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For some strange reason, the land of Texas Hold ’em is not a state that likes online gambling. What’s more, they heavily frown upon it and have some of the strictest gambling laws in the United States. The worst states for online gambling are Utah and Hawaii, but Texas is right after them.

It might sound strange that you can barely play Texas Hold’em Poker in the state of Texas, but it is what it is. And in this piece, we thought we would delve deeper into Texas’s gambling laws and where you can and can’t play casino games, be it online or offline.

Texas

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Top 5 Texas Online Casinos

Here is a list of our top 5 recommended online casino sites to play at for real money from Texas.

Is Online Gambling Legal in Texas?

Even though most of our wild west and saloon gambling imagery comes from Texas, this state has always been very strict with gambling. As soon as the first forms of gambling in the state, lottery and horse racing, gained popularity, the local government banned them.

What’s interesting here is that Texas has very broad gambling laws, unlike other states. For this reason, almost all forms of gambling are banned. The same goes for online gambling, which was permanently banned even before it arrived in Texas.

To better understand this, here is how Texas law describes gambling: “an agreement to win or lose something of value solely or partially by chance.” With such a broad definition, it’s easy to understand why most gambling is banned.

Naturally, things like state lotteries, charitable raffles, and charitable bingo are all allowed. In essence, if it’s for charity, then it’s allowed, and if the state organizes it, it’s also allowed. For example, the state allows for some coin-operated machines, as they are already covered by a specific part of the Texas Occupations Code.

In addition to that, social casinos are also allowed because they don’t involve real money. So, if you want to play any “gambling” game, you can, as long as you don’t use real money. If you’re going to win real money, you can still play sweepstakes, i.e. social casinos where you participate in tournaments where the rewards are cash prizes. This is allowed as they are classified under a different law.

If that’s not enough, you can also participate in off-track betting on horses, which is essentially a form of online gambling, but in the eyes of Texas gambling laws, it’s still legal.

Now, as for real online casinos, you are probably thinking about offshore casinos. Let’s take a look at how that works in the state of Texas.

Can I Play in Offshore Casinos?

Technically, you can. However, beside the fact that the laws are too strict, the government is known to punish players for participating in any form of illegal gambling activities. Naturally, it’s not very common for people playing in offshore casinos to be fined, but it’s not unheard of. If you are caught, you can end up having to pay a fine of $500.

So, if you decide to play in an offshore casino, you need to be aware that a small chance exists of Texas fining you for the activity. Even with the slightest possibility of being punished for playing in offshore casinos, we can’t advise players to join offshore casinos.

Future of Online Gambling in Texas

Even though many states are changing their views on online gambling, Texas is certainly not one of them. That’s why we can safely say that you shouldn’t hope for online gambling to become legal in Texas anytime soon.

Other states are making plans for the future, but Texas laws are set in stone, so it seems, and there is nothing that can suggest the state’s government will change its mind. This is especially true for online sports betting and online casinos. The first is being legalized in many states, while there are plans for the latter in at least a dozen or so states.

However, no such plans exist in Texas. On top of that, whenever online gambling is brought out by local representatives, the majority in the state’s legislature put it down.

If at some point, the local government changes its mind and starts legalizing online gambling, you will still have to wait for a long time until the whole process is done, and the first licensed online casinos appear in the state. In essence, there is no chance to see any kind of online betting or casino site in Texas for the next several years, at least.

Land-based Casinos in Texas

Online Casino Texas

Texas is not lenient with offline gambling. However, there are differences in the laws that you’ll like.

Don’t expect any commercial land-based casinos in the state, as those are not allowed. However, you can still play many casino games in tribal casinos, which are entirely legal in Texas, in the land owned by the local native tribes.

A total of two tribal casinos exist in the state of Texas, and we’ll cover both, so you know what to expect if you decide to visit one.

Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino Hotel

Kickapoo is the biggest and the best tribal casino in Texas. It’s located in the city of Eagle Pass, and it spans 16,000 square feet in size.

Here, you can play a wide variety of casino games, but there are no traditional table games like craps, blackjack, and roulette. However, there are more than 3,300 slot machines you can enjoy. Furthermore, there is a poker room where you can play most of the day.

As the Kickapoo Casino is also a hotel, you can expect to find accommodation and even restaurants.

Naskila Gaming

Naskila Gaming is a smaller casino owned and operated by Alabama.Coushatta Tribe of Texas. It’s also a newer one, being opened in 2016, but it has a decent selection of slots, as there are around 800 of them in this casino.

On top of that, the casino has a private VIP Lounge and three restaurants.

FAQ

No, it’s completely illegal, as we’ve explained in the article. Unfortunately, there are no plans to make it legal, and the only way to play any online gambling game is to bet on off-track horse races or to visit an offshore casino. Unfortunately, the latter tends to be risky as Texas is known to fine players for participating in any kind of illegal online gambling game, including offshore casinos.

As online gambling is illegal, there is no legal online gambling age in Texas. However, if you are at least 18 years old, you can still participate in lotteries, and visit and gamble in horse racing and dog racing venues.

No, there are no plans to make online gambling legal any time soon. What’s more, even if these changes sometime soon, online gambling is still several years away.

No, they are not. You can play in them, but you still run the risk of being fined by the state of Texas.

No, just like most other online gambling games aren’t. This is somewhat strange as Texas is the state of Texas Hold’em Poker, but it seems that you won’t be able to play it in this state!

Texas is a big place with a big personality. Tall hats, tall hair, and tall tales are what the state is known for.

Gambling laws in Texas, however, are not so grand. If you are interested in knowing, “Is online gambling legal in Texas?” read on.

Texans use the word “freedom” quite a bit. They tend to use it in terms of 2nd Amendment gun laws that were created to help militias muster quickly against invading armies.

Despite the existence of several military branches and a National Guard, this constitutional amendment has come to be equated with personal freedom, not just in Texas, but across the nation.

Texas

However, you can’t play poker with friends in Texas. Not even in your own home, not with your own money, and not even if the curtains are closed.

When it comes to gambling, TX has less freedom than nearly any other state. There are, however, Texas online poker rooms that do accept players from the Lone Star State.

There is one casino on tribal lands within the state, owned by the Kickapoo tribe. There are other federally-recognized tribes in the state, but TX has fought assiduously against them opening their own gambling sites.

Federal discussion of the issue is now pending. Thus, many Texans turn to online casinos to play slots, roulette, baccarat, and other games.

And Yet…There Is Gambling in Texas

The state lottery is very popular in the state. Lotteries are the purest form of gambling available, involving no skill to win, unlike many casino games where a player can hedge his or her bets or watch the play and enter at optimal times.

Furthermore, betting on dog races and horse races in Texas is not only legal, but this betting activity attracts big crowds.

There is no rhyme or reason as to why these betting activities are legal in the state but other games are not. Even carnival games are forbidden from using stuffed animals to lure elementary school-aged players!

There is hope on the horizon for sports bettors. A lengthy bill was introduced to the legislature in 2019 to allow for and create parameters around legal sports betting in the state. The decision has not been made yet, but we suspect we will see some forward movement on this legislative proposal in 2020 or 2021.

If and when the bill is passed, sportsbook operators will need to pay a fee of a quarter-million dollars. The number of licenses that would be authorized is unknown.

As to daily fantasy sports, state legislators have made confusing remarks about the pastime. Is it legal or not? There was an attempt several years ago to declare DFS illegal, but DFS is still an active reality in the state.

There are DFS sites licensed and regulated elsewhere that do accept Texas residents, but be aware that, given the confounding state of TX gambling laws, you do so at your own risk.

Is Online Gambling Legal in Texas?

It’s not legal for any Texas-based operator to offer real money online gambling to Texas residents. However, there are sites outside the state that are licensed and regulated and accept players from Texas.

We have researched and ranked all of the online gambling sites for Texas, should players choose to explore the gaming at online casinos and sportsbooks.

We rank these sites based on the quality of key criteria. First, we look to customer satisfaction with the site. Is it easy to navigate? Are wins paid promptly?

Next, we look to the state of the site’s internet security and how well funds and information are safeguarded. Is the security at the online casino cutting-edge and constantly monitored?

We are online gamblers, so we know that these are important factors in enjoying online play comfortably and with confidence.

Texas is an old territory with a proud heritage. Changes—to the law, to styles, to views—are often viewed with suspicion. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” seems to be the legislative approach to proposed changes in the law. However, there are some brave voices in the state that are working to legalize gambling.

Stay on top of evolving gambling news to know if changes are coming to Texas; it’s the best way to stay safe as you play.