StateReg.Reference

Sports Betting Laws in Texas: Current Status 2025

Is sports betting legal in Texas? Get the plain-English answer, the constitutional barrier, 2025 legislative bills, and what comes next for TX bettors.

Verified April 26, 202610 statute sources
AI-drafted, human-reviewed

How we verify

Each guide is built from authoritative sources (state legislatures, FAA, IRS, DSIRE, OpenStates, etc.), drafted by AI, edited by a second AI pass, polished, then spot-reviewed by a human before publication.

TexasSports betting

Quick Answer: Is Sports Betting Legal in Texas?

No. Sports betting is illegal in Texas, including retail, online, and mobile formats. No licensed sportsbooks operate within Texas state lines in 2025.

Texas has not enacted statutes specifically targeting individual online bettors. However, such activity may still fall under Texas Penal Code § 47.02. Consult the Texas Attorney General's office or a licensed Texas attorney for current guidance on specific penalties.

This status persists despite lobbying and legislative activity due to the Texas Constitution. Texas Constitution, Article III, § 47 prohibits lotteries and most forms of gambling. This constitutional prohibition means the legislature cannot legalize sports betting by statute alone; voters must first approve a constitutional amendment. This structural barrier explains why Texas still has no legal sports betting, while neighboring Louisiana has had mobile wagering since 2022.

What About Daily Fantasy Sports?

DraftKings and FanDuel both operate daily fantasy sports (DFS) products in Texas. The Texas Attorney General has not issued a formal opinion declaring DFS illegal, and no enforcement action has been taken against the major platforms as of 2025. DFS is not fixed-odds sports wagering. Participation in DFS does not legalize sports betting in Texas.

What About Offshore Betting Sites?

Texans who use offshore

Sources & Verification (10)
  • Relating to the elimination of certain tax proceeds deposited to and the allocation of the horse industry escrowed purse account.
  • Proposing a constitutional amendment, to be submitted to the voters of Texas for approval, authorizing the legislature to strictly regulate and authorize casino gaming and sports wagering by general law and establishing certain requirements for such law, including establishment of a state agency with powers to regulate all lotteries and gift enterprises, imposition of a tax on casino gaming and sports wagering revenue, requiring licensing of casino gaming and sports wagering operators, and requiring license application fees.
  • Relating to eligibility for membership on and the regulation of horse racing by the Texas Racing Commission and a prohibition on the conduct of greyhound or other dog racing as live events in this state; creating a criminal offense; authorizing a fee.
  • Relating to the Texas Racing Commission and the regulation of dog races, including greyhound races, as live events in this state and of simulcast wagering on greyhound races conducted out of state.
  • Proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas to conduct gaming by executing a gaming compact with this state; providing for occupational licensing under the compact; limiting certain taxes and fees.
  • Proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to legalize wagering in this state on certain sporting events.
  • Proposing a constitutional amendment, to be submitted to the voters of Texas for approval, authorizing the legislature to strictly regulate and authorize casino gaming and sports wagering by general law and establishing certain requirements for such law, including imposition of a tax on casino gaming and sports wagering revenue, requiring licensing of casino gaming and sports wagering operators, and requiring license application fees.
  • Proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to legalize wagering in this state on certain sporting events.
  • Proposing a constitutional amendment to foster economic development and job growth, provide tax relief and funding for education and public safety programs, and reform and support the horse racing industry by authorizing casino gaming at destination resorts, authorizing sports wagering, and creating the Texas Gaming Commission to regulate casino gaming and sports wagering; requiring a license to conduct casino gaming; requiring the imposition of a casino gaming tax, sports wagering tax, and license application fees.
  • Relating to the regulation of sports wagering; requiring occupational permits; authorizing fees; imposing a tax; decriminalizing wagering on certain sports events; creating criminal offenses; providing administrative penalties.

Generated by: sonnet+gemini-2.5-pro+flash-lite

Last verified: April 26, 2026

How we verify: 9 source adapters (FAA, DSIRE, IRS, OpenStates, etc.) → AI draft → AI editor → AI polish → spot human review.

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