betting to operate in the state.
