Texas Online Casinos
Real money online casinos are not legal in Texas. However, anyone 18 or older can play at social and sweepstakes casino sites in the Lone Star State.
These sites allow you to play a wide variety of slots, virtual table games, and live dealer games for fun. You can also play with premium Sweeps Coins, which let you redeem winnings for cash prizes or gift cards.
This page breaks down the online casino options in Texas, including popular sites like WOW Vegas and High 5 Casino. We will discuss the key differences between social casinos and real money online casinos. We’ll also cover more about the state’s online gambling laws and how social casino sites and apps operate legally in Texas.
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Texas online casino apps for 2024
What’s happening in Texas online casinos right now
- Oct. 10, 2024 — According to PlayTexas, FanDuel is actively lobbying for legal online casinos in Texas, Florida, and California.
- Aug. 28, 2024 — Advisory firm Eilers & Krejcik Gaming has predicted that Texas sports betting could launch in 2028. Legal sports betting could be the first major step toward eventually legalizing real money online casinos in Texas.
- July 26, 2024 — The North Texas Commission has opened an application window for a new committee that will explore the potential impact of gambling expansion in the state.
- July 22, 2024 — The Choctaw Nation has reportedly endorsed a new proposal that would limit casino expansion by the Cherokee Nation in Arkansas.
- July 12, 2024 — Ronnie Johns, the chairman of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board, stated that his state would suffer a huge blow if neighboring Texas were to legalize commercial casinos and sportsbooks.
- June 20, 2024 — Slot machine manufacturer Aristocrat Gaming, which has created famous games like Buffalo and Buffalo Gold, is now an official partner of the Dallas Cowboys.
Best online casinos in Texas
A variety of social and sweepstakes casinos welcome players in Texas. We have conducted in-depth reviews of these sites, and here are the top five online casino options for Texans right now.
1. WOW Vegas
WOW Vegas is the best site for anyone in Texas who wants to play online slots. This polished social casino hosts approximately 1,200 video slots from an array of providers, including Pragmatic Play, BGaming, and 3 Oaks Gaming.
The options include a huge selection of jackpot slots and Megaways slots, and we were pleased to find exclusive slots, too. We were also impressed by the quality of the layout, which includes helpful menus, categories, and filters to aid navigation.
2. High 5 Casino
High 5 Casino is the best app for people looking to play casino games in Texas. This award-winning app has average user ratings of 4.6 stars on the App Store and 4.1 stars on Google Play.
That reflects the quality of the user experience, the game selection, and the bonuses at High 5 Casino, a reputable brand that has been operating in Texas since launching in 2013. You can play hundreds of slots, including many exclusives from parent company High 5 Games, plus live dealer games like blackjack and roulette.
3. McLuck
McLuck has emerged as a serious rival to High 5 Casino since launching in 2023. Players will find more than 750 slots from 20 reputable software providers, including NetEnt and Novomatic, plus a selection of live dealer games.
This Irish-luck-themed casino also offers a native app and a bright, stylish website. The no-purchase welcome bonus is competitive, and there also are lots of ongoing promos for McLuck customers.
4. Pulsz
Pulsz is another highly rated social casino that offers a native app and a website for players in Texas. It offers more than 800 slots from some of the world’s leading studios, plus exclusive online scratchers, virtual table games, and arcade-style games like Plinko and Mines.
This social casino offers a smaller welcome bonus than McLuck and High 5 Casino, but the recurring promos are strong, and prize redemptions are secure and reliable.
5. Crown Coins Casino
Crown Coins is a solid option for anyone seeking a simpler alternative to sites like WOW Vegas and McLuck. This social casino hosts a far smaller selection of games than those rivals, but they are all quality titles from providers like Pragmatic Play.
The site and the app are both clean, uncluttered, and easy to use, so Crown Coins could be an appealing option for beginners to online casino games in Texas.
How we rank Texas online casinos
We focus on a range of key criteria when ranking Texas online casinos:
- Game quality: We search for sites and apps that offer high-quality games from reputable, trusted providers.
- Game variety: Our reviewers assess the breadth of each site’s portfolio. We look for sites that offer hundreds of slots from multiple providers, including some exclusives, and preferably some table games, live dealer games, and variety games, too.
- User experience: The best online casinos offer a smooth, easy-to-navigate interface, reliable software, and lots of helpful search tools and filters, making it quick and simple to find games.
- Welcome bonus: We break down each social casino’s no-purchase welcome bonus, focusing on the size and appeal of the offer. Our reviewers also focus on any applicable first-purchase bonuses.
- Ongoing promos: We look for sites and apps that offer daily login bonuses, free Sweeps Coins via mail, social media competitions, leaderboards, and other promos.
- Prize redemptions: Our experts assess the prize redemption process at each site, with a focus on speed, simplicity, and security. The best sites offer fast, reliable payments, with broad limits.
- Security and trust: We only ever recommend secure, trustworthy sites that comply with Texas sweepstakes law and federal regulations.
Real money vs. social casinos in Texas
The best social casinos in Texas look similar to real money casinos, as they offer a wide range of slots and table games. However, here are the key differences between real money online casinos and social casinos:
| Real money online casinos | Social casinos |
|---|---|
| Legal in just seven states: CT, DE, MI, NJ, PA, RI, and WV. | Accept players in most states, including Texas. |
| Players must be 21 or older. | Players must be 18 or older. |
| Regulated by gaming control boards in each state, such as the Michigan Gaming Control Board or the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement. | Comply with sweepstakes regulations in each state, such as Title 13 of the Texas Business and Commerce Code, plus federal regulations like the Fair Credit Billing Act. |
| Customers can play slots and table games for real money, and their balance in US dollars will increase or decrease after each spin or hand played. | Social casinos offer two currencies: Gold Coins, which have no monetary value, and Sweeps Coins, which allow users to redeem winnings for cash prizes or gift cards. |
| Players can make traditional deposits using methods like credit cards, debit cards, PayPal, and online banking. | Players cannot purchase Sweeps Coins, but they can buy Gold Coins. The site will typically give you free Sweeps Coins if you buy Gold Coins. |
| You can withdraw your funds at any time, provided you have completed the wagering requirements related to any bonuses you have claimed. | You can redeem Sweeps Coins for cash prizes or gift cards, typically at a rate of one SC to $1, if you successfully play them through. |
| The minimum withdrawal is normally $10, and payouts often take less than 24 hours. | You normally need to play through at least 100 SC before redeeming them for a cash prize, which in this case would equate to $100, and payments can take several days. |
Texas online casinos to avoid
Unregulated casinos often try to target players in Texas. These companies are based overseas in countries like Costa Rica, Curaçao, and Panama, and they have no legal permission to operate in the United States.
Many Texans have been scammed after playing at unregulated, offshore gambling sites. They are under no state or federal legal obligation to keep you safe, uphold their terms and conditions, host fair and accurate games, or even to pay out if you request a withdrawal. If you are scammed, you have no legal recourse, as they operate outside the jurisdiction of state and federal authorities.
We recommend avoiding unregulated casinos and sticking to regulated social casinos like WOW Vegas, McLuck, and High 5 Casino instead. They adhere to US consumer protection laws, and they host games from trusted, reputable providers like NetEnt and Pragmatic Play.
The history of online gambling in Texas
Texas prohibits most forms of online gambling. There are no real money online casinos, poker rooms, sportsbooks, or racebooks in the Lone Star State.
A few companies have found loopholes, however:
- Courier services like Jackpocket sell lottery tickets online in Texas. You can place your orders via an app or website, and someone will visit a store in Texas to buy tickets on your behalf. This practice has not explicitly been banned, but it could be outlawed in the future.
- Texas has not legalized daily fantasy sports contests, but it has not prohibited them, either, so some DFS sites and apps welcome players in the state. Attorney General Ken Paxton has opined that they could constitute illegal gambling under section 47.02 of the Penal Code, but FanDuel and DraftKings have challenged that opinion, and they continue to operate in the meantime.
Social casinos and social sportsbooks also operate legally in Texas. When you play with premium Sweeps Coins at those sites, you are effectively participating in sweepstakes. Texas law states that the companies cannot “require an individual to order, purchase, or promise to purchase a good or service to enter the sweepstakes.” That means you cannot buy Sweeps Coins. They can only be earned for free via bonuses or provided as a gift if you buy standard Gold Coins.
There have not been any bills seeking to legalize online casinos or online poker rooms in Texas. However, lawmakers have filed several bills aiming to legalize sports betting, including HB 1942 in 2023. These bills have always been thwarted by a powerful anti-gambling group within the Texas Legislature, led by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick. Any attempts to legalize online casinos would probably meet a similar fate.
Types of casino games available in Texas
Sites like High 5 Casino and Pulsz offer a similar range of games to real money online casinos in states like New Jersey and Pennsylvania. They are often sourced from the same providers, such as NetEnt, Relax Gaming, Novomatic, and Playson. These are the main categories that you will find at Texas online casino options:
Slots
Online slots are just like the slot machine cabinets you’d be likely to find at land-based casinos across the United States. You simply spin the reels and win a prize if a certain number of matching symbols appear on a payline.
However, online slots typically offer significantly better theoretical payout rates than physical slot machines. The best social online casinos in Texas offer a broad variety of slots, including classic three-reel games, modern video slots, Megaways slots, and progressive jackpot slots.
Virtual table games
Some sites offer virtual table games in Texas. Examples include classic blackjack, multi-hand blackjack, American roulette, European roulette, French roulette, and baccarat. You can often play poker-style games, too, such as Jacks or Better and Casino Hold’em.
Live dealer games
These games are available at certain sites, including High 5 Casino, McLuck, Chanced Casino, and Stake.us. You will be connected via a video stream with a real dealer, who will be standing at a table in a studio or a land-based casino.
Click or tap the screen to place your bets. You can then watch the game unfold in real time, and you can also chat with the dealer if you like. Options include blackjack, roulette, baccarat, Sic Bo, and Teen Patti.
Variety games
Some games are outside the classification of slots or table games. They include bingo, keno, online scratchers, and arcade-style games like Mines and Plinko. These variety games are available at certain Texas online casino options, such as Pulsz and Stake.us.
Payment methods at Texas online casinos
You cannot make deposits or withdrawals at social casinos in Texas. However, you can buy coins, and you can also redeem your Sweeps Coins for cash prizes if you complete their playthrough requirement.
These are the most widely available payment methods at social and sweepstakes casinos:
- Credit card: Most Texas online casinos accept Visa, Mastercard, Discover, and American Express. However, some credit card providers treat casino payments as cash advances, and that can lead to them charging you fees.
- Debit card: You can normally use Visa, Mastercard, or Discover debit cards, too. This can be a more cost-effective payment method than credit cards.
- Online banking: You can buy coins via a direct transfer from your checking account if you select this payment option. Online banking is also the most widely available method for any cash prize redemptions at social and sweepstakes casinos.
- Skrill: This tends to be the only e-wallet accepted at social and sweepstakes casinos, as they do not support PayPal. Skrill payments are instant, and this is often the quickest prize redemption method, too.
Land-based Texas casinos
There are just two tribal casinos in Texas. The largest is the Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino Hotel, which hosts more than 3,300 slot machines, a private poker room, and a bingo room. However, this tribal casino is inconveniently located for most Texans. Kickapoo is two hours from San Antonio, the nearest major city.
The only other tribal casino is Naskila Casino in Livingston. This venue is approximately 90 minutes north of Houston. The Alabama-Coushatta Tribe, which runs Naskila Casino, only has a Class II gaming license. That means the casino cannot host regular slot machines or table games, so you will only find electronic bingo games there.
Texas is also home to various land-based poker rooms. They can function as private clubs, provided they do not charge a rake, courtesy of a loophole in Chapter 47 of the Texas Penal Code. Players need to pay a membership fee or a cover charge instead of a rake.
Players in Texas can also visit large casino resorts in neighboring states like Oklahoma and Louisiana. However, it is generally quicker, simpler, and more convenient to use social casino sites or apps from anywhere in the Lone Star State.
Responsible gambling in Texas
If you or someone you care about is struggling with problem gambling, there are plenty of resources available in Texas.
The national websites listed below are good places to start if you’re looking for help with problem gambling in Texas. These sites can help point you toward local resources, counselors, help lines, and online information about getting help.
Explore More
Read more of Legal Sports Report’s coverage of the regulated sports betting and casino market.
Texas online casino FAQ
While traditional online casinos are not yet legal in Texas, social casinos and sweeps are available. The apps listed above can be played statewide and offer users a good variety of online slots, table games, and live dealer experiences.
There are no legal real-money online poker sites in Texas. However, many of the social casinos listed above offer poker-style games that users in Texas can play now.
Sports betting and iGaming are not yet legal in Texas. Visitors and residents are limited to horse racing and greyhound racing when looking for real-money betting experiences. However, the sweeps and social casinos on this page do allow users to redeem winnings for cash prizes in some instances.
Offshore betting sites will often advertise that they are legal in Texas and accept real money deposits. These websites are operating illegally in the state and are not licensed in the United States.