1. Gambling In Texas Penal Code List
2. Gambling In Texas Penal Code 2019
3. Gambling In Texas Penal Code 2020
4. Gambling In Texas Penal Codes

It’s strange that Texas gives its name to the most popular poker game in the world, but you can’t play the game legally in the state.

In fact, Texas might be the least gambling-friendly state in the USA.

466; Charitable Bingo and Raffles, Texas Occupations Code Chs. 2001, 2002, and 2004; Pari-mutuel Betting on Horse and Greyhound Races, Texas Racing Act – Vernon’s Tex. Civil Statutes, Art. Finally, gambling devices on an ocean-going vessel entering Texas territorial waters and ports are excepted if certain conditions. Chapter 47 of the Texas Penal Code defines gambling related offenses. “Gambling” as per § 47.02 of the Texas Penal Code, occurs when a person: makes a bet on the partial or final result of a game or contest or on the performance of a participant in a game or contest.

I live in Texas, and I’m a gambler, so I might be better suited to write a post about what it’s like to be a gambler in Texas than just about anyone.

Texas Has Some of the Strictest Gambling Laws in the US

Gambling in Texas is covered by Penal Code 47.01. That set of laws makes it illegal to engage in almost any kind of gambling in the state. The notable exceptions are dog and horse racing.

What kinds of gambling are illegal in Texas?

You can’t play any kind of casino game – that includes blackjack, craps, roulette, slot machines, or video poker. That’s not a complete list of casino games, but those are the big ones these days, and they’re all covered by Penal Code 47.01.

Betting on sports is also illegal in Texas.

Bingo has limited availability and legality in Texas, but it’s closely regulated. The lottery is also available in the state.

One of the big specifics in the law is that it’s illegal to “keep a gambling place.” In other words, you can’t legally operate a casino.

The big exception is on Native American land, but Texas – unlike many other states – doesn’t have much of a presence in the Native American casino market.

What Constitutes “Social Gambling” in Texas?

The law does state that social gambling is legal in Texas, but that phrase doesn’t mean what you think it means.

When I think of “social gambling,” I think of a home poker game or a casino night hosted by… well, by almost anyone.

But, in Texas, social gambling is specific to charity-based gambling like bingo and the lottery. It also includes charity raffles.

It does NOT include hosting a home poker night. It also doesn’t include placing a bet on a sporting event in a bar with a buddy, although that sounds like it’s more “social” than the explicitly legal forms of gambling mentioned.

I know of at least one fraternal organization near where I live that hosts actual casino games, or so they told me when they tried to recruit me.

I have friends who were present when their local poker game was raided by the SWAT team, too, although that’s been years.

Gambling In Texas Penal Code List

Legit home games don’t get raided often, but if you have a fraternal organization that’s really just a front for a poker cardroom business, you’re asking for trouble.

More About 8-Liners

I used to hang out at a specific bar in Dallas that had a bank of three real money slot machines in it. They were called 8-liners. I saw old men who were regulars there lose $200 or $300 a night on payday there trying to win on those games.

My guess is that those games made the owner of the bar significant amounts of money. In fact, I suspect they made as much money from the 8-liners as they made from selling liquor – at least on the nights when I wasn’t there. (I always had a big bar tab.)

How is this legal?

Apparently, the law allows the operation of such machines under a couple of conditions:

1. You can’t have cash payouts.
2. You can’t award prizes worth more than $5.

Of course, most places offering 8-liners are ignoring the legal restrictions. The way it worked at the bar where I used to hang out was that if you won enough money, you were supposed to show up on Friday when the owner of the bar was there to pick up your envelope.

A buddy of mine won $200 there one night and called the bar to ask about picking up his envelope.

The owner didn’t know him, so she told him, “I don’t give envelopes to people I don’t know.”

He called me, and I had to call down to the bar to vouch for him. She was worried about law enforcement, of course.

8-liners don’t seem to be going anywhere, but occasionally law enforcement will crack down on the game rooms in a specific jurisdiction.

Why did the state of Texas legalize such games to begin with?

It probably had to do with Dave and Busters. The law was called the “fuzzy animal” law, and it was passed to make it legal to offer the kinds of games offered at Dave and Busters where you win toys and stuffed animals.

Restaurants that offer these kinds of games with prizes to kids are just conditioning them to enjoy gambling at casinos later in life. Spend some time at Chuck E. Cheese and listen to the sounds there. Then visit a real casino shortly afterward. They sound the same.

Native American Casinos in Texas

One of the most notable Native American casinos in the state is the Lucky Eagle Casino, which is owned by the Kickapoo Tribe. It’s located on the Rio Grande River, and it’s so close to the border that it’s practically in Mexico.

It’s a real casino, though, with over 1200 different slot machines on the floor. These include newer games like Forest Dragons, Jurassic World 3D, and Rakin Bacon. They also have some of the most traditionally popular slot machine games you’ll find in almost every casino, including Buffalo Gold, Dangerous Beauty, and Golden Eagle.

You can also play a variety of table games at the Lucky Eagle. Ultimate Texas Hold’em is one of the more popular games, and it’s available with a minimum bet of just $5 per hand. It features a progressive jackpot, too.

Other popular table games at the casino include Emperor’s Challenge, which is a Pai Gow Poker variation, Mississippi Stud, and blackjack (in many variations).

Craps and roulette are available, too. Bingo and keno are popular at Lucky Eagle, too.

Just like the casinos in Las Vegas and other popular gambling destinations, Lucky Eagle has multiple restaurants to choose from, including a buffet.

Texas Is a Huge State

Texas covers a lot more land than most states. In fact, it’s one of the two or three biggest states in the country. And most people just don’t live close to the Lucky Eagle Casino.

What do Texas gamblers do when they can’t make the trip to Lucky Eagle?

It’s easier than you think.

Depending on which side of the DFW Metroplex you live on, you can probably drive to one of these two casinos in less than an hour.

It’s no surprise that a lot of Texas gamblers head across the Red River to get their gambling done.

People who live further east often drive to Louisiana to gamble. Shreveport isn’t far. If you’re traveling from Dallas, it’s about a 3-hour drive, but if you’re in Texarkana, you can get to Shreveport in two hours or so.

The Eldorado Resort is the biggest casino in Shreveport, and it’s a popular gambling hot spot for Texans.

Being a Gambler in Texas Isn’t That Bad

I live near Dallas, and I have no trouble finding a way to get my gambling done. Frankly, enforcement is so sporadic that it’s easy to gamble right here in the state. I know plenty of people who deal with a local bookmaker for their sports betting. You can find one just by becoming a regular at a bar where people watch sports and asking someone.

Poker games are ubiquitous, too. Most bars offer free poker tournaments with cash prizes. I’ve never seen such poker games raided. That’s one way to scratch the itch, but if you’re making enough money, you might find such low-stakes action boring.

Of course, it’s easy enough to host your own poker game. I’ve written multiple how-to posts in the past explaining how to host your own home poker game.

I avoid bingo and the lottery because I don’t like the odds, but if that scratches your itch, don’t let anyone judge you for it.

Conclusion

Gambling In Texas Penal Code 2019

Being a gambler in Texas is all right. It’s not the same as being a gambler living near Las Vegas, but that might even be a good thing. I know a couple of people who lost fortunes when they lived in Vegas. They just couldn’t control their impulses.

It just takes a little more effort to gamble if you’re from Texas.

Most gamblers I know don’t mind putting the work in.

Can You Play Online Poker in Texas?

Texas is one of the biggest and strictest states in the United States that has been a hotbed for poker for many years. It has been the birthplace of one of the biggest poker games — Texas Hold’em — and plenty of its famous historical figures. Ironically, it has always been a conservative state when it comes to gambling.

At present, real money online poker in Texas is illegal. Moreover, there are no solid efforts to legalize poker online yet. It seems that Texas will unlikely to join the state with legit online poker. Poker and casino players in Texas usually head outside the state for conventional casino-run poker rooms. However, they typically eat up plenty of spare time in travel. That is why more and more TX poker enthusiasts are opting to play internet poker.

History of Poker and Online Poker in Texas

Poker in Texas has a compelling history. Did you know the most famous poker form known as Texas Hold’em, originated in Robstown, Texas, in the 1900s? Poker in Texas became famous throughout the American West during the nineteenth century. It was not until the game was brought to Las Vegas in 1967 that the game became called Texas Hold'em.

The majority of the best poker players and the early winners of the WSOP were from Texas. Poker players have fought for legal poker in TX for many years, whether it’s Texas online poker rooms or brick-and-mortar set-ups. In 2012 - 2013, American politician and Senator Rodney Ellis introduced a casino bill - House Joint Resolution 49 - that incorporated the legalization of poker in Texas. However, Ellis got no support from his fellow lawmakers.

Since then, Texas businessmen took the initiative in opening many private poker clubs around Texas, mostly in big cities such as Dallas and Houston. Few poker-loving people in Texas started seeking a way to offer poker as a legal activity in 2015. At present, you will find more than two dozen clubs across the state. But there are no solid efforts made till yet for online poker in Texas.

Summary of Texas Gambling & Poker Laws

It is believed that gambling of all forms in TX other than authorized is contrary to state law. Things are always clear, as they might show as far as the law is concerned. But, one thing is true that the Texas Penal Code 47.02 makes gambling illicit in general.

In Texas law, gambling is defined as any bet based on the notion of losing or winning something based on chance. Anyone found guilty has committed a Class C misdemeanor that incurs a fine of $500.

Texas inhabitants are restricted from betting on roulette, poker, blackjack, and other casino games - both at brick-and-mortar casinos and online, as long as they reside in the state's property. Players will now have to wait for regulated and legal online poker in Texas to return to the state.

• Online Poker/Gambling - Real money online poker is not yet legalized in TX. Moreover, there is no legal casino in the state.
  Live Poker You will only find live poker rooms in the state’s casino. They are found in the major cities in Texas. However, live poker operates in a legal gray area.
• Casinos - Casinos are officially illicit in the state. However, you can head to the legitimate offshore online casinos to play games poker, blackjack, or other games safely and legally.
• Sports Betting - At present, land-based sports betting is not permitted in Texas. However, offshore sports betting is allowed.
• Fantasy Sports - Although users can play daily fantasy sports in Texas at FanDuel and DraftKings, there has not been a bill introduced to regulate it yet. A proposal to legalize DFS was proposed in 2017, but it ended in a committee.
• Esports - Esports is at present illegal.
• Other Gambling Options - Horse racing, lottery, charity bingo games, home poker games, horse and greyhound racing, lottery, on-track pari-mutuel betting, social gaming

Online Poker in Texas

Poker rooms, real money online casinos, and live casinos may be illicit in Texas officially. However, the state permits legal horse racing, charity bingo, and lottery. The present Texas law does not describe internet poker. It generally targets people profiting from operating gambling firms in Texas and not playing online.

Is Online Poker Legal in Texas?

Can you legally play online poker from anywhere in Texas? It is the most common question that strikes the mind of poker fans. Well, at present, real money online poker in Texas is not legal. Only a handful of states currently offer legal online poker, including New Jersey, West Virginia, Nevada, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. Moreover, it does not look that online poker will come soon in the 'Lone Star' state.

You will get into trouble for playing online poker in Texas in public, cheating in some way, or operating your own poker website. Making illicit bets is a misdemeanor in Texas under Section 47.02. Those gamblers who break the law could face hefty charges.

According to Section 47.03, gambling promotion is also a misdemeanor and covers promoting, operating, processing bets, and selling lottery tickets. Under section 47.06, possession of a gambling device, paraphernalia or equipment is also a misdemeanor.

Where Does Texas Offer Legal Online Gambling?

As stated before, Texas has quite a hostile environment or gambling of most forms. The law itself is comprehensive and states that gambling of any type is illicit in the state, except for few defenses to prosecution.

There are no traditional legal gambling and real money poker options in the Lone Star state for poker pros to enjoy for entertainment purposes. Casinos are officially illicit in the state. Betting for money on card games is stated as constituting an offense.

Will Texas Regulate Online Poker?

Texas lawmakers of land-based casino gambling faced a long fight earlier. As per our study, Texas online poker regulation seems to be far away. Typically, poker fans have two big roadblocks when it comes to online poker in TX. The first issue is that Texas is home to numerous residents who have serious ethical and moral issues with gambling itself.

Poker in Texas is also a major problem due to outside influences beyond the state borders. Billions of dollars cross the confines of Texas each year to visit casinos in Louisiana, Oklahoma, and New Mexico. Gambling in these states lends financial support to Texas politicians on a regular basis.

It is hard to think that these opponents would support the expansion of gambling competition in the state. Even today, few powerful stakeholders do not want any kind of gambling expansion. These stakeholders include lawmakers and voting blocs in Texas.

US Poker Laws 2020 - Texas FAQ

Can You Play Online Poker in Texas for Real Money?

Poker players are curious about whether or not playing poker for real money online is legal under Texas law. Real money online poker in Texas is not legalized. Furthermore, there are no legal online poker sites in Texas.

Is PokerStars Legal in Texas?

Gambling In Texas Penal Code 2020

Yes. It is legal to play on PokerStars from Texas. However, it is only for play money, not real money.

Which Form of Gambling is Legal in Texas?

Poker is not an underground activity in Texas. However, the state does not regulate online gambling activity of any form. However, the state regulates lottery betting and pari-mutuel bets on charitable gambling (raffles and bingo games) and racing. Tribal gambling is complicated.

Gambling In Texas Penal Codes

Naskila Gaming (Livingston), Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino (Eagle Pass), and Speaking Rock Entertainment (Ysleta) - each run casino gaming. All three tribes are involved in year-long legal battles with Texas. However, social app poker gaming in a private area or regulated gambling activity is legit if the house mints no profit.

What Happens if I Play Online Poker in Texas Using a VPN?

Using VPNs to play online poker in Texas on international sites is not a good idea. If the platform discovers any player to violate their terms of service, all the profits will be confiscated.

The player will be removed from the gambling site, and recovering player funds may be uncertain. Gamblers may also face banking issues when accessing the sites from an unregulated jurisdiction.