Texas lawmakers file bill to legalize online sports betting
Texas lawmakers will consider a proposed amendment to the state Constitution to allow voters to decide whether legal sports betting will be available in the state.
Several attempts have been made to bring sports betting to Texas, which would join the 38 states that have legalized sports gambling.
Governor Greg Abbott previously indicated that he supported the legalization of sports betting within the state, telling the Houston Chronicle, “I don’t have a problem with online sports betting. The reality is that I’d be shocked if there were not some Texans that do it already.”
State Representative Sam Harless filed House Joint Resolution 134 on 12 February. The Resolution would amend the Constitution to authorize regulated sports betting. Texas residents would have to vote on the idea in November.
A separate proposal, House Joint Resolution 137, proposes introducing online betting and land-based casinos, with gambling taxed at 15%.
Although sports betting is illegal in Texas, data from geolocation fraud detection company GeoComply reported that in November, 1.48 million Texans attempted to log into an online sportsbook licensed in another state.
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