Don’t hold your breath on legal wagering in Texas next year

The heightened opposition to gambling in general — fueled by the casino debate — is now spilling over into the discussion around sports betting

The future of legalized sports betting in Texas has become entangled in a web of lobbying efforts and political maneuvering centered around the more contentious issue of casino legalisation. The Lone Star State is the second largest in the US after California to not have legal sports betting. And it is facing increasingly complex challenges that could derail the prospects for legalisation in the near future.

According to a recent report from Eilers & Krejcik Gaming (EKG), a Southern California-based advisory firm specialising in the gaming industry, Texas has been removed from the list of states likely to legalise sports betting in 2025. The report highlights the growing influence of anti-gaming advocates and the intensified lobbying for casino legalisation as significant obstacles to the advancement of sports betting legislation. As a result, EKG doesn’t expect there to be any forward movement until 2027, at the earliest.

“We previously projected that Texas would legalise in November 2025 via ballot measure, and then launch in fall 2026. We’ve now pushed the timeline back a legislative session, with legalisation occurring in November 2027, and launch occurring in time for the NFL season opener in fall 2028.”

– Eilers & Krejcik Gaming

Opposition says legal casinos will bring problems
Central to this issue is Las Vegas Sands. The casino and resort behemoth has invested millions over the past decade in efforts to bring casinos to Texas. The company, undeterred by previous failures, is once again leading the charge for a casino bill. This renewed push for casinos, however, has sparked fierce backlash from anti-gaming groups. Those groups have become more organized and vocal in their opposition.

The groups argue that legalising casinos would open the floodgates to a host of social and economic problems, including gambling addiction, crime, and the destabilisation of local economies. Their intensified efforts to block casino legislation have, in turn, complicated the landscape for sports betting advocates, who find themselves caught in the crossfire.

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