SEN. KOLKHORST FILES ONLINE SPORTS BETTING LEGISLATION
speaks on the Senate floor in
2021.
(courtesy Office of Lois Kolkhorst)
State Senator Lois Kolkhorst has filed legislation for the legalization and regulation of online sports betting in Texas.
In a press release from the Texas Sports Betting Alliance, Kolkhorst said Senate Bill 715 and Senate Joint Resolution 39 “will promote integrity through transparent licensing, permitting, and reporting requirements” while stopping “underage offshore betting” and keeping sports wagering funds in Texas.
If passed, the legislation would prompt a constitutional amendment election in November, where voters would choose whether to legalize wagering on games online. It would not allow bets to be made in person at sporting events. The bills would also create a 10 percent tax for the adjusted gross wagering revenue.
Senator Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa (D-McAllen) has signed on as a joint author to Kolkhorst’s SB 715, while Representative Jeff Leach (R-Plano) has filed HB 1942 for consideration in the House chamber.
Legislation to allow sports betting failed in 2021’s legislative session.
Former Governor Rick Perry, who is a spokesperson for the Texas Sports Betting Alliance, said “a smart, efficient legal framework will keep [mobile sports betting] revenue here to go towards much-needed property tax relief.”