A recent report by Eilers & Krejcik Gaming (EKG), a Southern California advisory firm specializing in gaming, indicates that Texas is no longer considered likely to legalize sports betting by 2025. The report cites the growing power of anti-gaming advocates and intensified lobbying for casino legalization as major hurdles. Consequently, EKG now forecasts that any progress on sports betting legislation may be delayed until at least 2027.
“We had previously anticipated that Texas would legalize sports betting by November 2025, with a launch set for fall 2026. However, we’ve now extended the timeline by a legislative session, predicting legalization in November 2027 and a launch in time for the NFL season opener in fall 2028.”
Opposition says legal casinos will bring problems
Central to this issue is Las Vegas Sands. The casino and resort behemoth has invested millions over the past decade in efforts to bring casinos to Texas. The company, undeterred by previous failures, is once again leading the charge for a casino bill. This renewed push for casinos, however, has sparked fierce backlash from anti-gaming groups. Those groups have become more organised and vocal in their opposition.
The groups argue that legalising casinos would open the floodgates to a host of social and economic problems, including gambling addiction, crime and the destabilisation of local economies. Their intensified efforts to block casino legislation have, in turn, complicated the landscape for sports betting advocates, who find themselves caught in the crossfire.
