Will the Legislature legalize sports betting? Some of the biggest names in Texas sports hope so

Texas is once again looking at legalizing sports gambling during this year’s legislative session, and supporters are being backed by some of the most influential people in Texas sports.

Sen. Carol Alvarado (D-Houston) has filed Senate Joint Resolution 16, which proposes legal sports wagering and legal gambling at casinos and other destination resorts in the state. If passed, it would also create the Texas Gaming Commission, a new organization that would regulate gambling.

Alvarado has been filing bills on gaming in Texas since 2009, including a measure that cleared the Texas House in 2023, but stalled in the state Senate. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who leads that chamber, has expressed strong opposition to legalized sports betting.

Still, she said it’s worth the fight because she strongly believes sports betting will improve the state’s economy and make it an even bigger tourist destination.

“Promoting Texas as a place to come and bring your family — come to this beautiful resort that  has everything that you could find in many other other resorts, like shops and restaurants and shows. This would certainly lure people to visiting Texas,” Alvarado told The Texas Newsroom.

While Patrick’s disdain for sports betting remains, other powerful Texans are coming out in support of the change, including former governor Rick Perry and Gov. Greg Abbott.

“I don’t have a problem with online sports betting,” said Abbott in a recent interview with the Houston Chronicle’s Texas Take podcast. “The reality is that I’d be shocked if there were not some Texans that do it already.”

There’s also been a powerful lobbying effort behind the change. The Texas Sports Betting Alliance, a group consisting of sports teams such as the Dallas Cowboys, Houston Astros and Dallas Mavericks, has been actively pushing for the change, along with Las Vegas Sands, a massive player in the world of casinos.

Experts acknowledge legalizing online betting could be a financial boon to the state and the sports teams based here.

“Bringing a sports book generally into a professional sports venue brings a whole new set of customers, a whole new set of revenue streams that you’re going to be able to bring in,” said Mark Pannes, a teaching fellow at the Center for Sports Communication and Media at the University of Texas at Austin. He also owns Inner Market Media, a company that advises clients on investing in sports teams.

“It’s just a further expansion of the end to end relationship you’ll have with a fan,” Pannes said. “They’re watching it on tv, reading about it, coming to events and now they would be gambling at your venue as well. It’s just another key revenue driver for a team.”

That sentiment seems to resonate with Ryan Lawton, an Austin native who occasionally places sports betting. He said he enjoys watching sports in other states because he has the ability to bet on games.

“It just makes it interesting to follow a game that you may not be (otherwise) interested in,” Lawton told The Texas Newsroom.

Despite the benefits supporters say legalized sports gambling could offer the state, SJR 16 and Alvarado have an uphill battle ahead. While the proposal may once again receive some support from the House, it seems unlikely Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick will change his strong opposition to the measure.

Loni Mcfadden, a Houston-area therapist who specializes in addiction and shame, said she understands why the Texas Senate and Patrick are hesitant to legalize sports wagering.

“I’ve really seen the ugly parts of addiction and what it’s cost people,” Mcfadden said. “I think that should be a topic of conversation because addiction thrives in secrecy and so does gambling.”

Given the support behind — and opposition to — the legalization of sports gambling, the debate around SJR 16 could get heated. Alvarado said she’s aware SJR 16 may not gain traction this legislative session, but remains optimistic sports gambling will be legalized in the future.

“I’m in it for the long haul and each session we’re garnering a different level of support. So I’ll take it. And this session will build on that,” Alvarado said. “I know it’s going to continue to be a marathon, not a sprint,” Alvarado said.

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