Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry Continues Sports Betting Support With 2025 Push In Mind

Despite Texas sports betting efforts being done for the year, those in favor are looking ahead to 2025. Former Gov. Rick Perry has been a strong advocate for launching mobile sportsbooks in Texas. Perry recently issued a statement with the Texas Sports Betting Alliance advocating for residents to decide on the fate of sports gambling in the Lone Star State.

Sportsbook Push Continues In Texas For 2025

What Perry and the Sports Betting Alliance want is for legislation to advance so that residents can decide the fate of Texas sports betting. For that to happen, a constitutional amendment must pass, requiring a statewide vote.

“Texans deserve the chance to vote on legalizing sports betting and we will continue working to put this initiative on the ballot in 2025,” said Perry in a release from the Texas Sports Betting Alliance.

This year saw the most advancement for any Texas sports wagering legislation ever. HJR 102 and HB 1942 both managed to advance out of the Texas House. No sports gambling legislation had ever advanced out of a Texas chamber.

The bill had no chance in the Senate, as the measure was not referred due to the lack of support. Lawmakers can now build on the foundation set this year for future sports betting efforts.

Aiming for 2025 gives lawmakers a better chance as a potential political shift could occur. This would be the first year following the presidential election, and there is no telling what the Texas landscape would look like by then.

Lawmakers will also have more time to create legislation that could garner the support of Lt Gov. Dan Patrick. Patrick has vocalized lack of confidence in sports betting legislation but admitted he does not oppose the issue itself.

By 2025, lawmakers could convince more Republican legislators to support the issue. Patrick repeatedly said that no sports betting legislation without a majority Republican support will advance in the Lone Star State.

Reasons For Optimism Going Forward

Texas represents a prime location for a sports gambling market, so efforts will continue. The Sports Betting Alliance has major players in Texas backing them alongside former Gov. Perry. Support from local teams, businesses, and politicians shows how committed the effort is to bring legal sports betting sites to Texas.

The advancement of sports betting legislation out of the State House proves that the efforts have resulted in progress.

“We are thankful for and encouraged by the months of thoughtful policy discussions on both sides of the aisle, in both chambers this legislative session to bring a legal mobile sports betting market to Texans. We know that Texans want freedom and liberty that our great state is known for, to participate in sports betting legally and safely. We listened to the people and put forth legislations that would combat the $6 billion illegal market with common sense regulation and protect Texans without growing the size and scope of government.”

Former Gov. Rick Perry

With lawmakers building off the foundation laid in 2023, 2025 could prove a more fruitful year for sports betting. Fans can expect that push for Texas sports betting to continue until the market is regulated.