Texas Sports Betting 2026 — Latest Texas Legal News
Texas sports betting is not legal. The market would instantly become one of the most lucrative in the United States if it becomes legal, and there is a sizable group of influential supporters in the state — including several major sports teams — who have voiced their support for legalization.
Read below for the latest updates on Texas sports betting news and a look at the future of betting in the state.
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Is sports betting legal in Texas?
No, legal sports betting does not currently exist in Texas. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said in December 2025 that he is “simply not there yet” when it comes to legalizing casinos and sports betting in the state.
The Texas Legislature does not meet in even-numbered years, meaning the next attempt to legalize any form of gambling will come in 2027.
DFS pick’em and social sportsbooks in Texas in October 2026
Daily Fantasy Sports are legal to play in Texas, and residents can sign up with any of the major platforms right now with no restrictions on entry fees, contests, or payouts. While Texas hasn’t passed a law explicitly regulating DFS, no player has ever faced legal consequences for participating, and the top operators have been serving Texas customers openly for years. Below are the best DFS sites available to Texas players today.
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The status of Texas sports betting
While it’s not legal to bet on sports in Texas, the state has seen some recent movement toward legalizing the activity. Sports betting bill HB 1942 was introduced during the Texas legislature on Feb. 6, 2023, and had the backing of major sports teams in the state.
A resolution proposing a constitutional amendment (HJR 102), which would have placed the question of legalizing sports betting on the ballot in November, passed through the House with a 100-43 vote during the 2023 session. However, Patrick exercised his power as president of the Senate in Texas to stop the resolution before the Senate could vote on it despite bipartisan support for HJR 102 as well as HB 1942 in the House. Patrick claimed to have taken the pulse of Senators before throwing cold water on the issue. “We don’t waste time on bills without overwhelming GOP support,” he tweeted.
Texas continues to become more bipartisan as the years go by, and the dominance of the conservative pushback to gambling may eventually fade. However, Republicans hold small majorities in the Senate and House of Representatives following the November 2022 election. The governor and lieutenant governor of Texas are also Republicans, and Gov. Greg Abbott has previously opposed legal sports betting.
Texas politicians also receive substantial contributions from out-of-state casino interests. For instance, the Chickasaw Nation, which owns WinStar World Casino in Oklahoma (located roughly an hour north of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex), has donated more than $15 million to political interests over the years — many of them in Texas.
In the meantime, professional sports teams, including the Dallas Cowboys, Dallas Mavericks, and Texas Rangers, could become partners with online sportsbooks and have voiced their support for legalization. Austin FC of Major League Soccer announced a deal with PointsBet in September 2021. In 2022, Fubo Gaming (Fubo Sportsbook) partnered with the Houston Dynamo, the Houston Astros partnered with BetMGM, and Rush Street (BetRivers) joined forces with the Frisco Fighters. The Dallas Stars are also partnered with both PrizePicks and Jackpocket (owned by DraftKings).
There also appears to be considerable interest from Texans themselves in legalizing sports betting, as a poll conducted during the 2021 legislative session found that 43% of Texans favor allowing sports betting in the state, and another 31% were ambivalent about the issue. Only 26% were outright opposed to it. Those numbers were consistent across party lines.
Three states bordering Texas also have legal sports betting — which could pressure Texas legislators. New Mexico has retail sportsbooks available at a few tribal casinos, Arkansas sports betting is legal statewide, and Louisiana sports betting is available online alongside several in-person sportsbooks.
When will online sports betting launch in Texas
There’s no launch date for online sports betting in Texas yet, and legalizing it is a long process. It would take an amendment to the state constitution. Two-thirds of the members in each chamber have to approve the proposal, and then Texas voters have the final say. Lawmakers came closest in 2023, when a sports betting amendment passed the House, but it went no further in the Senate.
The next real chance comes when the 90th Legislature convenes in January 2027. In 2026, Senate leadership focused on closing “gambling loopholes” tied to prediction markets, not on expanding gambling. Even if lawmakers approved an amendment, voters would still have to sign off, and the state would then need to write rules for licensed sportsbooks. Don’t expect legal online sports betting in Texas anytime soon.
If made legal, online sports betting platforms would likely be part of a more extensive sports betting legislative expansion before offering Texas sportsbook promos.
Sportsbook apps that could launch in Texas
If Texas ever legalizes online sports betting, the biggest names in the US would be quick to apply for a license and offer sports betting promos to Texans. Here are the five apps we’d expect to see first.
- DraftKings — Texans already know this brand from its daily fantasy and Pick6 contests. The sportsbook app is clean and easy to use, with lots of live betting and betting pools you can join with friends.
- FanDuel — One of the most popular sportsbooks in the country, known for its smooth app and fast deposits and withdrawals. Same-game parlays and a big menu of player props are its main draws.
- bet365 — This global betting giant offers daily odds boosts and an app that’s easy for beginners. There’s plenty of live betting, and you can stream some events right in the app.
- Fanatics — Backed by the sports merchandise company, this sportsbook is app-only and still growing. It offers Power Hour boosts and keeps adding more player props.
- BetMGM — A deep menu of sports along with a strong rewards program make this a favorite in many states, and Texans will love it too once launched. You can also cash out early to limit your losses if a bet isn’t going your way.
Legal betting options in Texas
Texas is a large state with an estimated population of 29.5 million. While the state is limited in its legal forms of gambling and betting, it is not completely devoid of options. Here is a breakdown of what is legal (or illegal) in Texas.
Sports betting
Currently, you cannot legally bet on sports in Texas.
While some websites and apps may say that they accept bets from anywhere in the United States, such websites are operating from locations outside the country. Since there’s no US jurisdiction licensing these sportsbooks, there’s no guarantee US bettors will receive payouts for winning bets. Some offshore sportsbooks have also closed operations without returning customer funds.
Casino gambling
Texas online casinos are not legal. The only casino-like options are two tribal facilities in the state. The Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas has the only true casino in Texas, and its location in Eagle Pass (along the border with Mexico) renders it inconvenient for most people in the state.
The other location is Naskila Gaming, an electronic bingo parlor located on the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe’s reservation near Livingston, Texas. This venue is the second attempt by the tribe to offer casino games on tribal grounds, and it has been under legal threat from the state of Texas since its debut in 2016.
It scored a major victory in federal court that goes a long way toward legitimizing the facility, but tribal leaders are already gearing up for an appeal from the state. The win could have an effect on gambling in Texas, as a third tribe — the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo — has been attempting to run its own venue in the El Paso area for many years.
Texas Lottery
The main form of state-approved gambling is the Texas Lottery. Like many state lotteries, the agency offers both draw games and scratchers. The draw games include both Texas-only drawings and multistate games like Mega Millions and Powerball. There are no options for internet purchases — the lottery app only allows you to check your tickets and find retailers.
Horse betting
Horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering are legal in Texas. You must place any bets on site at one of the tracks in the state. Live races will generally avoid the extremes of Texas weather. However, many tracks do offer simulcast racing and wagering year-round. Racetrack/simulcast facilities in Texas include the following:
- Gillespie County Fair and Festivals, Fredericksburg
- Lone Star Park, Grand Prairie
- Retama Park, Selma
- Sam Houston Race Park, Houston
Greyhound racing is still technically legal in Texas, but there are no locations with active racing in the state. A few facilities do offer the option to bet on simulcast greyhound races around the country, but concerns about humane treatment of the dogs remain an issue for greyhound racing as an institution in the US.
Poker games
Finally, Texas is now home to many standalone poker clubs. If you’re wondering how this is possible, the clubs have figured out a way to tiptoe around the explicit exceptions to Texas gambling law. Poker is illegal under Texas law, but there are three conditions that, together, constitute a defense to prosecution. Essentially, the game must be in a private location, the players must all have an equal chance of winning, and no one outside of the game can profit from it. The clubs’ model is to charge for membership fees and time instead of raking the pots.
So far, the Texas attorney general has declined to issue an opinion on the clubs’ legality and whether their dance through these defenses is valid. Recently, a state representative issued a new request for an opinion on the issue, so the matter is still not settled. But for now, Texas poker players can find places to play.
Texas DFS pick’em and social sportsbooks
Daily fantasy pick’em apps and social sportsbooks are easy to find in Texas, but the state licenses neither. Pick’em apps charge entry fees and pay out cash prizes. Social sportsbooks avoid real-money bets and use a sweepstakes model with virtual coins instead. Texas law doesn’t directly address either one.
The closest thing to an official ruling on paid DFS came in January 2016. Attorney General Ken Paxton issued an advisory opinion saying a court would likely treat paid daily fantasy contests as illegal gambling under Penal Code Section 47.02. Texas defines a bet as any agreement decided “solely or partially by chance,” and Paxton concluded paid DFS meets that definition.
Lawmakers have filed bills to exempt fantasy sports in every regular session since 2017. None has passed, and the definition hasn’t changed since 1995.
Below are some of the daily fantasy sports platforms and social sportsbooks available now in Texas:
DraftKings Pick6
Texas doesn’t allow traditional online sports betting, so pick’em fantasy apps fill much of that gap for local fans. This one comes from DraftKings and uses a peer-to-peer format. You compete against other players’ entries, not against the house.
It all starts with a generous DraftKings Pick6 welcome bonus: Spend $5, Get $50 in Bonuses & a Sunday Gimme Pick. You need to be a new DraftKings customer and opt into the welcome promotion. After that, deposit $5 or more into your account. With this promotion, your first $5+ paid Pick Set qualifies to receive a maximum of $50, issued as Bonus Picks. Bonus Picks are single-use, non-withdrawable, and expire in 14 days (336 hours). Plus, you get a Gimme Pick for select football games (3+ Picks | Max. $10 entry). Promo ends 9/20/26 at 11:59 PM ET. To get started, download the Pick6 app and sign up with promo code LSR6.
- Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER. Help is available for problem gambling. Call (888) 789-7777 or visit ccpg.org (CT). 18+ (19+ AL/NE, 21+ AZ/IL/MA/VA). Valid only where Pick6 operates, see dkng.co/pick6states. Void in NY/AB/ONT and where prohibited. Eligibility restrictions apply. 1 per new DraftKings customer. First $5+ paid Pick Set to receive max. $50 issued as non-withdrawable Bonus Picks that expire in 14 days (336 hours). Ends 11/23/26 at 11:59 PM ET. Terms: pick6.draftkings.com/promos Sponsored by DraftKings.
The sports menu is broad. You can make picks on the NFL, NBA, WNBA, MLB, and NHL. PGA TOUR golf, UFC, NASCAR, soccer, and esports are also available, along with college football and college basketball.
Building an entry is simple on DraftKings Pack6. Choose at least two players from the same sport, then decide whether each will finish with more or less than their projected stat. Entry fees start at $1. Pick6 automatically spreads your entry across available contests. If all your picks hit, you get a guaranteed Base Payout, so the more picks you make, the bigger it gets. You can earn Extra Winnings on top of that when your picks hit and other players’ entries miss.
Once the lineup is created, a $10 entry fee is required to play before DraftKings enters you into 10 contests (all $1 each), but the maximum amount that can be spent on distribution is $150. Estimated prizes will appear below the entry fee to indicate what you might receive if you finish near the top of the leaderboard in contests.
Betr Picks Texas
Betr Picks provides contests similar to Underdog’s pick’em option. Users select either “yes” or “no” on whether a player will exceed the stat that the app has listed. As with PrizePicks, the payout increases as the number of correct selections increases. Users select between two and eight stats and must get all their picks correct to receive a payout.
ParlayPlay Texas
Another in the string of platforms with pick’em-style contests, ParlayPlay offers both paid and free-to-play modes. True to the company name, ParlayPlay’s Pick’M contests involve making multiple “more”/“less” picks. Users can either play “all in” or “insured.” The first option is closer to a parlay at a traditional online sportsbook — you only receive a payout if you get all of your picks correct. The second option offers a lower potential payout, but you can still win some money if not all of your picks turn out to be right. “Hit It” contests, meanwhile, involve trying to correctly predict a stat range for two players in a particular sporting event.
Sleeper
Sleeper Picks is the main attraction here. Choose two or more players, then pick “more” or “less” on each player’s stat line. Every pick has its own multiplier, and together they set your payout. All your picks have to hit for the entry to win, but a correct entry can pay up to 1,000x. Picks cover the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, WNBA, soccer, college sports, esports, and combat sports.
Daily Drafts are a faster version of classic fantasy. A $1 entry puts you in an eight-person snake draft, and afterward you can enter your lineup in head-to-head or group contests. The app also has live scores, news alerts, and group chat, along with free redraft, keeper, and dynasty leagues.
DraftKings DFS
This is the classic salary-cap version of daily fantasy. You get a fictional $50,000 to build a lineup of real athletes. Each player has a salary, and you have to fill every position without going over the cap. Your lineup then earns points based on how those athletes perform in real games.
If you want something different, there are a few other formats. Showdown contests focus on a single game. You pick a Captain who scores 1.5x points but also costs 1.5x the salary. Tiers contests drop the salary cap, and you choose one player from each group. There are plenty of contest types too. Head-to-head pits you against one opponent, and 50/50s pay the top half of the field. Satellites and qualifiers award tickets to bigger contests.
Texas Prediction Markets
Prediction markets let you buy and sell contracts on the outcome of real events, such as sports games and elections. These platforms operate as federally regulated derivatives markets, which is how they reach Texans even though state law bans most gambling. Texas law treats a bet on a game, an athlete’s performance, or an election as gambling. It defines a bet as any agreement decided “solely or partially by chance.”
State leaders started pushing back in 2026. In March, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick told the Senate State Affairs Committee to study the “sudden inundation of prediction market gambling.” The committee is also looking at how federal law is being used to get around the state’s gambling ban. It held a hearing on the issue on September 15, 2026, and its recommendations will help shape the 2027 legislative session.
For now, Texas has no law aimed specifically at prediction markets. This makes prediction market platforms accessible to residents. Here is the list of the top 5 Texas prediction market operators.
FanDuel Predicts
Texas is one of the few states where this app offers sports contracts on top of its financial markets. You buy “Yes” or “No” contracts on NFL, NBA, NHL, college football, and college basketball games. Off the field, you can trade on stock indexes, interest rate decisions, oil, gold, and crypto. You can sell a position before the event ends if the price moves your way, and each trade carries a small transaction fee.
Read our full FanDuel Predicts review.
ProphetX
If you only care about sports, this exchange skips politics and finance entirely. You trade directly against other users, either backing an outcome or laying it, which means betting it won’t happen. Markets include moneylines, spreads, totals, player and team props, futures, and live in-game action across the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, college sports, and soccer. Prices move with supply and demand, so you can post your own odds and wait for someone to match them. The platform charges a small commission on winnings instead of building a margin into the odds.
Read our full ProphetX review.
Polymarket
Few platforms match the variety here. Sports markets cover football, basketball, hockey, baseball, soccer, tennis, golf, MMA, motorsports, esports, and even chess. There are also markets on politics, geopolitics, tech, earnings, and the economy. Shares trade between $0 and $1, and each winning share pays $1. Experienced traders can place limit orders to set the exact price they want to pay.
Read our full Polymarket review.
Kalshi
Every trade here comes down to a simple yes-or-no question. Contracts cost between 1¢ and 99¢, and the price shows how likely traders think an outcome is. A correct contract pays $1, while a wrong one settles at zero. The sports menu goes deep, covering the NFL, college football, NBA, soccer, golf, tennis, F1, NASCAR, UFC, and esports. You can also trade on elections, inflation, weather, and award shows.
OG.com
Backed by Crypto.com, this newer platform covers moneylines, spreads, and totals, along with an option to trade futures like the next Super Bowl winner. You can even combine several positions into one parlay-style entry. Outside of sports, there are markets on elections, Fed decisions, stock indexes, crypto prices, and award shows. Each $1 contract carries a flat 2¢ fee.
Popular sports to bet on in Texas
Given Texas’ second overall rank in population and size among US states, there’s no surprise that it has 11 professional sports teams in various major leagues — three NBA teams, two NFL teams, two MLB teams, two MLS teams, a WNBA team and a National Women’s Soccer League team.
NFL betting in Texas
The Dallas Cowboys have one of the largest NFL fanbases around the country, including plenty of support throughout the state. Their home, AT&T Stadium, could also become one of the largest sportsbooks in the world if the state ever allows sports betting in a team’s stadium.
Texas also has the Houston Texans, which debuted in 2002 to fill the gap left by the Oilers, which moved to Tennessee.
NBA betting in Texas
Basketball betting would also likely be popular given the state’s three professional NBA squads.
The teams have varying levels of popularity throughout the state. The San Antonio Spurs have been the least flashy Texas basketball team over the years but have five championships to their name, the most recent coming in 2015.
The Dallas Mavericks, led by outspoken owner Mark Cuban, won their only title in 2011.
There could be some issues down the line concerning betting on the Houston Rockets, especially if they have their own sportsbook operation. That’s because owner Tilman Fertitta owns a gambling empire of his own.
MLB betting in Texas
Two Major League baseball teams call Texas home. The Houston Astros and the Texas Rangers both compete in the American League.
The Astros have been the more successful baseball team in recent years, with a World Series win in 2017 and World Series appearances in 2019 and 2021. Regardless of the cloud of controversy surrounding the 2017 championship, there’s no denying that the Houston team has been the hotter of the Lone Star State’s top ballclubs.
However, the Rangers are the reigning champs following a five-game victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2023 World Series.
NCAA betting in Texas
Betting on college sports will get plenty of attention should Texas ever allow NCAA betting.
Some schools that routinely appear in NCAA postseason games include the Baylor Bears, TCU Horned Frogs, Texas Longhorns, Texas A&M Aggies, and Texas Tech Red Raiders.
Golf betting in Texas
The Longhorn State is home to a number of PGA events, including the Valero Texas Open and the AT&T Byron Nelson. Additionally, the infamous WGC Match Play event has been held at the Austin Country Club, which held its last event in March 2023. Two of the top players in the PGA, Scottie Scheffler and Jordan Spieth, played at the University of Texas.
What’s happening in Texas sports betting right now
September 2026
The Senate State Affairs Committee, chaired by Sen. Bryan Hughes, held an interim hearing on prediction markets on September 15. Lawmakers looked at how these federally regulated platforms compare with the gambling Texas law already bans. They also considered steps to protect the integrity of Texas elections and sports.
The day before, the same committee reviewed how the state lottery is doing since its move to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation under SB 3070. That law also sets the state lottery to expire on September 1, 2027, unless lawmakers vote to keep it.
March 2026
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick released his 2026 interim charges for the Texas Senate on March 27. One charge, called “Closing Gambling Loopholes,” directs the State Affairs Committee to study the sudden rise of prediction market gambling. It also asks the committee to look at how federal law is being used to get around Texas gambling bans, including bets on elections. Patrick said the Senate would move quickly on its priorities once the next session starts in January 2027.
So, Texas has no regular legislative session in 2026. The 90th Legislature convenes in January 2027, which is the next chance for any sports betting or prediction market bill to move.
Texas sports betting bills
Gambling proposals are nothing new for the Texas Legislature. However, except for lottery initiatives and horse racing measures, none of them have made it out of committee.
With regard to sports betting, the presence of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act negated the need for any bills for more than 20 years. With the fall of PASPA in 2018, Texas lawmakers have been more emboldened to propose sports betting bills. Curiously, though, a short proposal did appear in the 2015 session, albeit without much effect.
Here is a recent history of sports betting bills the Texas Legislature has considered:
- HB 1942 (2023)
- HJR 97 (2021)
- HB 2070 (2021)
- HJR 68 (2021)
- SB 736 (2021)
- HB 1121 (2021)
- HJR 61 (2019)
- HB 4040 (2015)
Texas sports betting FAQ
The enabling legislation would likely call for the creation of a regulatory board to oversee Texas sports betting, though it could also select the Texas Lottery to regulate sports betting.
There appears to be no problem for people who want to take part in DFS contests in the state.
The various forms of gambling in Texas typically require patrons to be 18 or older. However, the lone full-service casino — a tribal location in Eagle Pass — requires customers to be 21 or older. The most recent attempt to legalize sports betting also specified that bettors would need to be 21 or older.
No. Since all betting is currently illegal in Texas, mobile sports betting is not legal in the state. Any sportsbook offering to take bets from a bettor within Texas’ border is likely operating from an offshore location. These unregulated platforms are risky for US bettors because there’s no guarantee that they will pay out winning bets.