Texas sports betting and casino gambling are back on the legislative agenda. State Rep. Charlie Geren (R-Fort Worth) has filed House Joint Resolution 52, a proposed constitutional amendment that would let Texas voters decide whether to allow casino gambling and sports wagering in the state. If it clears both chambers with the required supermajorities, the question would go to voters on November 2, 2027.
The filing comes days after an election that reshaped Texas politics, with a Democratic governor-elect, a new lieutenant governor and Democrats preparing to take control of the state House. Here is what HJR 52 would do, how it differs from past attempts, and what its chances look like in the 90th Legislature.
What HJR 52 Would Do
HJR 52 would not legalize gambling on its own. Instead, it would amend the Texas Constitution to allow the Legislature to authorize casinos and sports betting. The key provisions, as reported by KPRC Click2Houston:
- Casino cap: A maximum of 10 licensed casino facilities statewide.
- License length: Initial licenses lasting at least 40 years.
- Land-based only: Casino gambling limited to licensed physical locations.
- Location control: Lawmakers would decide where casinos and sports wagering could operate.
- Licensing: Operators must obtain licenses and pay application fees.
- Tax cap: Gambling revenue taxed at no more than 15%, with limits on additional gambling-specific taxes and fees.
- Tribal gaming: The state must create a process to negotiate gaming agreements with Texas' three federally recognized tribes with Indian lands in the state.
Two details stand out. The 15% tax cap is an operator-friendly figure compared with the highest-tax states, and the 40-year minimum license term would give investors long-term certainty. Both signal an effort to attract major casino operators and resort developers.
The Hurdles
Constitutional amendments in Texas require a two-thirds majority in both chambers: 100 of 150 votes in the House and 21 of 31 in the Senate. That is a high bar.
Republicans retained the Senate with 19 seats to Democrats' 12. Even if every Democrat supported HJR 52, at least nine Republican senators would need to vote yes. In the House, where Democrats are preparing to take control, the bill would still need broad bipartisan support.
The 90th Legislature convenes on January 12, 2027.
A Shifting Political Landscape
The biggest change is in the lieutenant governor's office. Outgoing Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has long been the most significant obstacle to gambling expansion, using his control over the Senate to keep such proposals from advancing. His successor, Vikki Goodwin, supported legislation as a state representative that would have let Texans vote on expanded gambling.
That is potentially significant, because the lieutenant governor controls the flow of legislation in the Senate. However, Republicans could move to limit Goodwin's authority over committee assignments or other procedures, which would weaken her ability to push bills forward.
The governor's office is less straightforward. Governor-elect Gina Hinojosa, as a state representative in 2023, voted against proposed gambling constitutional amendments. While joint resolutions do not require the governor's signature to reach the ballot, the governor's position still shapes the political conversation.
Click2Houston also noted that a Democratic House does not automatically mean support for gambling, because Democrats lack consensus on the issue.
A Long History of Failed Attempts
Geren is no newcomer to this fight. His previous efforts include:
- 2023: A broader proposal including destination resort casinos and a state gaming commission. It failed to advance.
- 2025 (HJR 137): A plan to regulate and tax casinos and sports wagering, referred to the House State Affairs Committee in March 2025. It never reached a full House vote.
Other 2025 attempts also stalled:
- SJR 16: Sen. Carol Alvarado (D-Houston) proposed destination resort casinos, sports wagering and a Texas Gaming Commission.
- HJR 134: Rep. Sam Harless (R-Spring) proposed letting voters decide on sports betting, with an identical Senate companion from Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa. Neither advanced out of committee.
What is different this time is not the bill but the people in the key offices. With Patrick leaving, the most consistent roadblock in the Senate is gone.
What It Means for Texas Poker
HJR 52 focuses on casinos and sports wagering, and the summary of the bill does not mention poker specifically. But casino legalization would inevitably affect the state's poker scene.
Texas poker currently operates in a legal grey zone. Social clubs charge membership and seat fees rather than raking pots, a model that has faced legal challenges and periodic enforcement. We covered the recent Katy 101 Poker Club raid and how the Texas election could benefit poker rooms through changes in the attorney general's office.
If Texas legalized casinos, regulated poker rooms inside those casinos would become possible, depending on how the Legislature wrote the enabling laws. That could bring more legal certainty to live poker, but also new competition for existing social clubs. Recent security concerns at Houston poker rooms show why many players would welcome regulated venues.
What It Means for Texas Sports Bettors
Texas and California, the two most populous US states, still have no legal sports betting. For Texans, legal options today are very limited. Many bettors use offshore sportsbooks, which operate outside US regulation. If you are weighing those options, our sportsbooks guide and our reviews of BetOnline Sportsbook and SportsBetting.ag explain what to look for.
Even if HJR 52 passes the Legislature and wins at the ballot box in November 2027, the Legislature would then need to pass enabling legislation, regulators would need to write rules, and operators would need licenses. Realistically, legal sports betting in Texas would still be some way off.
What Happens Next
The key milestones to watch:
- January 12, 2027: The 90th Legislature convenes.
- Committee hearings: HJR 52 must be referred to and pass a House committee. Past bills have died at this stage.
- Floor votes: It needs 100 House votes and 21 Senate votes.
- November 2, 2027: If approved by the Legislature, voters decide.
The Bottom Line
HJR 52 is Charlie Geren's latest attempt to give Texans a vote on casinos and sports betting, and it arrives at the most favourable political moment in years. With Dan Patrick leaving the lieutenant governor's office and Democrats taking the House, the political map has changed. But the two-thirds requirement remains a high bar, and neither party is united on gambling. For Texas poker players and sports bettors, it is a story worth following closely through the 2027 session.