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The brand-new Texas legislative session just started this week. This is important because it offers the first chance at legalizing sports betting in Texas in two years (plus casino gaming too). The Lone Star State is unique in that it only meets once every two years (so there was no session in 2024).
Since the last meeting in 2022, pressure has mounted on Texas to become the latest state to legalize sports betting. There are now 39 different states with some type of legal market — whether that’s real sportsbooks or mobile betting apps.
Texas, with its massive population and die-hard sports culture, is the biggest domino left to fall (alongside California). Will 2025 be the year it legalizes?
That answer, whether yes or no, will be determined by a few figures. The Dallas Morning News recently penned an article that singled out the top decision-makers for the issue of sports betting. Let’s lay them out because this story is going to be one to watch in the first half of 2025.
Governor Greg Abbott
This one’s obvious, isn’t it? Any bill that’s passed has to go to the governor’s desk for signing.
What’s interesting here is Abbott has been fluid with his opinion on legal sports betting. At first, he said he “wholeheartedly” wanted to keep them prohibited. However, in 2023, he said he was “open” to creating a destination casino.
Just our hunch, but we think Abbott favors legalization. Maybe he’s not personally advocating for it, but he wouldn’t be against it if a bill landed on his desk.
Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick
Abbott might be lukewarm to betting, but Patrick — his second in command — is extremely cold to it. There’s no bigger hindrance to passing legislation on the issue than Patrick himself.
You see, Patrick is essentially Abbott’s number two in command. He leads the Senate and that’s where a 2023 sports betting bill died after being approved by the House. Per Patrick at the time, there was “little to no support” for expanding gambling among Republican senators.
He hasn’t changed his tune since as far as we’re concerned. This last November, during an interview, Patrick said there wasn’t enough support among state Republicans to pass a pro-casino bill. According to him, he said this directly to Las Vegas Sands, which is trying to build one. That leads us to our third person of interest here.
Miriam Adelson
Adelson is publicly and privately pushing for legalized betting — more than anyone else in the state. She and her family own the aforementioned Las Vegas Sands casino empire. Recently, they acquired the majority stake in the Dallas Mavericks, buying most of it from Mark Cuban, a Texas icon.
The purchase was not just to capitalize off the NBA’s new media rights deal and popularity. No, no, it’s something even bigger. They want to pair the team with their bread and butter, casino gaming. The Adelson’s want to build Texas’ first casino alongside a new arena for the Mavs. That would be a first-of-its-kind entertainment district for the whole state.
Adelson has used both business and political influence to push for this idea. Over the past several years, she has donated millions to both Republican and Democratic lawmakers inside the state, seeking to sway policy in favor of casino development. In 2023, she contributed $3.3 million to politicians and political committees as part of the growing gambling debate.
Her spending surged in 2024 though. In just the first 10 months of the year, Adelson quadrupled her donations, funneling $13.7 million into two political action committees. Those funds were then distributed to lawmakers, candidates, and committees across Texas, ensuring her influence remained front and center in the state’s ongoing fight over legalization.
Dustin Burrows
In a bit of breaking news, Burrows has won the Texas House speaker seat — beating out David Cook. Both are Republicans, but Burrows managed to win the vote 85-55 early into the new legislative year. Burrows now becomes an important figure in this debate. Obviously, the Texas House speaker holds significant influence over legislation, appointing lawmakers to committees, selecting committee chairs, and shaping legislative priorities.
Before the 2023 session, the last Speaker Dade Phelan expressed openness to resort-style casinos (exactly what the Adelson’s want). That might explain why a betting bill (on sports), not casino) was able to pass in the House during his tenure.
But what matters now is Burrows’s stance. In 2023, Burrows voted against resort-style gambling and mobile sports betting. Maybe he’s had a change of heart in the two years since but that’s not a good sign for bettors.
Texas GOP
The Texas Republican Party’s own platform — which is publicly available for all to see — opposes expanded gambling, including casinos, and urges lawmakers to reject donations from pro-gambling groups and lobbyists.
In past years, the platform had little impact beyond the state convention, but adherence has become a growing factor in GOP primaries. Lawmakers who break with party positions, particularly on gambling, face increasing scrutiny from right-wing challengers. It’s all high school all over again with the peer pressure.
As you’re reading news about the legislation session, keep these five figures in mind. They will all play a role in whether 2025 is finally the year Texas gets legalized betting. We’ll just have to wait and see for now.
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