Texas iGaming Expansion Faces Another Delay

Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick’s announcement that he will seek another term in 2026 is likely to delay efforts to legalize sports betting and expand casino gambling in the state, analysts say. As presiding officer of the Texas Senate, Patrick has repeatedly blocked gambling legislation, citing a lack of majority Republican support.

Patrick’s stance has positioned him as a key obstacle to legalization, but political analysts suggest the Senate as a whole may be an equally significant barrier. “If I was the Sands Corporation, I’d be trying to count my Senate votes and quit worrying about Dan Patrick,” Austin-based consultant Mike Lavigne told The Dallas Morning News. “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.”

 

Topic	Details
Lieutenant Governor	Dan Patrick
Re-election	2026
Gambling Impact	Sports betting and casino expansion delayed
Senate Role	Majority GOP support required; broader Senate obstacles exist
Public Opinion	60% of Texans support online sports betting
Governor	Greg Abbott has no objection to gambling expansion
Industry Efforts	Texas Sports Betting Alliance lobbying; millions in contributions

 

The Texas Legislature meets biennially, and this year, bills to expand sports betting and casino gambling were effectively dead on arrival. Earlier in the session, Patrick and a bloc of roughly a dozen House lawmakers declared opposition to any gambling expansion. Prior to that, industry supporters had expressed optimism about legalization prospects in 2025.

The debate over gambling in Texas has a complex legislative history. In 2023, a sports betting bill passed the House with a two-thirds majority, a critical threshold because gambling expansion requires a constitutional amendment. Such an amendment must pass both chambers with a two-thirds vote and be approved by Texas voters. Patrick’s response to the House vote, posted on Twitter, underscored his influence: “Texas is a red state. 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.” The Senate ultimately did not hear the bill.

Public opinion, however, appears more favorable to gambling expansion. A University of Houston poll reported that 60% of Texans support online sports betting. Governor Greg Abbott has expressed no objection to legalization, and the Texas Sports Betting Alliance—including representatives from major sportsbooks and professional sports teams—continues to lobby for change. High-profile contributions have accompanied these efforts; Las Vegas Sands owner Miriam Adelson donated nearly $14 million to Texas legislators in 2024 and recently acquired a majority stake in the Dallas Mavericks.

 

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.

 

Conclusion

Despite the influx of money and influence, Patrick has maintained that support for gambling expansion remains insufficient. In November 2024, he told WFAA, “Gambling backers spent millions and millions of dollars and just think that magically it happens. It doesn’t.” Local media suggest that, as an incumbent, Patrick is unlikely to face a serious primary challenge in March 2026.

As Texas continues to debate gambling, the question of whether the state will join the growing number of U.S. states with legal sports betting may hinge less on Patrick alone than on the broader composition and priorities of the Senate. Analysts note that, even with industry support and public backing, the structural and political obstacles in the Legislature remain significant.