When people think of Texas, one of the first pictures that come to mind is the one with cowboys, horses, the Wild West, saloons, and poker. Texas Hold ’em didn’t get its name and popularity for no reason, but gambling inside casinos and online is strictly regulated in Texas today. Texas gambling laws strictly prohibit anyone from “keeping a gambling place.” But to every rule, there is an exception, and we’ll cover some of the alternatives below while informing all potential Texas players about what the future may bring.
1. Online casinos
Currently, no legal online casinos offer real dollars as a reward in Texas. Popular online casino games like:
- Poker
- Slots
- Texas hold ’em
- Blackjack
These are all prohibited at the time of writing, but that may change in the future, and other options are available. The two best options available for any players from Texas are:
- Social casinos
- Off-shore casinos
All of the popular casino games we’ve mentioned above, and many others, are available in Texas social casinos, whose main intention is for players to play for fun. In a social casino, players don’t play with money and can not earn real money prizes. Players can only earn sweepstakes coins or similar tokens, which have no outside value apart from the social casino.
These coins can be redeemed for a range of other rewards inside a casino, which creates a roundabout way to get a complete casino experience for now. The other option is to visit a well-established and recommended off-shore casino like the ones found at https://www.business2community.com/gambling/texas-online-casinos.
Finding a reputable online casino depends on many factors:
- Reputation
- Welcome bonuses
- Years of operations
- Number of games
Texas players can choose the one they wish from curated lists. Hopes are high for 2024 that things will change and local gamblers won’t have to go through hoops, but more on that later.
2. Brick and mortar casinos
While gambling in casinos is prohibited, and there are no casinos open to the general public, there are exceptions. There are currently three casinos operating on Native American lands, as they are exempt from state laws, and they can legally own and operate casinos. The Kickapoo tribe, Tigua tribe, and the Alabama-Coushatta tribe own the only three legal casinos in Texas: the Kickapoo Lucky Eagle casino, Speaking Rock Entertainment Center, and the Naskila Gaming, respectively.
And even this much is due to the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) established in the 1980s, but major strides have been made in the meantime, to quicken and allow for more gambling options in Texas. Starting in January 2021 and until January 2023, many steps and laws have been implemented, like Joint Resolution 17, which is a push towards the legalization of commercial casinos in Texas.
Texas state rep Charlie Geren introduced a casino bill in 2023, mentioning that the 2024 elections can be crucial for the success of that bill to pass. Seeing as the latest 2023 poll showed that over 75% of Texans would want a positive chance to be made towards the legalization of gambling and online gambling, it’s only a matter of time before the inevitable change occurs.
3. The Adelson investment
Miriam Adelson and Patrick Dumont have recently purchased the Dallas Mavericks, for an incredible $3.5 billion. While the final transaction still needs to be approved and authorized by the NBA, the pair has stated they wish to bring high-end casinos and luxury destination resorts to Texas. Should this happen, their Las Vegas Sands would expand and bring plenty of jobs, investment, and profits to Texas.
Seeing as she lobbied:
- $4.5 million to the lower chamber in 2020
- $2.3 million to a political action committee in 2022,
- $1 million to Senator Greg Abbot.
It’s easy to see how she wishes to push for more changes at a faster pace. Even Senator Greg Abbot is considered to be her longtime friend. Greasing the wheels may be what turns the tide in favor of losing the Texas state laws about gambling.
Change is inevitable, and it’s only a matter of time before Texas joins other states that legalized casinos and online gambling. The revenue from taxing such businesses and a potential increase in jobs can only benefit the local communities. With big players, names, and money pouring into the topic, it’s an exciting time to be a player in Texas!
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