As West Texas University blocks access to gambling sites, does this indicate further moves for the rest of the state?

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Texas is quite a contradiction when it comes to gambling and gambling law. Our Lonestar state has a complicated relationship with gambling, or maybe it is a very simple one. Despite one of the world’s most popular poker games being Texas Hold ’em, wagering is officially forbidden. 

 

While Daniel Craig’s James Bond plays the Texan poker game in the Casino Royale movie,  if such a game was staged in the state, he would need his 007 immunity to get himself out of trouble. The state’s restrictions on wagering activities even extend to private poker games; small poker rooms are illegal regardless of wager size or location. 

 

Other than in Native American casinos or slot machine establishments, casinos and slot machines are banned. Engaging in or operating anything from a small back-room games room to a brick-and-mortar casino is illegal, as is owning any other physical betting machine. However, there are grey areas, which means that Texans have been able to access offshore and out-of-state online casino sites for real money. In addition, as is the case across most of the USA, Texans can also legally play at sweepstakes and social casinos.

 

When it comes to online casinos, Texas regulations are not so different from those in most states other than Pennsylvania, Michigan, New Jersey, West Virginia, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Delaware. Regulated real-money online casino games are off the cards in most places, but casino.org/us/ has comprehensive lists and reviews of all the alternatives on offer. Remember, Texans who are visiting any of these states can legally play online casino games, but with gambling options so restricted in Texas, sweepstakes and social casinos look increasingly favorable. 

 

Because no money is wagered directly on the outcome of sweepstake games, and because players use virtual currency in the form of Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins, these casinos are an excellent option for Texans who like to play casino games from slots and roulette to dice and card games. The other alternative is for residents to venture onto offshore sites. While these are not strictly legal, they were seen as a popular and convenient way for people to work their way around the restrictions.

 

However, it appears that the authorities are also cracking down on offshore sites by blocking people’s access to them. This is what happened at West Texas A&M University earlier this year. University President Dr Walter Wendler announced that online gambling sites can no longer be accessed using WTAMU accounts, hardware, or WIFI. Strictly speaking, no one should have been able to access gambling sites because gambling is illegal, but when has that ever stopped anyone from doing something? And, as we said earlier, offshore sites are a gray area.

 

Wendler claimed there were ‘predatory gambling sites’ and argued students at a formative stage of their lives should be protected from exposure to gambling.  He went on to say that there was no evidence that gambling positively impacted academic excellence. Anyone familiar with the movie 21, based on the true stories of a group of MIT students who use probability and card counting to beat Las Vegas’ top casinos, might beg to differ. However, WT students, faculty, and staff members can no longer access online gambling sites from any WT-owned cell phones, laptops, tablets, desktop computers, or other internet-connected devices.

 

For now, no other Texan university has made a similar public proclamation. However, there are moves afoot in the opposite direction. Currently, it ‘remains a crime’ to place a bet on the outcome of a sporting event. Wagering on professional, amateur, and even daily fantasy sports betting is strictly prohibited. Despite concerted efforts to change the situation in 2023, Texas is still playing catch up with many other US States. 

 

After the Supreme Court struck down PASPA’s federal ban on sports wagering, vast swathes of the country, including New York, Louisiana, and New Mexico, have live, legal online, and in-person sports betting scenes. However, despite concerted efforts from billionaire interested parties, things are not moving quickly in Texas. After Mark Cuban sold his stake in the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, it was assumed there would be a big push towards legal sports betting. Cuban has long advocated for the legalization of sports betting, and the Adelson family, who bought his stake in the Mavericks, have political influence and experience in casino and resort development in Las Vegas.  

 

However, Texas’s 2023 Sports Betting Bill did not bring about the changes many hoped to see. The bill led to a referendum on online sports betting but was unsuccessful. However, the subject remains a hot topic, and the Texas Sports Betting Alliance has considerable clout as it has funding and professional sports teams to call on.

 

The arguments rage back and forth across the country and within the state of Texas. Those in favor of legalizing gambling remind the public that regardless of legality, people always gamble and will always find a way to do so. This is particularly true of Texan players finding their way to the gray zone of offshore gambling sites. The problems here are twofold.  Players have no protections if things go wrong, and the state misses out on valuable revenues levied on gambling companies.  Those in favor of regulating the industry believe there is a win-win equation where players have legal protection, state coffers get extra funding, and only the most reputable operators get a license.

 

However, the anti-gambling lobby also has a strong voice. On the one hand, there is the moral question about gambling. Many people believe it is a waste of time and money. These same people usually express concern about possible gambling harms. It is an almost impossible circle to square as both sides have compelling arguments.

 

The vast majority of states have come down on the side of prohibition not working and are making tentative steps (or giant leaps) to allow citizens better access to safe gambling sites. Blocking residents off from any form of access does not seem to be a massive trend; in fact, so far, only West Texas A&M has publicly declared its ‘hand’ on the matter.

 

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