PRESS RELEASE: House and Senate Bills Filed Regulating Sports Betting in Texas, Backed by Alliance of Professional Sports Teams and Betting Platforms

March 10, 2021

A simple regulatory framework will give consumers the freedom and safety to participate in the games they love. 

AUSTIN, Texas – Today, Rep. Dan Huberty filed HB 2070/HJR 97, and Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa filed SB 736/SJR 39 to legalize and regulate sports betting in Texas. The legislation seeks to amend the Texas Constitution and allow Texans to vote on the issue on the November ballot. The legislation is supported by the newly announced Sports Betting Alliance comprised of professional Texas sports teams, racetracks, betting platforms, and fans.

“Texans have a strong sense of independence, value their individual liberty, and want the freedom to make their own choices,” said Cara Gustafson, spokesperson for the Sports Betting Alliance. “The decision about whether to legalize sports betting or participate in sports betting should be left up to each Texan without government interference.”

“Today, I introduced HB 2070/HJR 97 to give Texans the freedom to decide whether to legalize and regulate sports betting in our state. Sports betting is happening illegally in Texas right now and it is important for the state to take control. By implementing efficient state oversight of sports betting, we will allow Texans to safely engage with the sports they love while creating a new revenue stream to support education and other important state programs,” said Representative Huberty.

The state of Texas is facing a nearly $1 billion budget deficit for the 2022-2023 biennium. Allowing sports betting would create a new revenue stream to help fill this gap, bringing in as much as $180 million for Texas’ next budget and up to $400 million per budget cycle in the long-term to significantly benefit the people of Texas.

“I look forward to working with my legislative colleagues to give voters the right to decide whether sports betting should be legalized in Texas. Not only will a thoughtful, legal framework preserve the

integrity of sports and protect consumers, it will raise as much as $1.8 billion over 10 years in much-needed revenue to support vital state programs,” said Senator Hinojosa.

“Illegal sports betting is growing in Texas, with an estimated $5 billion in illegal bets placed each year. Since Texans are already participating in sports betting, we should implement efficient oversight to protect consumers, preserve the integrity of sporting events, and allow law enforcement to hold bad actors accountable,” finished Gustafson.

The Alliance consists of professional Texas sports teams as well as betting platforms and racetracks including:

  • Austin FC
  • Dallas Cowboys
  • Dallas Mavericks
  • Dallas Stars
  • Dallas Wings
  • FC Dallas
  • Houston Astros
  • Houston Dynamo FC
  • Houston Dash
  • Houston Rockets
  • Houston Texans
  • San Antonio Spurs
  • Speedway Motorsports
  • Texas Rangers
  • PGA TOUR
  • BetMGM
  • DraftKings
  • FanDuel
  • Penn National Gaming Inc.
  • theScore

To learn more about the Sports Betting Alliance or to schedule an interview, please visit sportsbettingalliance.org/texas/ or contact Cara Gustafson at the contact information above.