Legislative Momentum Slows as Opposition Grows
A dozen newly elected House GOP members, along with three returning lawmakers who previously voted in favor of Texas sports betting, have pledged to reject any such proposals this session. Their letter to House State Affairs Committee Chair Rep. Ken King asserted,
“We are confident this legislation does not have the votes necessary to pass the Texas House this session.”
This shift jeopardizes the already precarious coalition that narrowly passed a 2023 constitutional amendment to legalize sports gambling in the House with 101 votes. Now, with over a dozen votes lost, the path forward looks increasingly uncertain. Even if the House managed to pass a measure, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick remains a staunch opponent, controlling what reaches the Senate floor. Patrick has stated that sports betting lacks sufficient Republican support in the Senate, effectively dooming the legislation before it reaches a vote.
Despite these political hurdles, lawmakers such as Rep. Sam Harless and Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa have introduced joint resolutions to put sports betting on a statewide ballot. If approved, Texas voters would ultimately decide on the issue in November. However, given the entrenched opposition in the legislature, the likelihood of such measures passing remains low.
Self-Reported Violations Expose Integrity Concerns
As lawmakers debate the future of sports betting, the University of Texas athletic department has self-reported five NCAA violations related to sports wagering between July and November 2024. The violations, which involved two football players, a student assistant, an athletic department employee, and a non-student athlete connected to the women’s tennis team, totaled $14,885.76 in impermissible bets.
One of the football players placed an estimated $9,600 in bets, including wagers on Texas basketball games. He has since left the program and ended his college football career. The other football player was deemed ineligible but was later reinstated after repaying the value of his wagers to charity. Meanwhile, the non-student athlete placed bets on Texas sporting events, leading to their dismissal from the athletic department.
Texas utilized ProhiBet, a service designed to monitor betting activity among collegiate athletes and staff. The SEC has mandated its use since the 2023-24 season, reinforcing concerns about the growing intersection of sports gambling and college athletics. Nationwide, the NCAA reported approximately 100 sports betting violations in 2024, doubling the previous year’s total.
These revelations complicate the push for legalization. Proponents argue that regulated sports betting would offer better oversight, preventing issues like those at Texas. Critics, however, see the violations as proof that even with safeguards in place, gambling-related scandals remain a risk. As the legislative battle continues, the integrity of collegiate athletics and the broader impact of legal sports betting remain central to the debate.
