It was a non-binding opinion, but FanDuel voluntarily left the market for two years while DraftKings remained operational throughout.īoth sites are now back in Texas, but the state still has not passed legislation to formally legalize daily fantasy sports.Īctual sports betting is still, in all likelihood, a long way off at this point, but DraftKings and FanDuel offer the next best thing to full-fledged sports betting in TX. Attorney General Ken Paxton issued an opinion back in 2016 declaring fantasy sports to be a form of gambling. Racetracks allow customers to place wagers via mobile device while physically present as a convenience (no waiting in line), but all such apps disable wagering functionality as soon as the customer leaves racetrack property.ĭaily fantasy sports sites such as FanDuel and DraftKings operate in Texas but even here their legality is questionable. There is not much by way of mobile gambling in Texas.

Social gaming: Includes private poker clubs, although they face increasing scrutiny, and some have been raided in recent times.Tribal casinos: Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino and Naskila Gaming.Charitable gaming: Bingo and raffles spread by registered charities.State lottery: Tickets only sold at retailers, and Texas online lottery sites and courier services.Horse Racing Betting: Live, off-track and mobile at tracks.There is clearly interest among some lawmakers, but so far these efforts have failed to gain the traction needed to make a serious push for legal gambling.įorms of gambling available in Texas today: Pro-gaming lawmakers note that every neighboring state has casinos that siphon tax money out of Texas every year. However, discussions regarding the legalization of casinos hit the Texas legislature every year. Private card rooms also operate in Texas, but those too are under fire and the future of such poker rooms is uncertain. However, both casinos seem to have finally established firm legal footing for the foreseeable future. Texas is also home to two tribal casinos whose legality has been questioned by authorities over the years. Horse racing betting, the state lottery and limited forms of charitable gaming are the only forms of explicitly legal gambling. As the second-most populous state in the country but with few legal gambling options, Texas is the definition of untapped potential.

Texas gambleing laws