Data highlights the tremendous interest by Texans in placing online wagers
“It’s clear that Texans want access to regulated and safe sports betting options,” said SBA spokesperson Lauren Clay
Austin, TX (October 21, 2024) – During the month of September alone, Texans made over 1.1 million attempts to log in to a legal sportsbook app and place a wager on a sports team or game, recent data from GeoComply reveals. However, every one of those attempts was blocked by GeoComply’s technology, forcing Texans to turn to illegal and unregulated betting sites. GeoComply is a service that verifies location of mobile online betting to ensure compliance with state laws.
“It’s clear that Texans want access to regulated and safe sports betting options,” said Lauren Clay, spokesperson for the Texas Sports Betting Alliance. “Every thwarted attempt to login to a legal sportsbook represents a missed opportunity for Texans to engage in a safe, regulated activity and for the state to generate tax revenue tosupport important programs.”
September data from GeoComply for Texas also revealed that there are 105,000 mobile sports betting user accounts in Texas, which represents a 57% increase in mobile sports betting accounts in Texas compared to September 2023.
(Pictured: Heat Map of Online Searches for Sports Betting in September 2024)
This latest GeoComply data reveals an undeniable trend: Texans are eager to engage in legal sports betting. Despite the clear consumer demand, Texas law currently denies Texans the opportunity, as well as the economic benefits the state would reap from legalizing sports betting.
This hesitancy has resulted in a notable missed opportunity. Legalizing sports betting in Texas would create a safe, regulated environment for of-age Texans to place wagers on their favorite sports teams, ensuring them the freedom afforded to residents of 36 other states and the consumer protections of a regulated market, all while generating millions in additional tax revenue.
“By legalizing sports betting, Texas lawmakers can harness a booming industry, protect its citizens, and provide their fellow Texans the freedoms that residents in 36 other states already have. It’s time for lawmakers to take action and align Texas with the growing number of states that have successfully embraced legal sports betting,” said Clay.
About the Sports Betting Alliance
Sports Betting Alliance (SBA) members offer safe and legal online and retail sports betting to customers with critical safeguards in place to keep minors from betting. Our member companies only operate in the 38 states and additional jurisdictions where sports betting is legal, and our platforms actively work to ensure our products provide safe entertainment only for responsible adults.