Texas

Texas Online Gambling & Sportsbooks in 2022

As of 2022, all forms of online gambling and betting remain illegal in Texas – throughout the year there have been attempts to raise awareness and to make change, but there are currently no bills progressing to see change.

The end of 2022 will see all forms of online gambling and betting remain the same, with no potential to see change in the near future.

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Best New Casinos in Texas

Although Texans may not have much choice over casino-style games, online is an entirely different story. The best new Bitcoin casinos in Texas, like the ones below, offer hundreds of slots, video poker, table games, and specialty games for real money and free. These come from leading online gambling legal providers like Realtime Gaming, Rival Games, and others found at leading casinos.

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For now there are no official Texas online casinos available – or any kind of legal online gambling by permission of the state – but players are still able to play real money casino games through offshore sites safely. These sites allow options for a variety of online casino games including poker games, as well as other options such as online sports betting too until legal online gambling becomes available in Texas. Which may be some time.

Best Bonuses in Texas Casinos

We’ve listed some of the best bonuses in Texas casinos below. While some offer a signup no deposit bonus, all the online casinos stand out for their generous match deposit bonus and free spins. Furthermore, these online casino bonuses offer fair bonus terms and conditions and playthrough wagering requirements.

Texas Gambling Overview

Despite being the birthplace of Texas Hold’em, Texas surprisingly remains one of the most restrictive gambling states. During the 1930s, Dallas underground gambling was a common practice, although illegal until law officials cracked down. Today, participation in illegal gambling is considered a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine.

In fact, most gambling in Texas is considered unlawful, with only a few exceptions. Authorized forms include the lottery, pari-mutuel wagering on horses and greyhounds, and charitable gaming. There is only one tribal casino in Texas run by the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe – the Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino.

Two previous tribal casinos were shut down by the Texas government, which has challenged the legality of these casinos for decades. The state considers games of chance involving balls, dice, or cards unlawful. This doesn’t exactly bode well for online casinos or sports betting in the state any time soon. With offshore sites filling in the gap, perhaps there won’t be fully regulated online casinos in Texas in our lifetimes.

Charitable Gaming

Charitable gaming, including bingos and raffles, is supervised by the Texas Lottery Commission. Non-profit organizations and other authorized groups may conduct bingo sessions and sell pull-tabs (instant bingo) with a license from the Texas Lottery. Prizes are limited to $750 per game.

A county must have approved bingo in a local referendum to be eligible to host events. Qualifying organizations may hold no more than 2 raffles per year for non-cash prizes. Values may not exceed $50,000, except for a house that may not exceed $250,000 unless donated. When you see how tightly restricted this is, it’s easy to see why Texas doesn’t have legal online gambling.

Land-based Casinos

The Texas Constitution prohibits commercial casinos, and there is only one Class III tribal casino in the state. It offers 3,300+ slot games, as well as bingo and poker. However, table games are not permitted. Visitors to the casino can also enjoy a holiday stay, bars & restaurants, and entertainment events.

Class III Tribal Casino	Address	Website
Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino Hotel	7777 Lucky Eagle Drive – Eagle Pass, Texas 78852	luckyeagletexas.com

Texas Casinos Map

 

 

Pari-Mutuel Wagering

Pari-mutuel wagering is overseen by the Texas Racing Commission. Texas has 3 live greyhound racing tracks and 4 live horse racing tracks. Here, Texans can also participate in simulcast wagers, both in-state and out-of-state.

State Lottery

The Texas Lottery is responsible for the sale of scratch and draw ticket games. Scratch tickets come in various games, starting from $1 all the way up to $50. The lottery also sells several state draws, including ‘All or Nothing,’ ‘Texas To Step,’ and ‘Lotto Texas Extra!’ This is in addition to multistate draw tickets, including Powerball and Mega Millions. In August 2019, lottery sales exceeded $6 billion. Proceeds are directed towards Texas schools and veterans’ causes. Tickets can be purchased from thousands of authorized retailers throughout Texas.

Texas Gambling History

The Texas Racing Act was enacted in 1986, authorizing pari-mutuel wagering. It was approved in a referendum the following year. Pari-mutuel wagering was originally legalized in 1933 before being repealed in 1937.

The Texas Lottery Commission was authorized by a Constitutional amendment (House Bill 1587) approved by Texans in November 1991. It led to the creation of the Texas Lottery Commission in 1993, taking over the administrative role from the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts.

The first lottery ticket went on sale on November 7, 1992. In 1994, the Commission took over responsibility for administering the Texas Bingo Enabling Act from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. By November 2009, the Texas Lottery became a member of the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL).

Charitable bingo was approved in 1981, followed by raffles approved by a Constitutional amendment in 1989, with legislation going into force the following year.

It wasn’t until 1996 that the Kickapoo Lucky Eagle casino appeared in Texas. This was roughly eight years after the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) of 1988.

Repeated attempts to authorize and regulate DFS games have so far failed. In January 2016, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton ruled DFS to be illegal. Not long after, DraftKings lodged a legal challenge, suing the Atty Gen. It refiled the lawsuit in 2018.

FanDuel reached a settlement with the Atty Gen, where it agreed to stop offering paid DFS contests to Texans. In return, the state agreed not to pursue legal action against it. In 2018, FanDuel changed its position and resumed paid DFS contests, joining DraftKings and others.

In early January 2021, Bills were presented by lawmakers to radically amend the Texas Constitution. These would legalize casino gambling, sports betting and establish a Texas gaming commission to become the state regulator. It would have authorized four destination resorts in San Antonio, Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, and Austin, Texas.

These failed to gain support and died in the second quarter of 2021. Furthermore, because the constitution of Texas so thoroughly rejects gambling, any move towards online casinos, sports betting, or online gambling of any kind in Texas would likely have to be ratified by a referendum.

Texas Gambling FAQ

What is the legal gambling age in Texas?

The legal gambling age in Texas for pari-mutuel wagering and tribal casinos is 21. This decreases to 18 and over for charitable gaming and the state lottery.

What casino games can I find in Texas?

The only casino games available in Texas are slot machines, bingo, and poker at the state’s only casino. There are no legal online casinos serving the state, and even the one casino is not permitted to host table games.

Can I purchase lottery tickets using a credit card in Texas?

No, The State Lottery Act does not allow lottery tickets to be purchased using a credit card. If they ever do allow Texans to play online casino games, that will also not be permissible using a credit card.

Are daily fantasy sports contests authorized and regulated in Texas?

No, Texas has not authorized nor regulated paid-entry DFS in the state. Still, operators continue to accept players from Texas.

Can I gamble online in Texas?

Online gambling, including online casinos, online poker, and sports betting, is not permitted within Texas state lines. No real money online casino is likely to set up there any time soon either, given the complexity of state gambling laws.

Conclusion

Texas remains somewhat of a laggard when it comes to modern gambling laws. This not only robs Texans of choice but also denies the state much-needed tax revenue. Traditional forms of gambling are indeed available.

However, it’s surprising that modern forms like fantasy sports contests, sports betting, commercial casinos, and interactive Texas online casino gaming are not.

2021 was a hectic year in The Lone Star State, with several legislative bill proposals attempting to authorize casino gaming in coastal areas, sports betting, and poker clubs. Find out about how it all develops by revisiting us soon.

In the meantime, while we’re all experiencing the long wait for Texas law to change, we would like to remind you that you can find our expert recommendations on new online casino sites and bonuses in our article above.