Texas (TX)

Sports gambling fans still have to wait for it to be legalized in Texas, as the state isn't probably signing the latest betting bill into law until at least 2023.

Online betting missed the legislative deadline for 2021 in the Lone Star state. There are rumors that 2024 or 2025 are more realistic dates for the launch of sports betting in this state, so residents might need to wait longer than expected. On November 14th, 2022 it was decided that a Texas Gaming Commission would be created in 2023. Furthermore, former governor of Texas Rick Perry has become a spokesperson for the Texas Sports betting Alliance. These could have big impacts on the next legislative session.

Online Sports Betting in Texas

As we said in the introduction, Texans will still have to wait years for online sports betting to be fully legalized. When the current legislative session ended last year (2021), lawmakers missed the deadline and failed to bring legal sports gambling to fans.

There is still an opportunity to pass gambling legislation in 2023. If not that year, State could legalize it in 2025 as the State's legislature operates on a biannual system and only meets in odd years.

Till then, Texas residents don't have to give up on having some fun betting. There is still one option left for the residents of this State. That's because plenty of offshore online sports betting sites are legally allowed to operate in Texas, and the State's residents can access these sites to place bets online on their favorite sports.

However, players should be aware of which site they choose because many sites out there are not safe to play at and may even be scams. However, sportsbooks with valid licenses are secure, and bettors can safely place their wagers there. Such sportsbooks include BetOnline, XBet, Bovada, BUSR Sportsbook, etc.

Some of these offshore online sportsbooks offer an app where Texans can wager on the go. Others only offer a web-based site, but this doesn't mean the experience will be less. Texans can't place in-person bets in the Lone Star State.

Sports Betting Legislation in TX

The discussion to legalize sports betting in Texas started in 2018 when the US Supreme Court opened up the opportunity to legalize sports gambling across the nation by overturning PASPA. In 2019, Representative Eddie Lucio introduced a House Bill that aimed to legalize sports wagering, but because Texas doesn't have any land-based casinos the bill only allowed for online sports betting. That bill got nowhere.

Then, in January 2021, discussions began again, and in February 2021, professional sports teams formed a coalition to advocate for legal sports betting. But by April 2021, it was clear that the legalization bills were destined to die in committee.

The end of the 2021 legislative session on May 3, 2021, saw the final round of discussion that failed to legalize sports betting. Previously, other gambling-related bills have been introduced, but all have died in committee due to the local laws and traditions in the Lone Star state.

Gaming companies are still trying to make legalized gambling a reality in TX. The government will discuss this issue again in 2023. Also in 2023, the creation of a Texas Gaming Commission will take place, creating more optimism about legalizing sports gambling.

In-Person Sports Betting In Texas

As already mentioned, unfortunately, in-person betting is not available in Texas and if fans of gambling want to place a wager on their favorite sport, they need to do this online at an offshore sportsbook. As of early 2022, there are no legal retail sportsbooks anywhere in the state, so if Texans enjoy in-person wagering rather than online betting they should consider traveling to nearby states that allow it like New Mexico or Arkansas.

The only type of in-person betting allowed in this state is social betting, as there are no sanctions for placing a bet or gambling with friends. There is also no limit on the maximum stake, but players have to be at least 18 to be allowed to participate in social gambling.

Sports Betting In Neighboring States

Texas is not the only southern state that doesn't allow sports gambling. One of its neighboring states, Oklahoma, also has no current provision for sports betting within the state. Currently, Texans wanting to place sports wagers in person have to travel to Arkansas, Louisiana, or three venues in New Mexico if they want.

However, for those who don't want to travel, there is the option of heading online. However, none of Texas's neighboring states has legalized online sportsbooks at the time of writing.

Fortunately, bettors in all five states can use the many offshore online sportsbooks available. These include bookies like Bovada, MyBookie, Xbet, and more.

How do mobile sportsbook apps work in Texas?

Wagering at offshore online sportsbooks is not illegal in Texas; there are many great TX sports betting apps available for players in this state. Texans have a broad selection of offshore sportsbook apps and sites. These include BetOnline, Bovada, BUSR, XBet, and many more. Signing up to these sites follows the same steps, which we will look at below.

These apps work in much the same way. All players need to do is create an account and fund it. Players can change some aspects, like the type of sports available to bet on or different kinds of promotions. But all the apps are still not other at their core and are easy to use.

BetOnline is known overall as the best sports betting site for Texans. XBet sportsbook has a great mix of international sports players can bet on, and Bovada offers excellent bonuses for Bitcoin deposits. BUSR Sportsbook is the top Texan offshore online sportsbook for horse racing.

Each one of those sportsbooks is famous for the type of features they have. It is up to each player to choose which one they prefer the most. Fans of betting will find it easy to find a site to enjoy with all these offshore sites available.

Getting started - Step-by-step

Creating an account at an offshore sportsbook in Texas is easy and doesn't require much players' time. A few minutes are enough to finish the process, and here is a step-by-step guide.

1. Sign up. Choose a sportsbook and create an account by providing all the essential information that the sportsbook asks players for. This includes physical address, email address, name, password, and last four digits of the Social Security number.

2. Download the preferred sports betting app. Go to Google Play or the App Store and find the desired sportsbook to download. If not found, download the app from the sportsbook's official site.

3. Make a deposit. Now players have to fund their accounts to be able to place a bet. They must choose the preferred type of funding and deposit at least the minimum amount.

4. Claim offered bonuses / free bets. Go to the promotions page and click Opt in' after finding the correct offer.

5. Place your bets. Now all bettors have to do is browse the betting options and place a wager.

Bonuses and TX sports betting offers

Offshore betting sites that are available for the residents of Texas offer many lucrative bonuses. For example, players can earn a 50% Welcome Bonus of up to $1,000 for their first-time deposit at BetOnline sportsbook.

Sign-up bonuses are typical for bookmakers, but other promotions are also available. XBet sportsbook offers a reload bonus of 25% up to $250, while Bovada sportsbook offers lucrative rewards for Bitcoin users. When bettors fund their account for the first time using Bitcoin, Bovada awards players a 100% deposit bonus of up to $1000. These and many more rewards are available at international offshore bookmakers.

Payment methods for depositing

The offshore betting sites available to Texas residents offer many kinds of banking options to their customers for depositing and withdrawing money. Texans can use several different methods. If they are crypto fans, they can mainly fund their account using Bitcoin. But other cryptocurrencies, such as Ethereum and Litecoin, are also accepted as transaction methods.

Texans can also deposit using debit and credit cards like Visa or MasterCard. They can also use e-wallets like Skrill or Neteller or other methods like bank wire transfers and voucher codes. It's essential to check, as some sportsbooks offer banking options for depositing only and not withdrawing. All the methods listed here are safe to use.

What is legal to bet on in Texas?

Although state-registered online sports gambling is not yet legal in Texas, residents can still bet on plenty of sporting events and leagues either in-person or by using offshore sportsbooks. Texans can bet on sports such as basketball (NBA), baseball (MLB), American football (NFL), tennis, golf, soccer, rugby, and much more. They can also bet on many sporting events such as the Super Bowl.

Fans of horse race betting won't be disappointed either, as there are plenty of sports gambling sites that offer that too. BUSR sportsbook is known for horse race betting and is the top online bookie available in Texas for this type of wagering.

Other online sportsbooks like BetUS offer live wagering. Some other sites, like Sportsbetting.ag, have great eSports coverage. This means players can find any betting they want on offshore gambling sites. Anyone looking to place a bet must be above 18 to be able to create an account and play on those sportsbooks.

In addition to these options, Daily Fantasy Sports betting is also entirely legal in Texas, as the state legalized it in May 2019.

What’s Next For TX Betting Apps

As previously mentioned, it is expected that gambling will be legalized in Texas shortly, possibly in 2023. But it is still possible that Texans will have to wait even longer to see it become a reality.

Famous sportsbooks across the country like FanDuel and DraftKings are waiting in the wings for the Lone Star state to pass the bill on gambling so that they can also offer their sportsbook apps in this state. Despite the recent decision to form a Texas Gaming Commission, it is still unclear on when legislature might be passed to legalize sports gambling.

Trusted Texas sports betting mobile apps in 2023

For this review, we found that there are plenty of offshore online sportsbook operators available in Texas. So, let's learn a bit more about them, especially the lesser-known ones. BUSR.ag (known formerly as Bet US Racing) is owned by the same group that owns the MyBookie sportsbook. The significant difference between these two sites is that BUSR is more focused on horse race betting. Otherwise, they are pretty similar. This sportsbook was founded in 2014 and licensed in Curaçao in 2015.

XBet was founded in August 2014 and is also licensed by Curaçao. XBet is another sister site to the MyBookie sportsbook but has more international sports in its catalog.

MyBookie has been around since 2014 and is a bit more well-known than some of its sister sites. Its operations are based out of Costa Rica but are still legal in the US. Unlike BUSR and XBet, MyBookie has an app that punters can download to play on the go. It is mainly known for its generous promotions and offers.