- Will Texas Legalize Sports Gambling Bills
- Will Texas Legalize Sports Gambling Laws
- Will Texas Legalize Sports Gambling
- Sports gambling could be legal in Texas in 2020 There are two bills introduced to Texas legislature to authorize sports betting in Texas Author: Savannah Louie (KSDK).
- The hurdles to legalize sports betting in Texas are mountainous compared to how quickly a venue such as Gulf Coast Racing could convert to begin taking sports wagers. 'We would love to do it.
Texas currently has two bills in committee that if enacted, would bring domestic sports betting to the Lonestar state. HB 1275 & HJR61 are two individual sports betting bills that are currently being debated by the local legislature.
State that wishes can now offer legalized sports betting. Here is an update on where all 50 states (and Washington, D.C.) stand.
HB1275 is a bill that lays out the regulation of the sports betting industry. This bill requires that sportsbook operators obtain a $250,000 state license and are subject to a background check. A state license renewal fee is $200,000, and operators can be denied renewal for various reasons.
HB1275 also gives the Commission of Licensing and Regulating the authority to oversee the sports betting industry. The commission can also establish a sports betting program or division. The bill goes on to impose a tax of 6.25% on all sports bets, and the permit holder shall collect the tax.
Will Texas Legalize Sports Gambling Bills
The other sports betting bill HJR61 is an amendment to the Texas Constitution that would also legalize sports betting in the great state of Texas. This bill gives the Texas legislature the right to enact domestic sports betting laws and would allow bets to be placed on professional and college sports. HJR61 will be on the ballot November 5th, 2019 and voters will choose whether or not this amendment becomes law.
Texans have long had the option of betting offshore with sportsbooks that operate legally and serve the US market. Sites like Bovada, MyBookie, and others have been serving Texas sweet betting lines for almost a decade. Offshore sites have several advantages over domestic services that many players use to their advantage, including:
- bonus offers to new players
- Accepts Bitcoin
- Convenience
- Political Betting options
- International sports (FIFA, Olympics, etc.)
- Regional sports betting (Some areas prohibit this)
Despite the online sports betting options Texan bettors have grown accustomed to, domestic sports betting would bring a lot of additional state revenue that can be used by community organizers to benefit the state. We will continue to follow sports betting legalization across the United States but if you are interested you can keep up with Texas and other state-sponsored sports betting bills by using our bill tracker resource tool.
Texas Could Legalize Sports Betting in 2020, Despite Opposition
If there is one thing that is true in Texas, it is that lawmakers in the state do not like casinos.
Countless attempts over the years to bring casinos into the state have failed when proposed.
But with the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to give the power back to the states, Texas has become a hotbed of discussion for legalized sports gambling.
With the stigma that sports betting has in the state, progressive lawmakers understand that hearts and minds will have to change to get wagering on sporting events legal in the state.
Two bills were recently introduced by Democrat Representative Eduardo Lucio that could bring sports gambling to the state by 2020.
But Rep. Lucio knows the bills don't have much of a chance to pass the Republican-controlled legislature, but that measures like these will have to be introduced for the conversation to change.
U.S. gaming expert, attorney Daniel Wallach, feels the more bills proposed, the more likely Texas could cave to outside pressure.
'I think the introduction of a bill like this starts the conversation, and while it may not end up on the ballot this year,' Wallach said.
'I think going forward, the prospects are promising for Texas because it's probably one of the most important markets for sports betting, probably a top 5 market.'
The proposed bills do have a unique wrinkle as each bet would be taxed 6.25% rather than a casino's revenue.
Online gambling nyc. New York Online Casino View Top New York Picks Legal gambling in New York runs the gamut from Las Vegas-style casinos to racinos, horse race betting, and even a robust lottery. Legalized casino-style gambling began soon after the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act was passed in 1988.
But until sports betting is considered not to be an evil endeavor by the Texas Legislature then hope right now is on life support.
How are Casinos in Neighboring States Influencing the Texas Bill?
The biggest obstacle in the fight to get sports betting into Texas is coming from casino lobbying from other states.
Native American tribe run casinos in Oklahoma have been significant contributors to Texas legislators in an attempt to kill the sports betting bills proposed recently.
Reports suggest that two Oklahoma tribes, the Chickasaw and Choctaw nations, have given more than $5 million in donations to Texas lawmakers since 2006.
'The tribes have a major-league seat at the table,' said Bill Pascrell III, a gambling lobbyist that seeks to legalize sports betting across all 50 states.
In a show of strength, the Native American-run casinos in Oklahoma flexed their muscle with the help of 'America's Team.'
The Dallas Cowboys recently joined into a partnership with the Oklahoma-based Winstar Casino, a gaming location that rests on the Oklahoma-Texas border along the Red River.
The agreement does not use the word 'betting' in the contract but rather calls the Cowboys a 'casino partner.'
Will Texas Legalize Sports Gambling Laws
Other experts, including documentary filmmaker Bradley Jackson, creator of the Showtime docu-series 'Action' about sports gambling in Las Vegas, believes Texas will adopt sports gambling soon.
'I don't think Texas will necessarily do it right off the bat,' Jackson told Texas Monthly.
'But I think it in a couple years, when they see how much money there is to be made and that there are smart ways to go about it, it'll happen.'
Will Texas Legalize Sports Gambling
With the amount of money that states like New Jersey are generating for their general funds, it is hard not to see Texas falling to internal pressure to create revenue via sports gambling.
