Texas is a semi-popular destination for land-based gambling enthusiasts, as the state has regulated Indian casino gaming and racetracks to offer. Local gambling laws aren’t unreasonably restrictive, so it should come as no surprise that pari-mutuel wagering and charitable gambling are allowed. Texas has its own lottery and even sells the tickets online, but unfortunately the local lawmakers don’t seem to be ready to introduce Nevada-style iGaming regulations at this point in time.
Online Gambling in Texas
There are three things you should know about online gambling regulations in Texas. First of all, people who join unlicensed real money games as players tend to be charged with a misdemeanor when caught. Furthermore, the aforementioned rule doesn’t apply to home games. Finally, it is impossible to determine whether any of those rules extend to online play. Basically, there is no precedent, as the local officials aren’t interested in going after individual internet gamblers, which means that Texas courts simply didn’t have a chance to shed some light on this issue so far.
Casinos & Sportsbooks Accepting Players From Texas
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Casino Games
The Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino in Eagle Pass is the default choice of most Texas residents who want to enjoy some land-based gambling. Other than that, the only viable option is to visit one of the Texas-friendly online casino sites. While those casinos can’t really rival a real gambling establishment in terms of atmosphere, the games, bonuses and security they bring more than make up for this shortcoming. Below, you’ll find the list of some of the best offshore casino sites available to Texas-based players these days.
Sports Betting
Pari-mutuel betting in Texas revolves around the local racetracks, which include the Lone Star Park, Retama Park and Sam Houston Race Park. If you aren’t interested in horses and you’d like to wager on normal sports like baseball, tennis, rugby or soccer, your best bet would be to visit a Texas-friendly offshore sports betting site. The sportsbooks we recommend are superior to Nevada land-based facilities in terms of prices and event coverage, so you should probably stick to them until you gain some experience as an online bettor.
Poker
Texas is a popular destination for live poker enthusiasts and the place of origin of the most popular poker variant in the world – Texas Hold’em. Despite the popularity of the Kickapoo card rooms, many Texans still enjoy playing online. This shouldn’t be all that surprising, since the benefits of becoming a part of the nation-wide player pool and being able to play dozens of hands per hour simply can’t be ignored by any competitive poker aficionado. The list of high-traffic US-facing poker platforms is rather short, but we’re putting it here to save you the trouble of looking them up.
Online Gambling FAQ
Where can I find regulations that pertain to gambling in Texas?
The relevant regulations are available in Section 47 of Texas Code.
What forms of gambling are legal and regulated within the borders of Texas?
All the popular forms of land-based gambling are perfectly legal and regulated in Texas. In addition, Texas allows online state lottery ticket sales.
What is the legal status of online gambling in Texas?
Texas doesn’t have any internet gambling regulations aside from the ones that allow online lottery ticket sales, which means that it’s impossible to say whether playing on offshore sites is legal within the borders of the state or not.
Do offshore gambling sites accept Texas residents?
Yes, Texas residents are free to play on all US-facing sites.
How can I deposit to an offshore gambling site from Texas?
You can make a deposit to one of the offshore sites by making a standard credit card payment. We recommend Visa or MasterCard, as American Express cards proved to be somewhat unreliable when it comes to online gambling in the past.
How can I withdraw my money from an offshore iGaming site if I live in Texas?
In most cases you’ll have to decide between a wire transfer and a check delivered by courier. We recommend going for the wire transfer whenever possible, as this method is simply cheaper and faster.
Is Texas planning to regulate online gambling in the future?
No. Texas legislators have already adjusted the regulations to allow online lottery ticket sales and they’re fairly happy with the results. This means that the current regulations are very unlikely to change in the foreseeable future.
Gambling History – Interesting Facts
1. Texas allowed the local tribes to host land-based casino games in the 1980s, but two of those casinos have been closed because of a court order in 1987 and 2002.
2. Unregulated gambling in the 19th century and earlier is considered to be an integral part of Texas vice, which had a significant impact on Texan culture and economy.
3. Texas used to be known for casino cruises, which have been organized since 1980s. However, many famous gambling boats went bankrupt or moved to a different state, so this practice seems to currently be on hold.
Texas Gambling Resources
Texas Statutes:
http://www.statutes.legis.state.tx.us/
Texas Charitable Bingo:
http://www.txbingo.org/export/sites/bingo/index.html
Texas Tribune – Gaming and Gambling:
http://www.texastribune.org/tribpedia/gaminggambling/