Election Results Not Kind to Texas Sports Betting Hopes
The big sports betting headline coming out of Election Day was Missouri voters approving that form of wagering, but upon closer examination, there were some important developments in other states such as Texas.
In the previous legislative session, there was more momentum than ever before for legalizing sports betting in the second-largest state, but a bill that advanced out of the State House ultimately died in the Senate. That could be the fate of similar efforts in 2025 because Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) is still in office and Republicans gained a seat in the Texas State Senate, meaning they control 20 of 31 seats in that chamber, up from 19 when a sports betting initiative died in 2023.
Republicans now comprise nearly all of the 21 Senate votes needed, and may be dissuaded from supporting legalization given the Party’s latest platform, which explicitly opposes all gambling expansion,” according to Eilers & Krejcik Gaming (EKG).
The next legislative session in Texas commences on Jan. 14 and as things stand today, it appears sports betting isn’t a priority for Senate Republicans.
Political Climate Not Favorable to Texas Sports Betting
Sports betting requires amending the Texas constitution, meaning the issue must be approved by two-thirds majorities of the House and Senate before it can be put to voters in the form of a ballot question.
Achieving that majority is doable in the Republican-controlled House, but the Senate is a different ballgame. Patrick sets the agenda in that chamber and his party is just one vote shy of a two-thirds majority, leaving Democrats with limited options for advancing sports betting legislation.
