Battle Lines Drawn for Legal Gambling in Texas

Texas governor Greg Abbott hasn’t changed his stance on bringing gambling to the Lone Star State. But when the Texas legislature reopens in 2027, legal gambling in Texas might not be his decision to make anymore.

While Abbott and lieutenant governor Dan Patrick have both firmly opposed legalizing gambling in Texas, the issue hasn’t gone away. And with an election coming in November, there’s a possibility that betting in Texas could become an issue in the campaign.

Texas has long been a top prize in the eyes of casino and sportsbook operators. With 31.7 million people in the Lone Star State, it’s the second-largest state by population. Yet, other than three tribal casinos, bingo and the state lottery, it has no form of legalized gambling.

That hasn’t been for a lack of trying in the Texas legislature. In 2023, the Texas House debated House Bill 2843, which would have licensed both sports betting and casino gambling in Texas. But the bill never got through committee, in part because legislators decided it would be useless.

The reason to give up the fight was Patrick. Texas’ setup means that the lieutenant governor decides which bills are brought before the Texas Senate, and the highly partisan Patrick refuses to propose any bills that do not have Republican support. Texas Democrats have shown a willingness to legalize gambling in Texas, but as they do not have the majority, Patrick has ignored their position.

What Is Greg Abbott’s Stance on Legal Gambling in Texas?

Abbott, who is seeking an unprecedented fourth term, has wavered between passive disapproval and outright opponent of legal gambling in Texas. In February 2025, he signaled he would support online sports betting in Texas if it reached his desk.

But that never happened because Patrick refused to allow any such bill to come to the Texas Senate floor. By November 2025, Abbott had altered his stance in a less friendly way toward Texas gambling. At the end of March, Abbott essentially decided he was done with the issue.

“All I can tell you is what the law says, and that is, gambling is unconstitutional in the state of Texas,” Abbott said. “I don’t see that changing in the next session.”

While gambling is prohibited by the Texas Constitution, that could change by posing an amendment to the voters. To do so, both chambers of the Texas legislature would need to pass a bill related to the gambling issue by a ⅔ vote. The amendment would then go before Texas voters at the next scheduled election.

Because the process is the same as the votes needed to override the governor, Abbott’s approval would not be needed.

Where Does the Opposition Stand?

It’s not completely clear. Previous votes suggest Abbott and Patrick’s opponents would be more friendly to gambling in Texas. The Democratic candidate for governor, Rep. Gina Hinojosa (D-Austin) has previously voted in favor of amendments to HB 2843. So has Rep. Vikki Goodwin (D-Bee Cave), one of two potential Democratic nominees for lieutenant governor.

Hinojosa secured a majority in her primary and will face Abbott for governor. Goodwin advanced to a runoff in May against Marcos Velez, a union leader from Houston who does not hold elected office. As such, Velez has not taken a position on legal gambling in Texas.

Outside of the top two offices, positions on Texas gambling are mixed between the two parties. That mirrors the feelings of Texas voters themselves, as 58% of Democrats and 57% of Republicans in Texas favored legalizing brick-and-mortar casinos. Support for sports betting was more tepid, with 49% of Democrats and 48% of Republicans in favor.

What Will Outside Interests Do?

Texas’ sports teams are likely to throw financial support behind the challengers. The Lone Star State is home to 12 professional sports teams across four cities. All of them have partnered with FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM and Fanatics to form the Texas Betting Alliance. If they get involved, that could be considerable financial muscle against the incumbents.

The other major outside interest is the Texas Sands PAC, run by Las Vegas Sands Casino Resort. Historically, this PAC has backed Republican interests. However, recent elections have shifted Republicans in Texas toward Abbott and Patrick and against Las Vegas Sands’ interests.

Polls suggest a favorable environment for Democrats in November’s elections. That could lead to Las Vegas Sands either staying out of the race, or going all-in to try to alter the Texas legislature drastically for 2027.

Crucially, Texas’ legislature only meets in odd-numbered years. If the environment does not change in November, legal gambling in Texas is dead until at least 2029.