2025 Super Bowl Sparks Debate Over Legalizing Casinos in Texas

The 2025 Super Bowl has sparked plenty of conversation, from impressive plays to the Eagles' big victory. In Texas, however, the event is also fueling discussions about legalizing casino gambling.

Advocates claim the state is losing out on hundreds of millions of dollars annually, while opponents remain unconvinced and point to other concerns.

Casinos in Texas Are Very Limited

Texans currently have limited gambling options, with only the state lottery, charitable bingo, parimutuel betting on horse and dog racing, and minimal gambling at tribal casinos permitted.

Texas has two tribal casinos: Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino Hotel in Eagle Pass and Naskila Casino in Livingston. The American Gaming Association says these two casinos in Texas create over 20,000 jobs, contribute almost $5 billion annually to the economy, and generate nearly $500 million in taxes for the government each year.

Meanwhile, sports betting is gaining traction nationwide and is already legalized in 39 states. This year, several Texas legislators filed bills aiming to legalize sports betting in the Lone Star State.

Texans Show Strong Support for Legalizing Gambling

In a new wave of public opinion, a University of Houston Hobby School of Public Affairs poll reveals that Texans largely support the legalization of gambling.

Surveying 1,200 adults, the study found that more than 70% endorse the introduction of destination resort casinos in Texas.

The UH study provided detailed insights into Texans’ views:

• 74% of Texas residents support legalizing destination resort casinos.
• 60% of Texans advocate for legalizing online sports betting.
• 56% of respondents favor permitting sportsbooks in Texas stadiums and arenas.

Governor Also Favors Gambling in Texas

Despite the fact that Americans just legally bet around $1.4 billion on Super Bowl LIX, sports betting is still illegal in Texas.

However, Governor Greg Abbott recently showed support for legalizing online sports betting in the state. As the poll emerged, Governor Abbott publicly supported the idea.

On an upcoming episode of the Houston Chronicle’s “Texas Takes Podcast,” Abbott stated, "I don't have a problem with online sports betting," suggesting he wouldn't be surprised if Texans were already participating unofficially.

According to a Fox 4 TV report, the Louisiana Gaming Control has previously estimated that Texans account for roughly 85 percent of business at casinos in Lake Charles.

But with support now swelling out of Austin, Texas appears poised for significant shifts in its casino gambling and sports betting policies.

Not Everyone On Board With Building More Casinos in Texas

But Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has been a strong opponent, saying that previous efforts failed because they didn't have enough bipartisan support.

New research from the Texas Public Policy Foundation reveals that although expanding casino gambling would bring in new tax revenue, it could also lead to more social problems, such as gambling addiction, mental illness, and crime.

“As gambling itself has liberalized across the country in recent years, it is often accompanied by modest increases in tax revenues collected by cities, counties, and states,” TPPF’s Chief Research Officer Derek M. Cohen, Ph.D., says in the report. “Less understood, however, is the attendant ‘social cost’ of such expansion. Naturally, individuals with a predisposition to ‘problem gambling’ present a difficult policy question for lawmakers to navigate: What is the tolerable amount of human suffering to top off public coffers?”

Will Texas Finally Legalize Gambling in 2025?

All that being said, the future of gambling in The Lone Star State remains uncertain. Some lawmakers are advocating for new casinos and sports betting, while others are concerned about the potential risks. The outcome will depend on whether they can reach a compromise.

The future of online casinos in Texas will also be shaped by the relationship between support, regulations, and public opinion. Right now, online casinos are only legal in a handful of states.

But for now, Texans have the opportunity to visit sweepstakes casinos. Although real-money online gambling is not allowed in Texas, the state offers a variety of social and sweepstakes casinos, which continue to grow in popularity as they focus on fun and entertainment. These platforms are free to play for all Texas residents and provide legal opportunities to win real cash prizes and more.

So, while there might be major efforts to change the laws by 2025, we still don't know exactly when legalization will happen as it depends on politics, society, and the economy.