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Where can you Gamble in Texas

Politicians would be downright funny characters if they weren't so damn crooked! They pass legislation that the people they represent must follow while not adhering to their own statutes. It is the one job that they vote on giving themselves a raise no matter if they have completed the needs of the community. If they personally managed their household or a business like they govern, they would be labeled as a failure. Yet, these people continue to reward themselves by attending fundraisers and lifetime pensions without getting anything really done. Safe Online Gaming takes a particular look at Texas Gambling Laws and the absurdity of why it is not legal to gamble (most places) in Texas. This blog also will share what to look for when you want to place a bet, and how to gamble safely in Texas.


Where can you gamble legally in Texas
Legalized Gambling in Texas

Gambling in Texas in the Early Days

At one time, gambling was considered to be an activity frowned upon, but nonetheless, a vice activity which was very popular in Texas' young history. Included in these activities was prostitution/brothels, lots of drinking, and even the partaking of opium and peyote which was a hallucinogenic. Texas embodied the Wild West and would be littered with saloons, gambling houses and brothels. Even after the Civil War concluded in 1865 and the Reconstruction Era, gambling houses became increasingly popular amongst the good folks looking for some entertainment. It would become a favorite pastime of cowboys, ranchers, smugglers and buffalo hunters.


Contradicting Gambling Laws in Texas

In 1903, Texas would ban all forms of gambling, legal or otherwise pandering to a widespread opposition across the state. By 1910, the United States outlawed virtually all gambling. Semantics and definition in the Texas House would be thrown around like an argument between married couples with one of the parties asking if they look fat in a dress. Gaming and gambling were established as two different things where gaming would become legal state-sanctioned wagering, and gambling would be considered illegal. Are you confused yet. It only gets more convoluted.


Gambling in Texas is Legal in some areas

For years, a Texan who wanted to play a slot, try their hand at poker or watch the roulette wheel spin had to cross the Red River or travel to Shreveport or Lake Charles, getting on a River Boat. Or so we thought... Even though are politicians adopted virtual signaling actions, Texas never meant a total ban on all gaming of any type. (Does this sound like an excuse your spouse has ever used when defending their argument?) In 1988, the signing of the Native American Gaming Regulatory Act led to the opening of the first tribal bingo hall in Texas in 1993 with poker arriving the following year. In the same year, parimutuel wagering on horses and greyhounds was first legalized in 1933 to raise money during the Great Depression. It was banned four years later before being legalized again in 1987, and Texas now has four Class 1 horse tracks. Scratch-off games and lottery drawings have been around since 1992, and players can wager on both MegaMillions and the Powerball lotteries. It’s worth pointing out this is state sponsored gaming, where the “house” (the government) promotes buying lottery tickets for the benefit of schools and veterans. Just recently, major sports franchises in Texas invested in a company that makes the lottery accessible online. Of course if you established a non-profit, you could be permitted to host charitable gaming like bingo and pull tabs for decades, awarding more than $500 million in prizes annually.


Gambling Casinos in Texas

Did you know that there are actually gambling casinos or game rooms in Texas. Livingston, Princeton, Eagle Pass, Dallas and Fort Worth? Most people did not either, and imagery of someone paying off a politicians handler certainly comes to mind. Now, the casinos in Oklahoma and Louisiana do not want gambling in Texas to become legalized because they enjoy the money crossing the border.


Future of Gambling in Texas

You don’t have to spend more than 15 minutes watching football on weekends to encounter endless advertisements promoting online sports gaming apps: FanDuel, DraftKings, Caesars Sportsbook, PointsBet, WynnBet, the list goes on and on. Sports betting is nearly fully integrated into professional (and college sports) and even serves as a major point of conversation on every sports preview show from College Gameday to NFL on Fox. Texans see those ads and hear those conversations too. And while perhaps no state is more enthusiastic about its collegiate and professional sports teams, nobody in Texas can (technically) legally place a wager on any of those games. Same for the proliferation of ads for online casinos where players can try their hand at poker and slot machines! Even a recent poll from the likes of Dallas Morning News and other colleges show that over half of all Texans support casino gambling in the Lone Star State with only 26% opposing such measures.


With that much support, why isn't gambling legal in Texas. Well, as my mamma used to say... (insert any politician joke of them not telling the truth or being completely corrupt.) Follow the money, and you will find out the answers.


Online Gambling in Texas

With the emerging technology and online casinos becoming the preferred choice of many gamblers because of its convenience and 24/7 availability, many Texans are looking to find safe and secure online casinos where gamblers can win real money. There are thousands of sites to play, but it is important to do your research when choosing an online gaming site. Sites like https://www.sugarshack.games or https://www.fiestajackpot.games have all the thrills of being at a casino in a safe secure environment.  Texans can have hours of fun and a chance to win real money.  Each of these casinos have an operator standing by offering gamblers assistance 24 hours 7 days a week. 

 

For those operators who need a safe online site who need to purchase credits; visit sites like www.BuySkillCredits.com or www.InternationalGamingCredits.com.


In addition to having a great opportunity to win, you don't have to cross the border or pay a surcharge to the tribe. As always, be responsible, and set your limits.

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