Two bills to expand legal gambling and usher in Texas sports betting have cleared a House committee, representing more progress than they made in the last legislative session. The House State Affairs Committee approved legislation that would let voters decide whether to legalize casinos and online sports betting. House Bill 2843 would permit casino gambling in Texas and House Bill 1942 would legalize online sports betting. If approved by voters, the casino bill would allow eight destination resort casinos in Texas, and sports betting would be allowed under the casino bill.
However, the bills still face long odds in the Senate. As gambling expansion implies changes to the Texas Constitution, it requires two-thirds majorities in both chambers. This is an unlikely scenario given the Senate’s apparent little appetite for the bills. Despite this, gaming advocates have been pushing for the legalization of Texas sports betting and casinos for two consecutive sessions. Resorts giant Las Vegas Sands has spent millions of dollars since 2020 on lobbyists, TV ads, and campaign contributions.
Rep. Jeff Leach’s sports betting proposal, backed by the Sports Betting Alliance, would allow for mobile-only sports wagering. The alliance is a collective of major sportsbooks and Texas professional sports teams, and former Gov. Rick Perry is the group’s spokesperson.
The Texas sports betting bills now head to the Calendars Committee, which will determine which legislation makes it to the House floor. If the bills make it through the House, they will then go to the Senate. Although the legislation still faces significant opposition, the progress made this session suggests that the debate on the expansion of legal gambling in Texas is far from over.
