Can You Bet Online In Texas
There is no direct regulation over the sports betting sites in Texas. This means that, in many ways, it’s up to you to protect yourself while betting online in Texas. Fortunately, some of the very best online sportsbooks in the country are available in this state. Texas sports betting sites are generally very safe. By Steve Beauregard (Updated February 2020) Most of the country cannot go online to play poker, slots or table games, yet due to a quirk in the law, you can, in most states, legally bet on horse races over the internet. First the usual disclosure: I am not a lawyer (although I have watched a lot of “Law and Order.”).
- Can You Bet Horse Racing Online In Texas
- Can You Bet Horses Online In Texas
- Can You Bet Online In Texas
They say everything is bigger in Texas and that saying certainly applies to the sports betting appetite of Texas residents. As the second largest State in the USA, with 29 million residents, it’s no wonder that Texas is considered a big market for sports betting in the United States.
Texas, like the majority of states in the US, does not allow sports betting within the State. This means if you’re a Texan who would like to bet on sports you will need to sign up an account to an offshore betting site that is licensed outside of the country.
On this page, I will outline the legality of betting on sports in Texas, as well as recommend my top rated offshore betting sites for Texas residents. I’ve also added some city specific pages, which you can find links to at the bottom of the page.
Is Online Sports Betting Legal in Texas?
I have a two part answer to this question. First, I should point out that it is not legal to run a sportsbook operation (accept bets) in the State of Texas. This is because Texas does not license or authorize any sports betting operations within the State. If you do find a sportsbook, online or offline, that claims to be licensed by and operated in Texas you can be confident that the site is illegal and you should not place bets through that operation.
Now on to the second part of this question. It is NOT illegal for Texas residents to place wagers through offshore betting sites. Offshore sportsbooks are licensed, authorized and regulated by a different jurisdiction, outside of Texas. By being regulated outside of Texas (and the USA) it is legal and safe for Texas residents to place wagers at these sites.
Best Sportsbooks for Texas Residents
Here are our two favorite offshore sportsbooks for Texas residents.
Both of these sites are very large and widely used across the United States. Bovada, our top rated site, actually only accepts American residents, which allows them to fully cater their offerings to the American public.
- Built for American bettors
- Wide variety of competitive betting lines
- Easy to navigate betting platform
- Accepts players worldwide
- Competitive betting lines
- Fast & easy deposits and withdrawals (including Bitcoin)
Can You Bet Horse Racing Online In Texas
Offline Sports Betting in Texas
There is currently no offline sports betting allowed in Texas. If you do come across an offline bookie within the State you should know that they are operating illegally.
The only way to currently bet on sports in the State of Texas is through an offshore sportsbook like the ones I’ve outlined above.
Major Sports Teams in Texas
Texas is a sports hot bed with a huge variety of professional sports teams in the major cities. I’ve added a quick list of some of the major pro teams who call Texas home below. Click on the city name for more specific information about sports betting in that city.
- Austin FC
- Dallas Cowboys (NFL)
- Dallas Mavericks (NBA)
- Dallas Stars (NHL)
- FC Dallas (MLS)
- Texas Rangers (MLB)
- None
- Houston Astros (MLB)
- Houston Dynamo (MLS)
- Houston Rockets (NBA)
- Houston Texans (NFL)
- San Antonio Spurs (NBA)
Horse Racing in Texas
It is legal to bet on horse races at the track in Texas. Below I’ve listed some of the major horse tracks currently operational within the State.
**You can also place wagers on races taking place at each of these tracks at either of the sportsbooks I recommend above.
Major Tracks
- Lone Star Park, Grand Prairie
- Sam Houston Race Park, Houston
- Retama Park, Selma
Legal sports betting for Texas residents can only be done one way. You won’t be able to find land-based casinos with sportsbooks in them in this state. Rather, legal Texas sports betting must be done online, at an offshore sportsbook. These operators provide the same betting action that would be found at one the best sportsbooks in Atlantic City or Vegas. With a diverse fan base in the state for teams like the Dallas Cowboys, Houston Rockets, and Houston Astros, it only makes sense that sports enthusiasts in the state be able to wager on the teams they root for every week.
Texas residents can legally bet on sports when they use online, offshore sportsbooks. Otherwise, they’ll have to take a road trip or fly to another state to have access to land-based sportsbooks. If you’re hoping that land-based sports betting venues are going to come to Texas in the near future you may be right. There have been bills introduced in order to officially legalize and regulate the activity. However, given the fact that state officials have a traditional stance against gambling, we don’t expect it to happen until a few years out. This makes betting on sports online in Texas the only option available for the foreseeable future.
Can We Now Legally Bet On Sports In Texas?
With the repeal of PASPA, residents still have access to the same options for legal sports betting in Texas. Though the state can one-day launch regulated sports betting sites and sportsbooks, there has been no indication given of when this will happen. In the past, Texas has been unsuccessful with most types of gambling expansion. That being said, the sports betting industry generates billions each year and Texas would be smart to take advantage of the additional stream of revenue. While the legislature decides which way to go on state-licensed sports gambling, sports fans in the state can continue using the same trusted sports betting sites for legal TX sports betting.
Residents of the Lone Star State can place bets at any American-facing online casino or sportsbook without fear of prosecution by the state government. Texans in many parts of the state are a short drive away from tribal gaming in neighboring states, but they continue to choose online casinos and books because of the convenience factor. Mississippi sportsbooks are the closest land-based option for TX residents, but still quite a distance away. For example, Biloxi sportsbooks are a 5-hour drive from Beaumont and an 8-hour drive from Dallas. Online sportsbooks are the most convenient option for sports wagering play in Texas.
Sports Betting Laws in Texas
Currently, there are no sports betting laws in Texas. Most states, Texas included, never passed any type of sports betting legislation due to the federal prohibitions that were once in place. Because of this, there are no Texas sports betting laws and there is nothing standing in the way of using online, offshore sportsbooks. Without any laws on the books that even mention using the internet to bet on sports, you can consider sports betting in Texas legal.
Texas has no law against online gambling on the books and we do not see this changing anytime soon. No one has ever been arrested in Texas for playing at online casinos or sportsbooks, and the federal government has indicated that the 1961 Federal Wire Act will be used to crack down on illegal sports betting providers, not online bettors themselves. You should have no worries about going to jail when using reputable sites like Bovada, BetOnline, and SportsBetting.
Bovada is one sportsbook we have never ignored, as they have never mistreated their players. We have found that Bovada is undoubtedly one of the most enjoyable sports betting sites, solely because they provide their users with total security, fair odds, and safe deposits. Depositing into their book is done by way of VISA cards, Bitcoin, and Bitcoin Cash. Bovada provides their users with one of the longest lists of available sports, including major sports, entertainment bets, political props and much more. This is one of the most complete sportsbooks on the market, and we have long favored them for our gaming. If you decide to join up with Bovada, you will receive a 100% to $250 match bonus upon starting up. This bonus, combined with all of their other features, has made Bovada one of the top choices for gaming.
BetOnline is another sportsbook that has grown into a substantial competitor in the industry. BetOnline gives their users a solid list of betting odds, covering most sports. Football, soccer, hockey, baseball, tennis, golf and more can all be covered by BetOnline. They do not necessarily cover many non-sports prop bets, but they are very committed to offering straight sports bets. They have a 50% match to $1,000 for new players, and this makes for one of the most significant bonuses in all of online sports betting. To claim the Welcome Bonus, enter code BOL1000 while making your deposit. If you sign up with BetOnline, you will have access by way of Bitcoin, VISA and wire transfers, so funding your account never need be a difficult task.
Texas is a state full of many sports and there are so many games that go on here which means many betting options. Players know that when they sign up for Mybookie, there will be huge winning possibilities. Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans are just a few of Texas teams that can be bet on MyBookie. Players need to take the time to check out a site like this that has great banking methods, amazing parlay bet options, and live betting options as well. Also, players can use their phones to access their accounts. Check out MyBookie. It will change your life!
SportBetting is one of the better online sportsbooks out there for gamblers to sign up for. There are so many different bonuses here and this only means more money for players to win. These bonuses could be one of them that could reward a player with free play or extra money. There are plenty of prop bets that will be here as well so more ways that players can make money is more of the reason that players will sign up for Sportsbetting. Make sure to check out the site and there will be more offered like live betting and mobile betting features.
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You’ve probably heard it mentioned before, as it was the most controversial of the sports betting laws in the US. The now-overturned Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA) stipulated that states were not allowed to regulate sports betting. There were 46 states without sports betting as a result of PASPA. Four states were exempt (Delaware, Montana, Nevada, Oregon) but only two of those states actively offered sports betting. Nevada was the only one able to offer full single-game wagering up until the Supreme Court ruled the law unconstitutional on May 14th, 2018.
You might be wondering why residents who live in Texas don’t just hop on to an online sportsbook based in another state instead of using an offshore book. Well, there’s actually a law that prevents that from happening. It’s called the Wire Act. According to the Wire Act, no person(s) is allowed to accept a wager over a line of communication. This means telegraphs, telephones, internet, the whole shebang. The Wire Act prevents wagers from crossing state lines, which keeps regulated online sports betting limited to just the states that have legalized sports gambling. What the Wire Act does not do, however, is prevent online sports betting at offshore sportsbooks. That is because it does not have jurisdiction over sites based in other countries.
Finally, we have the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA). The UIGEA is a federal sports betting law that states that it is unlawful for companies to accept wagers or transact funds from US residents. What the UIGEA does is prevent banks from being able to process certain transactions from Texas bettors to online gambling sites. What it does not do, though, is prevent betting from happening. This law does not have jurisdiction over companies in other countries. When you use an online, offshore sportsbook, you’re participating in legal Texas sports betting that is not in violation of these federal sports betting laws.
Each state lays out its own laws when it comes to the age at which residents can legally gamble. The legal gambling age in Texas is 21, no matter what you are trying to do. So just in case you are slow, the legal sports betting age in Texas is 21.
One of the great parts of having an online sports betting account is having access to the corresponding mobile site. These sites are browser-based and able to be accessed by anyone with a smartphone. In Texas, legal sports betting on mobile sites can be done so long as you’re using one that is based overseas.
Will Texas Ever Offer State-Licensed Online Sports Betting?
There is nothing preventing Texas from offering state-licensed online sports betting, but it would likely be a long process. In 2015, two bills for fantasy sports sites were filed but never made it out of committee. In the immediate months post-PASPA repeal, the state has given no indication that any type of sports betting legislation is up for discussion. While regulated Texas sports betting sites are a possibility, it is unclear if and when the state will move forward. Fortunately, there are plenty of online, offshore sportsbooks that offer betting opportunities to Texas Residents.
How Can a Texas Residents Find a Legal Sportsbook?
Texas Residents looking for legal sportsbooks need only hop online and Google USA sportsbooks. Books that accept US players almost always accept Texas residents. You can find out if the book you want to use is a legal Texas sports betting site by heading to their about page.
Can You Bet Horses Online In Texas
Can You Bet On Politics In Texas?
Betting on Politics in the state of Texas can be done. Just like with sports betting, though, it must be done at an online, offshore sportsbook. Any form of betting on the outcome of an activity will have to be done at an offshore site, because of the current federal gambling laws that dictate gambling in the state.
Can You Bet Online In Texas
As one of the largest states in the US and one of the most populated, Texas has a ton of different teams that you can bet on. At both the Professional and College level, Texas is a leader in producing fun, talented sports teams. Below is a list of the most popular Division I teams and professional teams available for legal sports betting in Texas.
Professional Sports Teams To Bet On In Texas:
- Dallas Cowboys
- Houston Texans
- San Antonio Spurs
- Houston Rockets
- Dallas Mavericks
- Texas Rangers
- Houston Astros
- Dallas Stars
College Teams To Bet On In Texas:
- University of Texas Longhorns
- Texas A&M Aggies
- University of Houston Cougars
- Texas Tech Red Raiders
- SMU Mustangs
- Baylor Bears
- TCU Horned Frogs