Today we’re going to take a look at the legislation surrounding iGaming in the state of Texas in the United States. iGaming is known as the term whereby someone places a wager or a bet online on the outcome of either a game or an event. In more simple terms, it covers betting on sports or playing casino games online.
The legislation varies from state to state, as opposed to being one size fits all for the UK, for example, so we are going to look at what the legalities are surrounding it if you live in Texas or if you’re thinking of visiting Texas.
Is iGaming Legal in Texas?
With the famous style of poker being called ‘Texas Hold ’em’, you would think that Texas would be a state that would fully endorse iGaming with open arms; however, it is quite conservative. So, let’s get straight to it: can you go on iGaming within the state of Texas? Well, yes, you can, but it’s not as simple as that. The state itself neither forbids nor permits online gambling within its borders.
If you are a Texas resident, for example, and you wanted to register an online gambling website with the hope of starting up a business, you would not have a chance, as this is wholly illegal as per state law.
If you are a Texas resident, however, and you do want to experience iGaming, you can, in fact, without breaking the law, go online and gamble online. However, all of the recommended options for the top online betting sites that you’ll access will not be from within the state of Texas and instead will be offshore.
Plenty in Dallas want to play… (Photo by Jacoby Clarke on Pixels.com)
And the internet’s modern developments mean it takes no longer than a couple of minutes for someone living in Texas to access an iGaming website from another country, and only a couple of minutes longer to register and start playing.
Why Won’t They Endorse it Fully?
Texas has a large population that is interested in iGaming. So, the question is, if the market is so lucrative, instead of the people of Texas spending their money offshore with other gambling operators, why don’t they legalize it in-house and take these profits themselves, which can be reinvested locally and nationally?
Well, there have certainly been attempts by certain organizations and parties within Texas, but all of these have been in vain as the state continues to put up a staunch resistance. The reason for this isn’t quite known but has always been the consistent approach.
Despite iGaming being legal within Texas, due to the rather ‘grey’ nature of the legislation there, we still have some tips should you still want to go ahead and play at online casinos while in the country. Firstly, make sure that the iGaming site that you’re going to play at is legally allowed to operate within the United States and that you’re of the appropriate legal age to play at the casino. And as always, make sure they are licensed and regulated, so you know that your information will be kept safe and away from prying eyes.
Online gaming can be enjoyed by all Texas couples. (Photo by Tatum Adams on Pixels.com)
A good option for privacy and anonymity is a crypto sportsbook or casino like Bitcoin Casino Ltd, where you can make anonymous deposits and withdrawals and access a huge library of games and sports betting markets.
In Summary
Hopefully, today has cleared up some of the ambiguity regarding iGaming in Texas. There are bills currently being put through the legal system in Texas to try and make it more open, but like a lot of the states in the US, it seems they are quite strict, and this means players will still have to rely on offshore iGaming sites should they want to bet online sports and play at online casinos.
OregonReigns
Lakeside, Oregon
Top Photo by Juan Mendez on Pixels.com
OregonReigns is an occasional contributor to FishDuck and loves his Ducks!