Is sports betting legal in Texas? No. Sports betting is not legal in Texas, online or in person: placing a bet on a game is a Class C misdemeanor under Penal Code section 47.02, and taking bets is a Class A misdemeanor. Changing that takes a constitutional amendment approved by two thirds of both chambers and then by voters, and the Legislature does not meet again until January 12, 2027. Last checked October 13, 2026.
The rundown
- 01Betting on a game is a Class C misdemeanor; taking bets is a Class A misdemeanor.
- 02Legal betting needs a constitutional amendment: two thirds of both chambers, then voters.
- 03The House passed one in 2023; the Senate never took it up.
- 04No sportsbook app is legal in Texas; fantasy and prediction products are a separate, untested question.
- StatusNot legal
- House votes needed100
- Senate votes needed21
- Next sessionJan 12, 2027
Why sports betting is illegal in Texas
The ban on Texas sports betting sits in two places. Article III, Section 47 of the Texas Constitution tells the Legislature to prohibit lotteries and gift enterprises, with exceptions only for what the Constitution itself allows: the state lottery added by voters in 1991, charitable bingo and charitable raffles. Chapter 47 of the Penal Code then makes betting and bookmaking crimes. A statute alone cannot open a sportsbook; the Constitution has to change first.
What legal sports betting in Texas would take
A vote in the House alone changes nothing: all four steps have to happen. Click each step to see what it requires and how far the last real attempt got.
- House votes needed
- 100 of 150
- Senate votes needed
- 21 of 31
- Then
- Voters
Constitutional path to legal sports betting
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Reached once: in May 2023 the House adopted HJR 102, a joint resolution letting the Legislature legalize sports wagering. The 2025 version, HJR 134, never got a hearing.
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The 2023 resolution arrived in the Senate on May 12, 2023 and was never referred to a committee. The Lieutenant Governor, who presides over the Senate, controls referrals. In 2025 no Senate resolution moved past referral.
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If both chambers pass a joint resolution, voters decide at an election the Legislature sets. Texas has not yet voted on sports betting.
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After a successful vote the Legislature passes the rules (in 2023, HB 1942) and a regulator licenses operators before any bet is taken.
Status today: no bill is pending. Joint resolutions for the 2027 session can be pre-filed from November 2026.
Texas sports betting bills since 2021
Every session since 2021 has seen Texas sports betting resolutions filed. Only one reached a floor vote.
- 87th Legislature: HJR 97, HB 2070 and the casino-and-sports HJR 133 are left pending in House State Affairs.
- 88th Legislature: House State Affairs reports HJR 102 and HB 1942, 9 to 3.
- The House adopts HJR 102 and passes HB 1942 (reported as 101 to 42 and 82 to 51).
- Both reach the Senate and are never referred to a committee.
- 89th Legislature: HJR 134 is referred to House State Affairs and gets no hearing; SJR 65, SJR 16 and SJR 82 die in the Senate.
- Two special sessions end; neither call included gambling.
- The Lieutenant Governor orders an interim study of prediction markets as a gambling loophole.
- The 90th Legislature is scheduled to convene; any new amendment would start here.
| Session | Measure | Furthest step |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 (87th) | HJR 97 / HB 2070; HJR 133 | Left pending in House committee |
| 2023 (88th) | HJR 102 / HB 1942 | Passed the House; never referred in the Senate |
| 2025 (89th) | HJR 134, SJR 65, SJR 16, SJR 82 | Referred to committee, no hearing |
Is DraftKings legal in Texas? The apps Texans ask about
Texans see sportsbook brands in national sports broadcasts, but sports betting is not legal in Texas, so none of the big betting apps in Texas can take a sports bet; some offer other products there. Pick one to see where it stands.
Choose an app to see its status in Texas.
HeardSportsbook ads on Texas TV mean betting is legal here.
ActuallyNational broadcasts carry ads for every market. In Texas the same brands can only offer products they do not treat as sports betting, such as fantasy contests.
HeardA betting app that lets me sign up must be legal.
ActuallyLicensed sportsbooks block bets from Texas. A site that takes your bet from Texas holds no US state license.
What gambling is legal in Texas
Texas horse racing runs on pari-mutuel pools like the ones on this Lone Star Park tote board. Texas has no commercial casinos, and its three tribal gaming venues offer no sports betting.
Legal in Texas
- Texas Lottery, in person only since SB 3070
- Pari-mutuel horse racing at licensed tracks
- Gaming at the Kickapoo, Ysleta del Sur Pueblo and Alabama-Coushatta venues
- Charitable bingo and raffles
- Private social games under strict conditions
Not legal in Texas
- Sports betting online or in person
- Taking bets (bookmaking)
- Lottery couriers and lottery apps
- Casinos outside the tribal venues
Where Texans can bet legally
Betting is legal where you are standing, not where you live. Texans who travel can bet online in Louisiana and Arkansas once an app confirms they are inside those states, and in person at tribal casinos in New Mexico. Oklahoma has no legal sports betting.
- Not legal
- Online and in person
- In person only
- In person at tribal casinos only
Help with gambling in Texas
Texas has no state-funded problem gambling helpline and no statewide self-exclusion program. The Texas Coalition on Problem Gambling, an affiliate of the National Council on Problem Gambling, points people to 1-800-522-4700 (call or text 800GAM).
Texas sports betting questions
Is sports betting legal in Texas?
No. Placing a bet on a game is a Class C misdemeanor under Penal Code section 47.02, and taking bets (bookmaking) is a Class A misdemeanor under section 47.03. No sportsbook, online or in person, is licensed in Texas.
Will sports betting ever be legal in Texas?
Only through a constitutional amendment. It needs two thirds of the House (100 of 150) and of the Senate (21 of 31), then a statewide vote. The Legislature next meets in regular session on January 12, 2027.
Why is sports betting illegal in Texas?
Article III, Section 47 of the Texas Constitution requires the Legislature to prohibit lotteries and gift enterprises except those the Constitution allows (the state lottery, charitable bingo and raffles), and sports betting is not among them.
Did Texas ever come close to legalizing sports betting?
In May 2023 the Texas House adopted the constitutional amendment HJR 102 and the enabling bill HB 1942. The Senate received both on May 12, 2023 and never referred them to a committee, so they died when the session ended.
Sports betting is not legal in Texas, so why do I see DraftKings ads?
Because DraftKings and other betting apps in Texas offer products they do not treat as sports betting: daily fantasy contests and, more recently, prediction-market event contracts regulated by the federal CFTC. No Texas law licenses either one.
Is daily fantasy legal in Texas?
Texas has no fantasy sports law. Attorney General Opinion KP-0057 (2016) concluded that a court would likely find paid daily fantasy to be illegal gambling; it is an advisory opinion, not a ruling, and the operators still offer contests.
Are PrizePicks and Underdog legal in Texas?
No Texas law addresses pick'em fantasy, and no Texas enforcement action against these operators was found. The 2016 Attorney General opinion on paid fantasy is the closest official position.
Are prediction markets like Kalshi legal in Texas?
They operate in Texas under federal CFTC registration, and Texas has not acted against them. In March 2026 the Lieutenant Governor told the Senate State Affairs Committee to study prediction markets as a "gambling loophole" before the 2027 session.
What gambling is legal in Texas?
The Texas Lottery (run by the Department of Licensing and Regulation since September 1, 2025), pari-mutuel horse racing at licensed tracks, charitable bingo and raffles, gaming at the three tribal venues, and private social games under strict conditions.
Can I buy lottery tickets online in Texas?
No. Since SB 3070 took effect, buying lottery tickets or using a courier by phone, internet or app is a Class A misdemeanor. Tickets are sold only in person at licensed retailers.
Where is the nearest legal sports betting to Texas?
Louisiana and Arkansas allow online sports betting for people located in those states, New Mexico has in-person betting at tribal casinos, and Oklahoma has no legal sports betting.
Where can I get help with gambling in Texas?
Texas has no state-funded helpline. The Texas Coalition on Problem Gambling directs people to the national helpline, 1-800-522-4700, which also takes texts at 800GAM.