It may come as a shock to some of you that Houston, Texas is the fourth most populated city in the United States at over 2.1 million people. You can imagine that a large percentage of that population are sports fans, making Houston, Texas one of the best sports cities in the entire world. Today, we look at Houston sports betting and if it’s really ever going to happen.
Most people would think of Dallas as being the number 1 sports city in the state of Texas, but don’t say that around the city of Houston. H-Town residents absolutely love their sports and are terrific followers and supporters of their three major sports teams.
Currently, the city of Houston would love to see a law get passed that would legalize Texas sports betting, but it’s up to the state to decide on that matter. There is no doubt that Houston sees some other great sports cities across the world recognizing this brand new possibility, and they are jealous that they aren’t able to get in on the action.
If you are planning a trip to the Lone Star State anytime soon, then visiting Houston should absolutely be on your itinerary. If you’re lucky, maybe you’ll be able to place a bet on some of the beloved sports teams from the city of Houston. Let’s take a look at the current status of Houston sports betting and the rest of Texas.
Status of Houston Sports Betting
No matter how badly the city of Houston would like to legalize sports betting; the decision is up to the state of Texas. Unfortunately for Houston sports betting, Dallas sports betting, and the other large cities in the Lone Star State; it doesn’t look like this new law will get passed anytime soon.
There was actually a bill introduced on February 1, 2019 to legalize mobile and online betting, but not much discussion has come about since. The state of Texas doesn’t even allow casinos to be operated on public ground, and they currently have laws in place that makes playing fantasy sports illegal.
If Houston sports betting is going to see a change in their city, then the state lawmakers are going to have to have a big change in heart.
The bill that was introduced on February 1 would have allowed for the creation and operation of mobile and online sportsbooks. A permit would be required to operate these sportsbooks, and that would come with a $250,000 licensing fee.
Each bet would also be taxed at a rate of 6.25 percent which means that it might not be worth it for anyone to actually apply for the Houston sports betting license. Lottery, bingo, and horse betting have all been made legal in the Lone Star State, but are under strict restrictions from the state. If sports betting is made legal in Texas, expect plenty of restrictions that many residents and sports fans won’t like.
It is currently legal for residents of Texas and the city of Houston to bet on sports, but it must be done using an offshore sportsbook. Offshore sportsbooks are pretty easy to find on the internet, and are just as reliable as a brick and mortar physical location. A new bill would likely try to eliminate the use of offshore sportsbooks by the sports bettors in Houston, but it won’t be easy to break into the betting market.
Best Places To Bet in Houston, Texas
Not only is sports betting not legal in the state of Texas, but residents of Houston don’t have any casinos near them. The closest casino to Houstonians is the Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino in Lake Charles, Louisiana close to 150 miles away.
Betting and gambling just isn’t something that has made its way into the Texas culture, but it appears that it will sooner rather than later. Sports betting is starting to pop up in places never before thought of, and the city of Houston had better prepare for this industry to take over.
Even though the bill that was introduced in the month of February didn’t account for physical sportsbooks; there is no way that they won’t be included shortly after sports betting becomes legal in the Lone Star State. The best places to bet will likely be in or around the stadiums of the professional sports teams unless new casinos are allowed to be built around the state.
Other states have started installing kiosks are letting retailers open up sportsbooks to take bets, and that same thing will likely happen in the city of Houston. If sports betting becomes legal in the state of Texas then NRG Stadium, Minute Maid Park, and the Toyota Center will likely be three of the best places to bet in the city of Houston.
Sports and Teams That Will Drive Betting in the City of Houston
The city of Houston is actually home to six professional major league teams, but there are three that stand out above the rest. Major cities that have professional teams are extremely important to the sports betting industry, because these teams help make it more popular.
There is no doubt that the Houston Texans would be the number one team to drive sports betting in the city of Houston. The Texans might not be the most popular team in Houston, but being a member of the National Football League gives them a huge advantage.
The NFL has wasted little time in getting right in the middle of the sports betting industry, and that will help the Texans get this thing going in the city of Houston.
The two most popular teams in the city of Houston are the Rockets and Astros. Houston is a great basketball town and they love James Harden and the Houston Rockets. The Rockets are another team that will get help from their league (NBA) in really finding a way to get involved in the sports betting industry.
The Astros might have been the forgotten team in the city of Houston for a few seasons, but they are back on top in the city and in the state of Texas. The Astros have been one of the best teams in the Major Leagues in the last few seasons, and Houston has turned into a baseball-crazed city as well. If sports betting ever becomes legal in the state of Texas then these three terrific franchises will play a role in making it more popular.
