Texas Online Gambling Laws 2025

Where Does Texas Stand On Gambling In General?

Texas is not particularly known for being a "gambling state." Whether due to historically conservative politics, its proximity and partnership with nearby Nevada (and the Las Vegas tourism dollars hanging in the balance), or any other reason, the fact remains that the state has no real gambling presence to speak of. Everything's bigger in Texas except gambling, apparently.

In total, Texas offers no commercial casinos, only one tribal casino, a state lottery, charitable gaming (bingo, raffles), pari-mutuel horse racing betting and – for the time being – greyhound betting.

Texas also has a selection of "8-liner" cafes, which are venues that have slot-like VLTs (video lottery terminals) that offer payouts no larger than five dollars.

However, the state also has not criminalized online gambling provided that residents are 18+ and use licensed, regulated, international betting sites that operate outside of US borders. All the sites listed here fit that bill to a T – for "Texas"!

Is Social Gambling Legal In Texas?

Yes, social gambling is legal in Texas. That said, there are caveats. First and foremost, these games must be held in private residences or venues that are not open to the public.

In addition, no entity can take a rake or act as the "house" and earn a cut of the action. This would render the "house" an unlicensed gambling operator, which is absolutely against the law.

As long as these social games are played among private parties who risk and win all the money wagered and pay no operator fees to anyone else, you are free to gamble in private settings in the state of Texas.

Is Playing Poker Legal In Texas?

It is illegal in Texas to bet money or anything of value at any game played with balls, dice, cards, or other gambling device. Therefore, playing house-banked poker in Texas – or playing poker in any venue that receives a direct financial benefit from hosting the games, is unlawful.

However, many restaurants and bars in Texas regularly hold poker tournaments, and numerous card clubs are situated in the state. Playing in these venues is legal as long as the players do not risk money or anything of value to try to win any prize.

Further, Texas poker rooms and card clubs are permitted to operate so long as the house takes no rake and are not open to the general public. There is no law in Texas that bars social poker games, provided – again – that no entity takes a house cut.

Texas Online Gambling Laws Concerning Poker, Casinos, and Sports Betting

While Texas offers no domestic online gambling options, there are no laws in Texas which makes it illegal to play with licensed casino sites, sports betting sites, or online TX poker sites operating offshore. Nor does accessing licensed offshore sites violate any federal law.

However, there have been many bills pending in the state legislature which have attempted to regulate or legalize domestic online poker, sports betting, and even expanded casino gambling (albeit only at brick-and-mortar venues).

That said, there is a US federal law that is often confused with being a ban on online gambling: the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, or UIGEA. Despite its scary-sounding name, the act in reality deals with the processing and transfer of funds from US banking institutions to any unauthorized gambling entity, domestic or foreign.

This law does not apply to the players utilizing online gambling platforms, though it can occasionally automatically decline credit card and debit card deposits, which is a mild annoyance (and is why we recommend Bitcoin gambling online).

You can learn more about USA online gambling laws to take a look at the US online gambling situation from a Federal perspective.

Texas Gambling Laws

The following is a resource for those interested in reviewing the actual statutes and local Texas gambling laws for themselves. Texans can find official documentation of the laws in their formal language via the Texas Legislature Official Website.