Sports betting in Texas: second bill introduced

A second bill has been put forward as sports teams and operators continue to push for legal sports betting in Texas.

US.- A Republican representative in Texas has filed a second sports betting bill that would allow voters to decide on the November ballot whether or not to legalise sports betting in the state.

Representative Dan Huberty‘s bill, HB 2070, proposes a constitutional amendment authorising the legislature to legalise sports wagering in the state.

Tied to the bill is a House Joint Resolution, HJR 97, to allow a constitutional amendment to be put the vote.

Voters would have to decide in November whether or not to allow the constitutional amendment that would pave the way for sports betting.

A joint resolution in Texas requires a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate.

There has also been a push for the state to legalise casinos, with casino giant Las Vegas Sands hiring 51 lobbyists to work on the campaign.

What does the second Texas sports betting bill look like?

Huberty’s proposal would allow professional sports teams to become licensed operators or to host a sportsbook at their arena.

In Texas, 13 professional sports teams participate in leagues such as MLB, MLS, NBA, NFL, NHL, NWSL, and WNBA.

The bill would allow leagues to “enter a commercial agreement with a sports wagering operator under which the sports governing body may share in the amount wager or revenues derived from sports wagering on the sports governing body’s sporting events.” 

The bill also states that sports betting would be permitted at the state’s three Class 1 horse and greyhound racetracks.

In contrast to the previous bill introduced by the Democrat Harold Dutton in January, Huberty’s proposal would not prohibit wagering on college teams.

Huberty has proposed a 10 per cent tax on adjusted gross revenue from sports betting.