No, Texans Cannot Currently Use MyBookie Legally – But The Tides Are Turning
As an avid gamer and resident of the Lone Star State, I get asked one question constantly from my fellow Texans: "Can I legally use MyBookie to bet on sports here?"
The short answer is no. Under current Texas law, online sports betting is still prohibited, making sites like MyBookie illegal to use here. But after years of opposition, efforts to legalize Texas sports betting have rapidly gained momentum with bipartisan support from legislators and overwhelming approval from voters.
While offshore operators may try to claim otherwise, I strongly advise against using sites like MyBookie right now if you live anywhere in Texas. But based on the latest legislative developments and analyst projections, regulated Texas mobile sportsbooks from top brands could launch as early as 2023.
For passionate Texas sports gamers like myself, real change finally feels imminent. As an avid content creator in this space as well, I’ll be sure to keep you posted with regular updates on the situation. Let’s take a closer look at what’s happening around the Lone Star State and why there are reasons to be hopeful that trusted, convenient online betting is coming very soon.
The Current Texas Betting Landscape – Not a Pretty Picture
While more than 30 US states now enjoy legal sports wagering in some form, Texas remains a holdout with one of the nation’s strictest stances on gambling. Most games of chance are banned here under Chapter 47 of the Texas Code. Professional sports leagues have publicly called for updated laws, but significant casino lobbying spending has helped stall progress.
Unsurprisingly, Texas trails far behind other large states in projections for potential tax revenue from regulated betting. One study from Eilers & Krejcik Gaming estimates that Texas could generate over $1.2 billion annually from sports gambling if fully legalized. For perspective, that’s over 7x the profits from the Texas Lottery.
| State | Projected Annual Sports Betting Revenue |
|---|---|
| California | $3.1 billion |
| New York | $1.7 billion |
| Texas | $1.2 billion |
| Florida | $731 million |
Under the current laws, not only are Texas residents unable to bet legally on sites like DraftKings or FanDuel, but unauthorized local bookmakers and gambling dens have cropped up illegally across the state to fill the void. These criminal operations offer none of the consumer protections that properly state-licensed books here would one day.
Trust me when I say sticking with regulated, reputable sportsbooks is worth waiting for. But I realize that still leaves an inconvenient gap for Texas gamers right now when it comes to placing legal wagers.
Offshore Sites Remain An Unwise Option
Many other gamers I talk to from Texas have tried tempting workarounds by using MyBookie or other offshore betting sites instead. But speaking from personal experience, I strongly recommend avoiding these sketchy operators. While convenient, using them still violates state law around unauthorized gambling.
The punishment for betting illegally in Texas is up to a $500 fine if convicted. While that may seem minor compared to the thrills of wagering, you also have no assurance you’ll actually get paid out by MyBookie or other unapproved books. They aren’t beholden to strict state-level consumer protections you would get at regulated U.S. books.
Worse yet, some of these offshore sites have failed to maintain proper security for customers. Back in 2019, it was revealed that seven online gambling operators, including MyBookie, had suffered data breaches exposing player names, emails, and even credit card numbers. Avoiding potential identity theft seems worth avoiding these sites to me.
While tempting, I advise Texas sports gamers not try using prohibited online books or attempt complex workarounds. Doing so provides financial support and user data that perpetuates these sites operating illegally nationwide. Instead, there’s legitimate optimism that fully regulated options could launch here very soon.
Bipartisan Support Driving Real Progress for Legalization
In recent years, Texas has seen growing bipartisan political momentum build toward expanded sports gambling access. While past proposals fell short, all signs point to major progress being possible when lawmakers reconvene in early 2023.
More event organizers have begun calling for legalization as well. The Professional Golfers’ Association of America is bringing the PGA Championship to the state in 2027. In their latest announcement, leaders publicly stated they anticipate Texas will have authorized sports betting by then to supplement fan engagement around the major event.
Recent polling also shows that pro-betting sentiments have hit all-time highs for Texas voters on both sides of the political aisle. According to a September 2022 poll organized by The Texas Sports Betting Alliance:
- 84% of Texans support legalized sports betting
- 70% of respondents expect TX legislators to address the issue in 2024
With that degree of bipartisan public approval, common sense legislation does seem inevitable when sessions resume in early 2023. While complex casino lobbying efforts have slowed progress historically, the scales may have finally tipped toward the interests of regular bettors longing for sensible regulation.
What Would Legal Texas Sports Betting Look Like?
For gamers like myself, we have to wonder – what might a fully-legal, regulated sports betting landscape look like here? If approved, when could I reasonably expect to use real-money online sportsbooks legally from my home here in Texas?
Analyzing the approaches of states like New York and Illinois, experts project a phased rollout could have mobile wagering operational in Texas by early 2023 if legislation passes quickly. By comparison, Arizona only required about 3 months from bill signing to launch in 2021.
Leading sportsbooks like DraftKings, FanDuel, and Caesars are no doubt fully prepared to quickly enter the Lone Star State market when cleared legally. With their cutting-edge platforms, established brand recognition, and dedication to responsible, ethical approaches for members, they would instantly raise the standard for sports gambling locally.
These highly-rated regulated books also offer exclusive promotions like no-sweat risk-free bets for new members worth up to $1,000. Based on incentives in recent state launches elsewhere, Texans would likely gain access to dozens of competitive sign-up and deposit-match bonus opportunities as legal operators competed for our interest.
The benefit wouldn’t just be for bettors themselves either. Early projections estimate fully-implemented legislation could add over $325 million annually in tax revenue for Texas public programs. With one of the fastest growing populations nationwide, those funds could prove transformative for expanding schools and infrastructure.
Closing Thoughts – Stay Hopeful for 2023
As someone devoted to covering betting-focused news and legislation across Texas, I remain highly bullish on our likelihood of major progress early next year. Sure, similar optimism has been dashed before each legislative session. But the sheer bipartisan alignment behind regulated wagering seems poised to finally make it a reality.
Offshore operators will surely continue trying to fill the void and capture as much of this pent-up demand as possible beforehand. But with enhanced risks on security, payments, and consumer protections, I strongly caution Texas residents against using prohibited sites until our own trusted, legal sportsbooks emerge here.
While exercising just a bit more patience, be sure bookmark my Lone Star Betting blog and subscribe to receive email updates as soon as any official announcements emerge from Austin in 2024. I can’t wait to cover launch day developments as our state ushers in this exciting new era for Texan gamers!
