Texas Gambling in 2024

The Texas gambling scene provides people within the state with some excellent options when it comes to gambling in person. When you can’t gamble in person, however, you can definitely get your action at real money Texas gambling sites. If you live in TX and want to gamble, you should understand all of your options.

Rank	VA Gambling Site	Deposit Bonus	Products	Get Started
#1	Las Atlantis	280% Up To $14,000	Casino	Visit Site
#2	Wild Casino	250% Up To $5,000	Casino	Visit Site
#3	BetUS	125% Up To $2,500	Sports Casino	Visit Site
#4	BetOnline	50% Up To $1,000	Sports Casino Poker	Visit Site
#5	Bovada	50% Up To $250	Sports Casino Poker	Visit Site

Texas is known for its size, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s filled with gambling options. In actuality, the laws in the state make it tough to operate any kind of licensed live gambling establishment. But citizens are lucky in that they can take advantage of the online gambling sites that can be accessed by anyone with an internet connection.

In the following article, we’ll tell you everything you need to know about the world of TX gambling. We’ll explain the different laws surrounding the different types of gambling in the state, and we’ll also explain how you can gamble online by seeking out the best Texas gambling sites. Lastly, we’ll look at the qualities that the best sites have and answer questions about the online gambling process here.

Best Texas Online Gambling Sites

As we’ve already mentioned, it can be difficult to find a place to gamble legally within the state of Texas. But you can compensate for that by getting your action at online Texas gambling sites. Just take a look at our list of the top real money Texas gambling sites:

Note that we’ve taken a long look at them before compiling this list. These have our stamp of approval, and they received positive reviews from online gamblers as well. We feel that you could choose any one of these casino sites and get an excellent experience.

As we said above, any of these platforms would allow you to gamble online and you’ll be more than pleased at what you’ll find. But which of these TX online casinos and/or Texas online sportsbooks are exactly right for you? If you learn how the online gambling process works, and all the qualities that it entails, you should be able to find the perfect fit.

How We Rank Texas Gambling Sites

Security and Reliability

This is a factor that you have to make sure is in place before you proceed with online gambling of any kind. If you don’t take safety protocols seriously, you could end up losing your money. You might even deal with identity theft or any other sort of security issue.

Luckily, the best Texas gambling sites will put your mind at ease in this respect. You’ll be able to concentrate on playing your casino games or making your online sports bets, and everything else will be in place. Make sure you don’t rely on an unknown site, because that is when problems can creep into the situation.

Reputation on Excellence

The online gambling business is largely unregulated, which means that you won’t have any real way of knowing, from one site to another, which TX online gambling sites are reliable unless you use resources like this to tell you. But you can get a big clue if you look at how long a real money gambling site has been around. For example, BetUS has been doing business online since 1994, not long after the internet first gained popularity.

As a Texas gambling site, it has been pleasing online players for a long time. And it also means that you can rest assured that the site can handle whatever action you throw at it. A newer casino site might not be able to give you that same kind of reassurance.

Large Online Gambling Bonuses

Online gambling sites in Texas will be aggressive with offering you bonuses. As a matter of fact, they say that everything is bigger in Texas, and you should be looking for promotions that give you more bang for your buck. The best Texas gambling sites will be able to do that for you in a variety of ways.

Variety of Real Money Gambling Options

There are a lot of ways that you can judge variety at Texas gambling sites. First of all, it’s always nice when you have both an online casino and a TX online gambling site wrapped up in one site, such as is the case with BetOnline. When you have this at your disposal, you really can get all your wagering needs met in one place.

But even if the site is more of a niche site, it can still show variety that will make your experience more pleasant. For example, if it’s a slot site, you should be looking for it to give the widest possible variety of online slots you can hope to have. When variety is in place, you never have to worry about play getting stale at a sing site.

Mobile Gambling Sites or Apps

In the modern world, everybody does things on the go, including gambling. That’s why all of the top Texas real money gambling sites we’ve listed allow you to do that. Mobile gambling is the way of the future, and you’ll really appreciate having access to it.

Mobile Texas gambling apps can be downloaded onto your phone or tablet so you can take your gambling with you wherever you go. Some sites offer a mobile version of their site that can be accessed through a browser. No matter how they get it done, mobile Texas gambling sites are the next wave in keeping customers satisfied.

Wide Selection of Safe Banking Methods

At Texas online gambling sites, you’ll be depositing and withdrawing money multiple times. You might think this is just a basic thing and that nothing can really make any difference in how this process plays out. But lesser sites don’t provide you with the kinds of options for withdrawals and deposits that give you flexibility.

For example, most online gambling sites will let you pay with credit cards. But what about cryptocurrency? Thankfully, this banking method is offered by Slots Empire so you have that choice available to you for faster transactions. The more banking options you have at Texas gambling sites, the more likely it is for you to find one that makes the most sense to you.

Excellent Customer Service and Support

Customer service is something that can be overlooked by someone choosing a business of any kind, at least until you need it. And that is also true of the customer service offered up by the online gambling sites in Texas. When you need it, you’ll be happy it’s there and that it’s reliable.

First of all, you have to make sure that you can contact them in a variety of ways, as problems can arise at any time. In addition, you should be confident that they’ll get right back to you as quickly as possible. Finally, the site should do whatever they can to fix your problem and make you feel important.

Quick Payback of Winnings

If you’re going to be an active gambler at TX betting sites, you might not need to withdraw too often. But there will likely be times when you’ll want to have some or all of your money transferred back to your personal account. And when that happens, you’ll want it to happen as fast as possible.

Intuitive Interface for Gambling

If you’ve never encountered it before in terms of talking about the internet, “intuitive” is a word used to describe anything that makes sense and is easy to use. That is extremely important when it comes to Texas betting sites because it’s understandable that some people might not be used to the process. At the best online gambling sites, you can’t go wrong.

Just log onto the site and you’ll get an idea of where you need to go. In addition, you should be able to play your games or make your bets in confidence without having to worry about any website malfunctions. The best Texas gambling sites will make everything really easy for you.

Different Types of Online Texas Gambling Sites

Some Texas gambling sites will have a specific area on which they concentrate, while others do a little bit of everything. It’s important to know what each of these sites do, so that you can make a better choice when you sign up with one of them. Read on to see what each of these sites do.

Gambling Laws in Texas

The state of Texas is one of the strictest in the United States when it comes to gambling laws. Those laws are the reasons why it’s so important to know how to utilize Texas gambling sites. You likely won’t have too many options to play in person. Check out how the laws affect the various types of gambling opportunities you might have available to you.

History of Texas Gambling Laws

• 19th century: The state is known for its many saloons, many of which feature card games and other forms of gambling among the denizens.
• 1903: The state bans just about any type of gambling, including sports like horse racing associated with pari-mutuel wagering.
• 1933: Pari-mutuel wagering at horse tracks is legalized, only for that law to be repealed again four years later.
• 1971: Charities are briefly exempted from the state ban on lotteries, but that decision is reversed just two years later.
• 1987: The Texas Racing Commission is created after voters legalize pari-mutuel wagering yet again for horse racing.
• 1992: The Texas State Lottery begins.
• 1993: The Speaking Rock bingo hall is opened up to test the state’s laws on Indian gaming.
• 1996: The Kickapoo Casino opens in 1996, and it remains one of the state’s only casinos.

Texas Casino Gambling Laws

The state of Texas is very strict when it comes to casino gambling. It explicitly forbids it within the state. Their jurisdiction does not, however, run to Native American lands, which is why there are a few casinos with limited gaming allowed in the state.

The rundown on Texas casino gambling can be found in chapter 47 of the state Penal Code, which strictly prohibits the operation of so-gambling houses. In addition, it lists the following as illegal activities when a person does the following:

“… plays and bets for money or other thing of value at any game played with cards, dice, balls, or any other gambling device.”

Whether that last phrase (“gambling device”) refers to computers or phones, which would aid in online gambling, is a bit of a tough call. As far as casino gambling, the good news is that there have been some recent rumblings of a bill that would open up casino gambling to stand-alone commercial establishments, horse and dog tracks, and tribal lands. The idea for the commercial casinos would be to place them in the four biggest metropolitan areas in the states.

Such a bill would have to go through both the legislatures in the state and would then also have to be voted in by residents. That means there is still a ways to go before Texans can get the full benefit of casino gambling action. But the door isn’t closed on it by any means.

Texas Sports Gambling Laws

In much the same way that casino gambling is currently a non-starter in the state of Texas, so too is gambling on sports. You could be looking at a major fine or even imprisonment if you engage in any bookmaking on your own. In addition, the following is prohibited:

“makes a bet on the partial or final result of a game or contest or on the performance of a participant in a game or contest”

“makes a bet on the result of any political nomination, appointment, or election or on the degree of success of any nominee, appointee, or candidate”

It’s a shame that sports gambling isn’t legal within the state, because Texas is home to an impressive collection of professional and sports teams. Take a look the pro teams that call the state their home in the so-called “Big 4” sports in America

Poker Laws in Texas

The letter of the law that we listed above concerning casinos, one that specifically mentions cards as a no-no if you’re playing for real money, would seem to make legal poker an impossibility in the state. This is despite the fact that the state lends its name to the most famous version of the game: Texas Holdem. And it’s also despite the fact that many legendary players like Doyle Brunson hail from the state.

These clubs usually charge a membership fee for members to come and participate in the action. And they don’t feature any games where there is a “house” involved, which means no one has any unfair advantage and the games are won purely based on skill and/or luck.

Take a look at the poker rooms in these clubs with some of the most action for real money gamblers in Texas:

• Shuffle 214 in Dallas: 31 tables
• 52 Social in Houston: 30 tables
• Champions Social in Houston: 28 tables
• Prime Social Poker Club in Houston: 23 tables
• Rounders Card Club in San Antonio: 22 tables

Obviously, Texas doesn’t have quite the legal poker scene it might if there were more legal casinos. However, these card clubs certainly help to pick up the slack. And it seems like the law is no hurry to challenge them in an attempt to stop the action.

TX Horse Racing Laws

Horse racing has endured a spotty legal history in the state. It was legalized and banned all within a four-year span in the 1930s. Luckily, it finally returned to the state via a 1987 law, and it has thrived ever since its return.

As a matter of fact, the state is home to several race tracks that attract top talent to the area. The three major Thoroughbred tracks in the state are:

• Lone Star Park in Grand Prairie
• Sam Houston Race Park in Houston
• Retama Park in Selma

Texas is also the home to quarter horse and greyhound racing tracks. The reason they are legal is because they are all governed by pari-mutuel betting. In pari-mutuel wagering, which is the primary style of horse racing betting, odds and payback are determined by pools of bets in each race.

State Lottery Laws for Texas

Texas finally jumped into the state lottery game back in 1993 with a law allowing it. That put them in line with most other states that use the games to provide funding for different state initiatives. It means that you can participate in these games without having to worry about any legal ramifications.

To that end, the state has a nice variety of games for consumers to try. Among them are:

• Texas Powerball
• Mega Millions
• Lotto Texas
• Texas Two Step
• All Or Nothing
• Pick 3 With Fireball
• Pick 4 With Fireball
• Cash Five

The interesting thing is that the Texas Lottery allows you to buy tickets from them directly online. Considering that they have somewhat harsh restrictions on online gambling in every other area, this is a nice surprise. It’s a nice convenience for those who don’t want to have to go out to get their tickets.

Texas Bingo Laws

The good news for bingo fans is that it is one of the few forms of gambling that is legal in the state. You can indeed put on a bingo game, but it must be for charitable purposes. And you also need to have the games approved by local ordinances in addition to getting licensed by the state.

As you can see from the information provided by Texas bingo, the bingo scene in the state is actually quite substantial:

• $19 billion in gross receipts since bingo was established in the state
• $11 billion in prizes awarded
• $300 million allocated to local jurisdictions
• Played in 226 of 254 state counties
• 1,300 licensed organizations for bingo

Texas Charitable Gambling Laws

In terms of charitable gambling, we’ve already told you about the bingo laws in the state of Texas. But the other charity options are limited. On the state Attorney General’s page, you’ll find guidelines for raffle nights that are available to raise funds.

In addition, you can’t give away cash prizes in these raffles. Texas state laws also strictly prohibits casino or poker nights as a way to raise money. That means you’re pretty limited in the kind of charity gaming you can conduct in the Lone Star State.

Social Gambling Laws in TX

When it comes to gambling socially and informally with friends at home, you again have to be careful in the state of Texas. This law falls into line with other states in that it prevents any situation where one entity profits from the game just for hosting it or administering it. Once again, the Texas Attorney General page lays it all on the line:

“It is legal for individuals to play poker or other casino activities in a private place, defined as ‘a place to which the public does not have access.’ They can bet money and win money. However, all money must be redistributed to the participants. The ‘house’ cannot keep a cut…”

That means that you’re okay to run a weekly poker game, for example, since poker is a zero-sum game and all funds are redistributed to the players. But once you start trying to put on other casino-style games, you run into problems. Types of casino games where the house is involved include:

• Blackjack
• Craps
• Roulette
• Baccarat

List of Casinos in Texas

Texas Gambling Online vs. Gambling in a Casino in TX

It can be difficult to decide between the two types of gambling available to you in the Lone Star State. They each hold their advantages and disadvantages, and your decision might come down to nothing more than personal preference. But it’s still a good idea to learn about the different benefits for each one so you could make your decision with the best possible information.

Texas Gambling FAQ

Future of Texas Online Gambling

As we’ve mentioned throughout the article, Texas is a tough state in terms of how it restricts real money gambling. But that doesn’t mean it will always be this way. Take a look at some aspects of the state’s gambling scene that could be in flux heading into the near future:

• Look for somewhat of an easing off on the restrictions that we’ve mentioned throughout. Quite simply, state legislators are bound to see the economic windfalls that other states are reaping with looser gambling laws. As a result, you can expect that even Texas, long a holdout in the fight against gambling, will start to take a different approach.
• The moratorium against sports gambling is bound to erode in time as well. Since the federal laws that once restricted legal sports gambling have been falling by the wayside, many states have jumped into the fray to legalize it. Again, it’s a revenue stream that doesn’t make much sense for the state to pass up for very much longer.
• If the guess is that casino and sports gambling start to turn from illegal to legal in the state, that would then open up the doors for online gambling establishments to be legalized within the state. This would give residents even more choice when it comes to Texas gambling sites. As a resident of the state, you’d be able to choose between sites from within Texas and those that originate from overseas, giving you even more control over the situation.

Final Words on Gambling in Texas

We hope that this article clues you into the scene surrounding gambling in the state of Texas, both at in-person locations and at TX gambling sites. While the state is somewhat notorious for being strict against gambling, it’s important to realize that the doors are not closed to you in any way, especially with the presence of overseas real money gambling sites willing to take your action. If you’re informed of all of the possibilities for Texas gambling, you’re bound to come up with a method of gambling that suits you very well and yields the highest potential for payback and enjoyment.