AUSTIN, Texas — Lawmakers in the Texas House have filed a bill that could allow Texans to decide whether to legalize sports betting in the state.
On Wednesday, State Rep. Sam Harless (R-Spring) filed House Joint Resolution 134, which if approved would put a constitutional amendment regarding sports betting on the November ballot.
A similar proposal has also been filed in the Texas Senate, but could face significant headwinds as gambling-related bills tend to draw pushback from lawmakers in that chamber, including from Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who typically doesn’t bring gambling-oriented bills to the floor.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott recently expressed openness to legalizing sports betting in Texas, even going as far to say that he had “no problem” with people doing it, saying he would be surprised if some people across the state didn’t already do it in some capacity.
The governor’s comments came as a coalition is ramping up efforts to urge Texas lawmakers to pass legislation that would legalize sports gambling in the state.
During the previous legislative session, the Texas House passed a bill that would have allowed an amendment to the Texas Constitution to allow regulated gambling. The bill ultimately failed in the Texas Senate.