Gov. Greg Abbott shows openness to online sports betting, but Texas senators remain unlikely to legalize it.
DALLAS — This week, Gov. Greg Abbott signaled that he is open to authorizing online sports betting, though his support is unlikely to sway the state senators blocking its legalization.
Abbott has gradually softened his position on gambling over time. In a 2015 letter, he strongly supported state laws aimed at preventing any expansion of gaming.
His most recent comments mark a significant departure from his previous stance.
“I don’t have a problem with online sports betting,” Abbott told Texas Take podcast hosts Jeremy Wallace and Scott Braddock. “I would be shocked if there’s not some Texans who do it already. It’s a very common practice and it seems to be part of the entertainment that goes along with watching a football game, especially pro football, or other types of sports.”
A December NerdWallet survey found that 20 percent of Americans placed a bet on a sporting event in 2024. Texas is one of 11 states where sports betting is still banned.
Sen. Carol Alvarado, D-Houston, has introduced legislation that would legalize both casino gaming and sports betting, but it would require voter approval through a constitutional amendment in November.
Braddock pointed out that any legislation requiring a constitutional amendment bypasses the governor’s desk, reducing the impact of Abbott’s support.
“It’s never been a priority of his and it still isn’t,” Braddock said. “You’re not going to see Greg Abbott asking the Senate or the House to work on this.”
The pro-gambling lobby, which includes figures like Dallas Mavericks owner Miriam Adelson, has donated millions to Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, and other lawmakers in recent years. The gaming industry has become one of the largest lobbying forces in Austin.
However, Rice University political scientist Mark Jones noted that Lt. Gov. Patrick and the Texas Senate have not warmed to the idea.
“The reality is any gambling legislation will remain dead on arrival until it has the support of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick,” Jones said. “From his perspective, the societal costs of gambling — personal bankruptcy, job absenteeism, spousal and child abuse — outweigh the fiscal benefits for the state.”
Jones also said Abbott’s openness to sports betting likely won’t satisfy Adelson and other magnates, who are pushing for the ability to open casino resorts in Texas. Abbott has only expressed willingness to “take a look” at such proposals.
“Neither Tillman Fertitta nor the Las Vegas Sands is going to benefit enormously from online sports betting the same way they would from being able to build a casino in the metroplex or Houston area,” Jones said.
A bill to authorize casino gaming passed a House committee in 2023 but fell eight votes short of reaching the Senate. Republican lawmakers who voted in favor of gaming expansion were targeted by primary challengers.
Republicans who supported the bill in 2023 may be less inclined to take that risk again in 2025, Braddock said.
“You probably won’t see any movement on this in the Texas House unless the Texas Senate takes it up first,” he said. “Republicans in the House don’t want to make a politically risky vote if they know it’s not going anywhere in the Senate.”
The casino lobby may have more success if Texas finds itself in need of revenue from gambling. Currently, the state has a $24 billion surplus.
“This is exactly the wrong time for the casino and sports betting interests to be pushing for legalization based on the argument of ‘more revenue,’” Braddock said.
“The legislature is not, essentially, desperate for money the way it might be during times of deficits,” Jones added.
The legislative session ends in June.