As gambling companies continue to hope for legalisation in Texas, politicians continue to remain a major obstacle for the industry.
Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick has repeatedly dashed hopes of legalisation of casino gambling and online sports betting as he dictates what is considered on the Senate floor. Despite an effort in 2023 that saw a House sports betting bill reach the Senate, legalisation advocates suffered several setbacks during the 2025 legislative session. The Texas Constitution prohibits gambling.
Now, four Republican candidates announced for the March primary election for the open Texas attorney general position have made clear their positions on gambling, including two explicitly opposed to gambling expansion. The candidates recently shared those views with The Dallas Express. The article did not include the stance of two candidates vying for the Democratic nomination for attorney general in heavily Republican Texas.
The statewide office is open for the first time since 2014. Current Attorney General Ken Paxton is running for the US Senate in the 2026 Republican primary against incumbent Senator John Cornyn.
Industry sources at this month’s Global Gaming Expo said Paxton might be the next attorney general to crack down on dual-currency sweepstakes operators offering casino and sports betting products. In 2016, Paxton opined that daily fantasy sports constituted illegal gambling in Texas.
Along with sharing their views on gambling expansion with The Dallas Express, the candidates for attorney general also discussed the issue of prediction markets. Those entities contend they are federally regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and can operate nationwide. Multiple state regulators and attorneys general, however, are involved in lawsuits arguing they are offering illegal sports wagering and circumventing state laws. Texas has not taken any action on prediction markets.
Texas AG candidate gambling views
Aaron Reitz, an AG candidate who is currently assistant attorney general of the Office of Legal Policy in the US Department of Justice, said it will be his responsibility to use every tool available to ensure Texas gambling laws are upheld. Reitz said the reason Texas has not taken action against prediction market operator Kalshi is likely because of “multiple constitutional, statutory and regulatory considerations”. But he said the attorney general’s office can pursue civil enforcement actions against entities that mislead Texans on the legality of their gambling offerings.
Another of the four Republican candidates, state Senator Joan Huffman, said she has opposed all gambling expansion efforts. She said she would remain dedicated to enforcing state laws about illegal gambling.
US Rep Chip Roy said he opposes online and other forms of gambling. Roy said he would “pursue all litigation to enforce the law”.
State Senator Mayes Middleton said “our laws and Constitution are not suggestions.”
“I have a consistent and clear record of holding unlawful gambling operations accountable, as well as those attempting to illegally expand gambling,” Middleton said.
Texas efforts to legalise gambling
There have been multiple efforts to legalise sports betting and casino gambling in Texas over the past several sessions. The state Legislature only meets in odd-numbered years and will next convene in 2027.
Governor Greg Abbott has historically been against gambling but this year softened his stance on sports betting. Still, Patrick controls the Senate. As an adamant gambling opponent, he refuses to allow the Senate to consider bills if they do not have a Republican majority behind them. The Texas GOP stance is officially anti-gambling.
“Texas is a red state,” Patrick said in a 2023 Twitter post. “Yet the House vote on sports betting was carried by a Dem majority. The Texas Senate doesn’t pass bills with GOP in the minority. The GOP majority guides our path.”
Patrick announced in August he will seek another term in 2026. His current term expires in 2027. While proponents have largely viewed Patrick as the main opponent, Austin-based political consultant Mike Lavigne told The Dallas Morning News that might be a mistake.
“If I was the Sands Corporation, I’d be trying to count my Senate votes and quit worrying about Dan Patrick,” Lavigne told the newspaper. “Patrick is not as big a problem as the rest of the Senate is. And if they had the votes in the Senate, Patrick wouldn’t be a problem.”
The Texas Sports Betting Alliance represents major sportsbook operators and the state’s professional sports teams, which all want sports betting. Meanwhile, the Las Vegas Sands Corp, Texas Sands PAC and Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta have funnelled millions of dollars to Republican lawmakers, including Abbott and Patrick. Fertitta owns Golden Nugget Hotel and Casinos and is the largest stockholder of Wynn Resorts.
The 2026 Texas attorney general candidates are ready to strictly enforce gambling laws, while at least two are staunchly opposed to legalisation.