• Sports betting remains illegal onshore.
• Strong political opposition to current proposed sports betting laws.
• Unknown when differences will be resolved, or even if sports betting will become legal on shore.
• Sports betting remains not illegal offshore.

Sport Betting Legality

The Texas Sportsbook Coalition is a grassroots organization made up of Texas citizens that advocate for sportsbook gambling to be made legal in the Lone Star State to create jobs and keep gaming revenues, that are going to other states, here at home. Yes, Bovada is legal in the State of Texas. This well respected online sportsbook is a fantastic choice for Texas residents, as it provides some of the best and fastest lines for sports betting in the country. You’ll find everything you could possibly want at this online sportsbook. Texas sports betting never looked as good as it did on Bovada.

• Bovada Sportsbook is one of the best online sportsbooks for Texas bettors. This online sports betting facility is rich in features such as in-play betting, live sports betting, and mobile betting.
• Sports Betting Laws in Texas. Texas has never actually passed a law stating specifically that online sports betting is illegal. However it has also never been made the option legal within the state either. It is not legal to operate an online sportsbook within the state of Texas.

The future of sports betting reform in Texas is grim. There are too many strong organizations against it. First and foremost are the two native American casinos who generate $1.2 billion in revenue per year. Their “donations” to fund Republican Senators lend them a strong voice in dictating Sports Betting laws. And their voice is unfortunately in opposition unless they have exclusive rights to offering sports betting.

If the sports betting laws are not strongly in their favor to enforce a duopoly, it is highly unlikely the sports betting laws will change.

The organizations that want sports betting legalized and open to entrants beside native American tribes are many, but as a collective are weak. They cannot compete against the clout of the two native American casinos.

Top 3 Texas Sportsbook Sites

Is Sports Betting illegal in Texas?

The only form of sports betting that is not illegal is offshore sports betting via the internet. In the year 2018, Texans wagered $79.8 million at offshore sports betting sites (per H2 Gambling Capital).

Though you physically may be located within the borders of Texas, the actual sports book is licensed and operating offshore thereby not breaking the onshore laws of sports betting.

Therefore as a Texan, it is legal and safe to bet at an offshore licensed sports book.

All other forms of sports betting in Texas is illegal -This includes operating and running a sports book

How can I find an online Sports Book?

The most popular offshore sports book is Bovada. It is the largest and has a long standing history of operating a sports book for US citizens.

Do NOT place a bet at an unlicensed sports book operating offshore. Unlicensed sportsbooks may not be reliable. Although they may offer great Welcome bonuses, their promise to pay any winnings may be empty. Keep with the which are trusted and the big brand names.

How can I place a Sports Bet onshore?

It is illegal to run a sports book or place a sports bet within the borders of Texas. Other than placing a sports bet at an offshore online sports book the only other option is to travel interstate where sports betting has been legalized.

Daily Fantasy Sport in Texas

Daily Fantasy Sport in Texas is very much a show down between big players! There are many that deem DFS to be illegal and yet, DraftKings, FanDuel and other DFS providers continue to accept Texan players. Are they flouting the law? No one knows – yet.

DraftKings is disputing the ruling that DFS is illegal in Texas. DFS can be regarded as a game of skill and therefore should not be governed by gambling laws. Gambling is often defined as a game of luck.

To this day DraftKings and FanDuel continue to operate and accept many players from Texas.

Rest assured, if you play at a DFS provider in Texas it is safe and secure. The question of legality resides with the DFS providers and not with the players.

Is DraftKings legal in Texas?

Daily Fantasy Sports maybe deemed as illegal after Attorney General Ken Patterson voiced that DDS operators were breaching the law in Texas. DraftKings is currently disputing the declaration. But till this day has not withdrawn from Texas despite the ambiguity of the state constitution gambling laws.

Professional Sport Bets

NBA – Texas has three NBA basketball teams, the Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets and San Antonio Spurs and all three are awesome! The most popular bets in Texas for the NBA is currently on the Dallas Mavericks. With their young superstar leader Luka Doncic, the Dallas Mavericks have been the surprise team at the start of this decade. Of course, the Houston Rockets led by James Harden is no slouch team either and sports bets are often placed on points spread for their games. The San Antonio Spurs are always rocket solid. It’s hard to bet against them because Popovich is such a good coach.

NFL – Texas has two NFL football teams, the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans.

MLB – Texas has two Major League Baseball teams, the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers.

NHL -Texas has one NHL ice hockey teams, the Dallas Stars.

Sports Betting – Dallas Cowboys (NFL)

Oh Dear! The Dallas Cowboys! What started as a season with great promise ended in great disappointment. Crash and burning as the season wore on, the bet to place now is “who will be the next coach?”

Sports Betting – Dallas Mavericks (NBA)

The Dallas Mavericks is one of the most popular local teams in Texas. The superstar Luka Doncic is powering the Mavericks up the ladder. His regular season MVP odds have shortened significantly with his surprise brilliant performance in the first half of the year. Placing a bet on him to win MVP is a good value bet.

The Dallas Mavericks have a solid supporting cast around Like Doncic. Though not considered as strong as other teams, Kristap Porzongas can shoot the three ball for a big, Dwight Powell is super athletic for a power forward, Tim Hardaway Jnr is a very solid shooting guard and Seth Curry is a brilliant sixth man off the bench.

Sports Betting – San Antonio Spurs (NBA)

The San Antonio Spurs had the highest winning percentage in the last decade. Led by the super coach Greg Popovich, the spurs often defy the odds. Playing the middle game goes against the trend at the moment. Most teams playing close to the ring or shoot the three, never the mid court shot. But the Spurs are deliberately playing mid court shots, which plays to their strengths. LaMarcus Aldridge is a brilliant turn and face shooter, DeMar DeRozan excellent of range jumper and Patty Mills can light up from downtown.

A great bet to place because they often fly under the radar.

Sports Betting – Houston Rockets (NBA)

Underachievers of the three Texan NBA teams? The James Harden led Houston Rockets, each year brings great promise but never quite getting there in the end. Hard to place a bet with Harden because your eggs are all in one basket for the offense. If Harden has a bad game? Will other players like Russell Westbrook step up? (Or rather not stuff up). Bet with caution with the Houston Rockets, they are extremely volatile, which the odds do not reflect.

Overview of Texas Sports Bars

Texas has plenty of sports bars that have quality sport viewing screens, cold ice beer and easy to eat comfort food. We cannot cover them all, but provide a review of the most popular ones for you.

Texas Sports Bars

The Owners Box

555 S Lamar St, Dallas, Texas

This is like the VIP high class end of town of Sports Bars. Excellent service and excellent food. The sports viewing is superb with one massive middle screen surrounded by multiple viewing areas. Lots of local craft/draft beer available together with the national and overseas beverages. Come here if you love your sports, high end comfort and serious viewing. Attached to the Omni Hotel, both patrons and non patrons of the hotel are permitted.

Jake’s Sports Bar

2944 Chimney Rock Rd, Houston, Texas

This place is a great place to hang out for the boys. I wouldn’t bring family, because if it’s sports your after then sports it is, and it can become rowdy when the drinks start to flow. Lots of tv’s to view your favorite games, but if its something niche and you need to the channel changed, it may take a while (or even not accommodated for). A limited offering of local craft beers, but the ones that they do serve are really good.

Maddy McMurphy’s Irish Sports Bar

420 E Houston St, San Antonio, Texas

A new management team installed about a year ago, and it has turned it around from the old classic traditional sports bar to the new funky contemporary craft brewer look and feel. It is very TRENDY! Was previously called the Tickets Sports Bar and now renamed to Maddy McMurphy’s. They’ve reduced the menu options, with possibly focusing on quality which makes sense. The usual sports bar food of pizzas, chips, chicken wings and nachos are available, though a little pricey for the portion size. Can get really busy, especially when several popular NFL games are on at the same time. Located conveniently near the riverwalks. An awesome place to visit if you want somewhere rockin during the big games.

Summary

The Texas sports betting reformation is stalling. Being the second most populated state in the US, you would think there would be a lot of drive to work together to legalize sports betting as soon as possible. Yes, there has been a lot of drive, but the collaboration has been sorely lacking.

Texas remains in the doldrums of sports betting limbo, as key stakeholders seek to play politics in 2020.

Only offshore sports betting remains an options for those who want to place a sports bet.

Bordering States

New Mexico Oklahoma Arkansas Louisiana

FAQ

Is Sports Betting Legal in Texas?

Onshore sports betting remains illegal until the impasse between native American. If you want to place a sports bet, you will need to open an account with an offshore online sports book.

Background on Texas sports betting laws

While even discussing gambling expansion in Texas has caused rifts, a two-tiered proposal emerged in February 2019.

The 15-page bill, HB 1275, arrived courtesy of Rep. Eddie Lucio III and would authorize online and mobile wagering. In addition, the measure would tab the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation to oversee the industry, which would see a 6.25% tax rate imposed “on each bet placed by a sports bettor.”

Under HB 1275, bettors would have the ability to wager on professional and college sports.

Barstool Sportsbook Texas

As the bill would require a referendum to amend the state constitution, one needing approval from voters, Lucio also introduced House Joint Resolution 61.

In order to move forward, the referendum would need two-thirds support in both the House and Senate. Only then can the order be placed on the ballot for public vote.

Both proposals were referred to Licensing & Administrative Procedures. As the Texas Legislature only convenes every two years, the two proposals have sat in limbo, though they could be reviewed in early 2021.

A total of five permits would become available if sports betting is legalized under this bill, with two skins authorized for each holder.

Of course, people go crazy for sports in Texas, which could obviously help sports betting thrive in the Lone Star State. That said, there has been plenty of pushback on previous proposals.

For years, bills authorizing casinos and daily fantasy sports have stalled.

Will sports betting be legalized in Texas?

Most people do not realize that the Texas Legislature meets only in odd years. As such, the two bills have gone untouched for nearly two years.

The earliest lawmakers can revisit the pair of proposals is January 2021. Voters would need to approve the referendum for a constitutional amendment in fall 2021. Then the state could move forward to shaping the Texas sports betting industry.

But even advancing legislation to the November ballot appears to be an improbable situation.

For years, bills have been cast to the side due to a variety of factors, ranging from disagreement with what measures attempt to accomplish or simply because of party affiliation. These sports betting proposals, for example, were introduced by a Democrat in a Republican-filled state, which does not bode well for the future of the bills.

Where would I be able to make legal sports bets in Texas?

Only two casinos operate in the state. And any efforts to add more have quickly been rebuffed in the past.

While the existing casinos remain difficult to access, the latest proposals would allow for online and mobile sports betting.

As a result, and if somehow legislation passes to legalize sports betting, those located within Texas’ borders would potentially have access to up to 10 online sportsbooks.

Obviously, this is all hypothetical, as plenty of work — and wishful thinking — remains for the proposed legislation.

What sports could I bet on in Texas?

As the bill is written, operators would be authorized to offer wagering on professional and college sports.

Other states with legalized sports betting typically feature a multitude of wagering options, including American and international sports.

Visit any number of legal sportsbooks, and you will see common betting market threads:

• Boxing

On top of all this, operators also offer markets on more niche sports, including Australian rules football, cricket, rugby, table tennis and darts.

Betting on Texas sports teams

Fanduel Sportsbook Texas

If Texas ever does legalize sports betting, it would behoove lawmakers to allow bettors to wager on Texas-based teams. After all, the state does feature some of the most recognized professional and college teams in the country.

In the four major North American professional leagues alone, Texas boasts eight franchises:

• Houston Astros (MLB)
• Texas Rangers (MLB)
• Dallas Mavericks (NBA)
• Houston Rockets (NBA)
• San Antonio Spurs (NBA)
• Dallas Cowboys (NFL)
• Houston Texans (NFL)
• Dallas Stars (NHL)

If that weren’t enough, Texas also features 12 Division I colleges competing in the FBS and a host of others in the FCS.

Sportsbook Texas Hold'em

• Baylor (Big 12)
• TCU (Big 12)
• Texas (Big 12)
• Texas Tech (Big 12)
• Texas A&M (SEC)
• Houston (AAC)
• SMU (AAC)
• North Texas (C-USA)
• Rice (C-USA)
• UTEP (C-USA)
• UTSA (C-USA)
• Texas State (Sun Belt)

What would be the minimum age for sports betting in Texas?

While each state that legalizes and launches sports betting differs in many ways, several shared traits do exist.

Among them is the minimum age for individuals to participate in regulated sports betting.

No doubt, then, Texas would follow the trend and require bettors to be at least 21 years old in order to place regulated wagers.

How do I deposit money into an online sports betting account?

Online sportsbooks elsewhere offer many methods for funding a sports betting account. Often, the list includes:

• Credit/debit cards
• Prepaid cards
• Check/money order
• Bank wire transfer/e-check/ACH
• PayPal/Skrill/Neteller
• PayNearMe
• Cash at cage of casino affiliated with an online sportsbook

Sportsbooks also frequently offer deposit bonuses, so paying attention to bonus codes to receive said bonuses is recommended.

Online Sportsbook Texas

Withdrawal options

Fanduel Sportsbook Texas

Gaining access to winnings is usually fairly simple. Many online sportsbooks in other states allow customers to use similar methods for withdrawal.

Popular options include PayPal and similar online payment processors. Sportsbooks also offer bank transfers and e-checks as well as paying via cash at the casino cage.