Texas GOP House Lawmakers Deliver Dire Update on Sports Betting

Michael Savio
By: Michael Savio
03/15/2025
Sports Betting
Photo by Kumar Appaiah, CC BY-SA 2.0

Photo by Kumar Appaiah, CC BY-SA 2.0

Key Takeaways

  • Lawmakers don’t believe there is enough support to legalize sports betting
  • November’s election saw several industry proponents lose
  • Governor Abbott is a public supporter of the current legislation

It doesn’t look like sports betting will soon come to the Lone Star State.

A group of Republican House members sent a letter to House State Affairs Chair Rep. Ken King requesting he shelve sports betting and online casino legislation for the 2025 session. Several lawmakers replaced several key sports betting proponents, showing that the state is even further away from legalization than it was heading into the year.

Rep. King has yet to respond to the request, but it seems unlikely any gambling bills will be considered before the session ends.

Lawmakers Don’t Want to Waste Time

In the letter sent to Rep. King, the Republican lawmakers argued that gambling legislation’s lost support means it is destined to fail. Therefore, they say that the state shouldn’t waste time and resources on them during the final stretch of the 2025 legislative session.

“We are confident this legislation does not have the votes necessary to pass the Texas House this session,” the letter reads. “Given the certainty of its failure, I urge you not to waste valuable committee time on an issue that is dead on arrival.”

Industry Support Trending the Wrong Way

Legalizing sports betting in 2025 was already a long shot, but the letter sent to Rep. King shows that things are worse than they seem. The loss of several key industry supporters in the House shows that legalizing the industry isn’t a top priority. 

The question now is, what will happen in November 2026? That is when the mid-term elections will be, giving voters another chance to add or remove sports betting proponents from the state legislature. Given that opposition to the industry is strong and well-funded, proponents will need to find new ways to sway voters.

Governor Continues to Support Sports Betting

One reason industry proponents were hoping sports betting would gain momentum was Governor Greg Abbott's support. The state’s top lawmaker supported the sports betting bills being considered, countering the opposition of Lt. Governor Dan Patrick.

Abbott supported sports betting because he believed many Texans were already betting on sports. Bettors can place wagers using offshore books or other illegal operators, which means problem gambling is rising in Texas despite the industry remaining illegal.

A legal sports betting market would better protect bettors and fund problem gambling resources. With gambling spreading across the US, the Governor believes the problem will only get worse if a regulated market isn’t set up. 

Michael Savio covers the US online casino industry, giving readers insights and information they won’t find anywhere else. He has followed the retail industry since his time living in Las Vegas and has continued to do so as the online industry has taken off. Michael covers everything from online casino reviews to industry news, making him one of the most trusted insiders in the business. Check out Michael’s latest articles at casinos.com to see what he has to offer!