Texas Betting Sites: When Will Texas Sportsbooks Launch? | May 2026
Must be 18+ to participate. T&Cs Apply.
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/MA/VA). Valid only where Pick6 operates, see http://dkng.co/pick6states. Void in NY, 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 6/19/26 at 11:59 PM ET. Terms: http://pick6.draftkings.com/promos. Sponsored by DraftKings. Sponsored by DK.
Promo Code: BOOKIES
The promotion consists of two $100 max tokens; if either loses, you will receive your entry fee back in Betr Bucks (max $200 total). Must be 18+ (19+ in AL & CO; 21+ AZ, MA, & VA) and physically located in a jurisdiction where Betr Picks operates. Restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. T&Cs apply. For more details, please visit betr.app. Concerned about your play? Call the NCPG at 1-800-522-4700
Must be 18+ to participate. T&Cs Apply. Void in Idaho, Louisiana, Michigan, Montana or Nevada
Must be 18+ to participate. 19+ in Alabama or Nebraska. 21+ in Massachusetts or Arizona.
Onyx Odds is a Social Sportsbook. No Purchase Necessary. Must be 18+ to participate. T&Cs Apply. Void in AL, CO, ID, LA, MD, MI, MT, NV, NJ, NY, TN, WA, and WV.
Must be 18+ to participate. 19+ if you are a legal resident of Nebraska. T&Cs Apply.
Must be 21+. No purchase necessary. Promo for new users only. Void where prohibited. See Terms of Use for eligibility.
Must be 18+ to participate & residents of the United States. Mobile only.
Must be 18+ to participate. T&Cs Apply.
Must be 18+ to participate. Must be physically located in an Authorized Jurisdiction to enter paid fantasy sports contests.
Must be 18+ to participate. (19+ in NE and 21+ in MA). T&Cs Apply.
Must be 18+ to participate. T&Cs Apply.
Must be 18+ to participate. T&Cs Apply. Void in AZ, ID, LA, MI, MT, NJ, NV, OH, TN, and WA.
Must be 18+. T&Cs apply.
Is Online Sports Betting Legal in Texas?
Currently, no form of sports gambling is legal in Texas. After the most recent sports betting HB 1942 was discussed through the House in the 2023 Texas legislative session, Governor Dan Patrick said the bill would not receive any consideration from the Senate.
When it comes to sports betting markets, all signs indicate that Texas legislators aren't listening to the majority of Texans. According to a Dallas Morning News/University of Texas-Tyler poll, 57% of residents want access to casino games and 43% support legalized sports betting.
Estimates offered by experts in the gaming industry suggest that the people of the Lone Star State are already spending as much as $2.5 billion a year in neighboring states such as Oklahoma and Louisiana that offer casino games, legal sports wagering, and online gambling.
If people in the Lone Star State want to get a bet on sports down on Texas teams like the Dallas Cowboys, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Astros or Houston Texans, Dallas Stars, Texas Rangers, San Antonio Spurs, or top college sports teams such as the Texas Longhorns and Texas Tech Red Raiders, they'll need to cross state boundaries into Louisiana, where they recently decided to legalize sports betting and sportsbook operators should provide a robust sports betting market.
With no Texas sports betting bill on the go to be considered by Texas legislators, the absolute earliest it would appear that legalized sports betting in Texas will be offered is 2026.
Potential Legal Sports Betting Markets in the U.S.
Texas sports betting might become a reality in 2026, however, this is not official. Missouri is atop the list of upcoming states for sports betting legalization, being December 1st, 2025, as the official launch date. We will keep you up to date with the latest news and updates on Missouri and Texas sports betting legalization.
Texas 'Likely' Online Sportsbooks
When the time does come that Texas opts to offer legalized sports betting, we expect all of the leading U.S.-based online and mobile sports betting operators lining up to grab a piece of the massive Texas sports betting markets by becoming Texas sports betting sites.
As the second-most populous state in the union, industry insiders are estimating that the Texas sports betting markets could generate more than $230 million in revenue annually for the state coffers.
DraftKings Sportsbook
If there's legal sports betting in the state, then it's a virtual certainty that the DraftKings Sportsbook will be showing up there. One of the biggest powerhouses in online sports betting in the USA, DraftKings Sportsbook utilizes the capital they've already gained via their daily fantasy sports platform to convert those customers over to legal sports betting.
FanDuel Sportsbook
Like DraftKings, FanDuel Sportsbook has also been able to parlay the company's Daily Fantasy sports empire to become a major USA player in online sports betting. Being among the Texas sports betting sites will be a natural transition for FanDuel. Typically, FanDuel and DraftKings are the first online sportsbooks on the scene when a state opts to legalize sports betting. FanDuel is owned by Flutter Entertainment, a British betting superpower whose list of online sports betting sites also includes Betfair and Paddy Power.
BetMGM Sportsbook
A major player in the hotel and casino industry for decades, MGM Resorts has also made a smooth transition into the US legal sports betting market. BetMGM Sportsbook is the company's online sports betting arm. Already, BetMGM has a sports betting presence in 14 different states and is usually alongside DraftKings and FanDuel at the front of the line when new states launch.
Fanatics Sportsbook
Backed by sports merchandise giant Fanatics Holdings, Fanatics Sportsbook has moved aggressively into the US betting market since acquiring PointsBet's US operations in 2023. The app is live in 23 states plus Washington, D.C., and is positioned to launch Fanatics Sportsbook Texas once the Lone Star State legalizes online sports betting, bringing its signature FanCash rewards program with it.
Why Lawmakers Won’t Legalize Texas Sports Betting
Despite apparent public support for sports betting at Texas sportsbooks, the Republican-led state government, led by Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, has vowed that legalized sports betting will never happen in the Lone Star State on their watch.
Unlike most states, making sports gambling legal in Texas isn't merely a matter of altering or changing the law. Such a move to make online betting legal in Texas will require a referendum that would amend the state constitution. In Texas, sports gambling is outlawed by a constitutional provision.
To change this and enable Texas sports bettors to place legal wagers, several elements will be required. Passing any of the state's sports betting bills must receive the support of a two-thirds majority in both the state House of Representatives and Senate. After that, the measure must then be put in the ballot during state elections and be approved by a majority of voters.
In the days of the Wild West, when men like Wyatt Earp and Bat Masterson ruled, gambling in Texas was as prevalent as cowboys and cattle ranchers. Every saloon offered card playing and other games of chance. However, as Texas reformed from its frontier foundations, the state also grew to be conservative with a capital C when it came to all forms of gambling.
When Can I Play Daily Fantasy Sports in Texas?
Like the challenge to legalize sports betting in Texas, daily fantasy sports also endured a long, drawn-out battle before it was permitted in the state. While it was available online in the state, the question remained whether DFS was legal in Texas.
This was settled in 2019 when a resolution in the Texas State House declared that DFS was not a game of chance (and therefore gambling) but was, in fact, a play-for-play game of skill.
All of the leading DFS sites, including DraftKings , FanDuel , and Underdog Fantasy, now do business in Texas without fear of being shut down.
Is Mobile Betting Available in Texas?
All forms of betting are illegal in Texas. If sports betting becomes legal in the Lone Star State, most likely, all of the top online sports betting apps, such as BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbooks, and bet365, will offer a mobile app from which sports bets can also be made.
Following the lead of operators in states where sports betting is legal, these mobile apps will be compatible with both Android and iOS devices. They will offer download links directly from their website.
With most, it will be possible to download the app onto a mobile device and then utilize the app to sign up with their site. The best mobile apps will work as seamlessly and offer the same sports gambling services as a desktop site.
Potential Bonuses & Promotions at Texas Sports Betting Sites
If Texas legalizes sports betting, expect Texas sportsbooks to offer three standard types of sign-up bonuses. There's a first bet protection bonus, which refunds your first wager up to a certain amount should it lose, with the refund in the form of bet credits.
Another common sign-up bonus is a matching first deposit bonus. Many sites match at 100% while some match at a lower percentage. Again, a set amount is established by a Texas sports betting site. This total will be matched during a player's first deposit. So, if the set amount were $250, then a $250 deposit would turn into $500 if it is a 100% match.
Thirdly, there are no deposit bonuses. These are usually small stipends - around $25-$50 - that are given to a new player to use for online sports betting.
Top sports betting sites will continue to offer promotions well after a player has joined their site. These could be deposit reload bonuses, parlay bonus, and odds boosts, to name a few.
In the latter case, a selected game of interest to Texas bettors - it could be a San Antonio-Houston NBA game, or perhaps a college sports event such as a Cotton Bowl game featuring the Texas Longhorns - will see the odds juiced to a higher-than-normal level.
Types of Sports Bets That Would be Offered in Texas
If sports betting becomes legal in Texas, sports bettors could bet on the following markets:
- ➡️ Moneyline: Bet on who you think will win a game straight up.
- ➡️ Point spread: Bet on a team to win by a certain amount of points (“the spread”) or on a team to lose within a certain amount of points or win outright.
- ➡️ Total: Bet on how many points will be scored in a game.
- ➡️ Parlay: Bet several wagers together to get an increased payout.
- ➡️ Same game parlay: Bet several wagers together from within the same game to get an increased payout.
- ➡️ Props: Bet on specific events to take place during a game.
- ➡️ Future bets: Bet on something to take place in the future.
- ➡️ Live bets: Wager on sports while the action is taking place live.
What Sports Leagues Could I Bet On in Texas?
Few states can boast the depth of sports offerings that Texas provides. There are professional sports teams in all of the major North American sports leagues.
The NFL includes the Dallas Cowboys and Houston Texans. In MLB, there's the Texas Rangers and Houston Astros.
The NBA features the San Antonio Spurs, Dallas Mavericks, and Houston Rockets. The NHL has the Dallas Stars, while MLS goes three deep in Texas franchises with FC Dallas, the Houston Dynamos and Austin FC.
College sports are also massive in the Lone Star State. The Texas Longhorns, Texas Tech Red Raiders, TCU Horned Frogs, Rice Owls, SMU Mustangs, Baylor Bears and Texas A&M Aggies are the biggest programs among many Texas schools.
Top 5 Texas Sports Teams to Bet On
Whether you're talking about professional sports teams or college sports, there will be no shortage of betting opportunities once sports betting is legal in Texas.
Dallas Cowboys
Win or lose, America's team will always be the biggest game in Texas. The Cowboys are one of those teams that are known worldwide. The star logo on the side of the helmet is recognized everywhere. No one is indifferent when it comes to the Cowboys.
Houston Astros
Like the Cowboys, the Astros are a team about which everyone has an opinion. Perhaps they've managed to win by using questionable means. The fact of the matter is that they just keep on winning and have been to six consecutive ALCS.
Dallas Mavericks
The Mavericks appear to be a team on the cusp of breaking into the NBA elite. They're led by superstar and legitimate NBA MVP candidate Luka Doncic. Owner Mark Cuban is among the most recognizable faces in the world.
San Antonio Spurs
In a sport where individual brilliance is celebrated, the Spurs won five NBA titles and went to six finals between 1999-2014 by embracing the team concept. Coach Gregg Popovich is recognized as one of the great minds of basketball. At various times during their dynasty, David Robinson, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobli and Kawhi Leonard took turns filling starring roles.
Texas Longhorns & Texas A&M Aggies
There are plenty of major colleges in Texas, but the two with the biggest followings are the state schools. Although they play in different conferences, the rivalry between the two remains as ferocious as ever.
Sports Betting Texas FAQs
What is the Legal gambling gge in TX?
Currently, no form of legal sports betting exists in the Lone Star State. However, if sports betting becomes legal, the sports betting bills put before the State House have all suggested that the legal gambling age would be reserved for adults 21 and older.
What do I need to create an online sports betting account in Texas?
Is DFS betting legal in Texas?
About the Author
