The conversation around gambling in the United States is evolving, and many are seriously considering changes to their gambling laws in 2025. Sports betting, online gambling, and even casinos are on the rise, and state legislatures are taking a hard look at how they regulate these activities. Some states like Texas have always been conservative in their stance but more voters, sports teams, and industry stakeholders are now forcing them to rethink their policies.
As for now, Texas isn’t the only state whose gambling laws are set to be revised. Other states, including Ohio, Kansas, Louisiana, and Nebraska, have also started the process of deciding whether to expand or change their gambling laws in the coming year. They are looking at different forms of gambling and are each dealing with their own set of challenges as they look to shape the future of gaming in their respective borders.
Texas has always been a conservative state when it comes to gambling. The permission for sports betting and the potential legalization of other forms of gambling like online poker and casinos has been under extensive discussion for years. Gambling expert Jeffrey McMillan says that despite Texas having some of the strictest gambling laws, Texans still find a way to access online gambling, whether it’s using regulated offshore platforms for poker. He adds that these online poker platforms, for example, are licensed and regulated outside of the US, mainly by reputable authorities like Curaçao and Union of the Comoros (source: https://www.pokerscout.com/texas/ )
However, owing to the population of Texas, its growing sports culture, and the success of sports betting in other states, the momentum for legalization is building. The Lone Star State has several professional sports teams, including the Dallas Cowboys and Dallas Mavericks, all of whom could benefit from the legalization of sports betting. These teams have formed the Texas Sports Betting Alliance to push for the legalization of online sports betting and get state lawmakers on board. Governor Greg Abbott has also come out in support of sports betting, which indicates that there might be a change of wind.
A University of Houston poll last year showed that 60% of Texans support the legalization of sports betting. That’s strong public support, and one would think state legislators would be eager to introduce a bill to legalize sports betting, but Texas politics are far more complicated than that.
Although Governor Abbott has supported sports betting, the problem is veto-proof in the Texas Senate. The president of the state legislature, Dan Patrick, has continued to oppose the legalization of sports betting, which has been a major obstacle in that regard. The issue only gets more tangled when you consider that the Texas Constitution can only be amended to allow gambling by a two-thirds majority vote of both legislative chambers and with the approval of Texas voters, which essentially slows the process to a crawl.
Despite all the obstacles, there are reasons to think 2025 might be the year Texas finally joins the other states that have legalized sports betting. Proponents of the measure say that if Texas legalizes sports betting, it will generate millions of dollars into state coffers and give a boost to small businesses. While the focus remains on sports betting for now, many see this as the first step in a broader push to expand gambling options across the state.
Compared to the other states, Ohio has quite a different experience with gambling, and the state has already started to feel the impacts of legalized sports betting. Sports betting was legalized in Ohio in January this year, and the state has since become one of the most active gambling markets in the country. The state has witnessed a high rise in gambling activities, and many sportsbooks are now available for Ohio residents and sports betting is now more accessible. This financial advantage has been obvious, and the state has gotten a lot of money from the sports betting taxes.
However, along with these financial benefits, there are some unforeseen effects. There was a motion to put into use 2% of the state’s sports betting tax as funding for initiatives that are meant to tackle the issues that come from excess gambling. These funds were to be used in helplines, counseling services, and outreach programs for those who are affected by dependency.
Ohio’s reaction could be used as a reference for other states that intend to legalize gambling while secluding the adverse impacts that are associated with it. The state’s strategy involves forward-looking measures to guarantee that the economic returns from increasing gambling do not come at the expense of the health of the people of Ohio.
Besides all this, Ohio also has a problem with the NCAA for betting on sports events. The NCAA has expressed its worries on prop betting on college games noting that prop betting presents a risk to the integrity of collegiate sports. In light of these worries, Ohio lawmakers are searching for ways to tighten up prop betting rules and some could go as far as to prohibit it completely.
Kansas, on the other hand, is focusing on expanding gambling through historical horse racing (HHR):
- Unlike sports betting or online casinos, HHR involves betting on horse races that have already taken place, displayed on a screen.
- HHR is less popular than traditional forms of gambling but is gaining attention as a revenue source without introducing entirely new types of gambling.
Recent legalization and goals:
- Kansas lawmakers recently legalized HHR.
- The goal is to revive the declining horse racing industry and increase state revenue.
Facility development and infrastructure:
- Facilities offering HHR are expected to open soon.
- The state has begun investing in infrastructure to support this form of gambling.
Future expansion plans:
- Kansas plans to expand HHR to other areas of the state.
- HHR is seen as a way to boost the state’s economy, strengthen the horse racing industry, and create jobs.
Although historical horse racing may not be as popular as sports betting or online casinos, it provides Kansas with a chance to tap into a new trend without going overboard with the gambling expansion. The state is confident that this move will be advantageous for both the economy and the horse racing industry in the state.
Historical horse racing has been accepted by Louisiana, but it is also one of the biggest casino industries in the country. In recent years, casino gambling has been permitted in the state, and lawmakers have been searching for ways to expand gaming options. Off-track betting parlors in Louisiana are set to get historical racing machines after the state passed laws to allow them. These machines enable people to place their bets on simulations of past horse races and are seen as a way of reviving the state’s horse racing sector as well as bringing in more revenue.
However, the efforts made toward the expansion of gambling in Louisiana are more likely to maintain the same level of disturbance to the present gambling activities. The state’s casinos and gambling rules have been in place for years, and lawmakers are sensitive to any new form of gambling that can potentially disturb the current gambling environment in the state.
Louisiana is probably going to keep on considering the possibility of the legalization of online casinos shortly. Some of its neighbors, including Mississippi and Arkansas, have started the process of online gaming, and Louisiana might follow suit to remain relevant in the regional market.