Texas Online Racebooks

Texas outlawed online horse racing betting in 2011 via an amendment to the Texas Racing Act.

Previously, fans located anywhere in Texas could use major advance deposit wagering platforms (ADWs) like TwinSpires to bet on horse races in Texas.

The amended states:

“Wagering may be conducted only by a racetrack association within the racetrack association’s enclosure.

(b)

A person may not accept, in person, by telephone, or over the Internet, a wager for a horse or greyhound race conducted inside or outside this state from a person in this state unless the wager is authorized under this subtitle.

(c)

Only a person inside an enclosure where both live and simulcast race meetings are authorized may wager on the result of a live or simulcast race presented by a racetrack association in accordance with commission rules.

(d)

Except as provided by Subsection (c), a person may not place, in person, by telephone, or over the Internet, a wager for a horse or greyhound race conducted inside or outside this state.”

TwinSpires.com continued accepting wagers from residents of Texas until it was issued a subpoena in 2012. TwinSpires on the basis that the amendment violated the Commerce Clause of the US Constitution. The lawsuit was dismissed and TwinSpires stopped accepting wagers from Texans in 2013.

Today there are no legal options for betting on horses in the state of Texas.

Texas Horse Race Tracks

Three race tracks and one county fair comprise the entirety of legal horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering in Texas.

A fourth racetrack with live racing and simulcasting almost came to East Texas after Jefferson County voters a racetrack and hotel. In November 2020, Jefferson County Commissioners the Port Arthur Renaissance Group to purchase the Ford Park Entertainment Complex, clearing the way for the construction of a racetrack and hotel. However, the deal in March 2022, and there have been no further developments since.

7575 North Sam Houston Pkwy W
Houston, TX 77064

Sam Houston Race Park hosts thoroughbred racing from January through April and quarter horse racing from April through June. General admission is $5 per person, and children under five get in free.

Fans can also visit Sam Houston Race Park year-round for simulcast wagering on races held nationwide. The simulcasting area is open from Wednesday through Saturday, starting at 10:30 AM. Admission is free on days when Sam Houston Race Park is not holding live races.

1000 Lone Star Pkwy
Grand Prairie, TX 75050

Lone Star Park is Texas’ busiest race track, with more than 700,000 guests visiting annually during its 70+ race days.

Thoroughbreds run at Lone Star Park from April through July, while quarter horses run from September through November. General admission is $10 every day except Kentucky Derby Day, where it bumps up to $15.

The Bar & Book at Lone Star Park also offers simulcast wagering seven days a week starting at 10 AM.

One Retama Pkwy
Selma, TX 78154

Retama Park offers live quarter horse racing every June through August, and gates open at 5:30 PM on race days. General admission is always $5, and children under five get in free.

In addition, Retama Park offers simulcast wagering five days a week (closed Mondays and Tuesdays), starting at around 11:15 AM most days.

530 Fair Drive
Fredericksburg, TX 78624

Every July, the Gillespie County Fair hosts a handful of mixed race days with pari-mutuel wagering. Gates open at noon, and post time is at 2 p.m. General admission is $10 per person, $5 for children 6-12, and free for children under five.

Texas Off-Track Betting

Off-track betting is only available at each of Texas’ three permanent race tracks.

Although Texas does not currently export simulcast feeds out of state, it imports feeds from around the country. That means fans who can get to Sam Houston Race Park, Lone Star Park, or Retama Park can watch and wager on races year-round, including the Kentucky Derby and other major events.

Texas Horse Racing Betting Law

The future of live horse racing in Texas is uncertain due to an ongoing conflict between the and the .

The conflict has resulted in a blackout of simulcast signals from Texas race tracks out of state. And since race tracks generate most of their handle from off-track betting, total wagering handle has fallen by 95% at some Texas tracks.

Fortunately for Texas horsemen and fans, a law approved by the Texas legislature in 2019 subsidizes purses with a sales tax on feed, tack, and other horse products.

Purses have declined slightly since the blackout began in July 2022 despite the sharp reduction in wagering handle. Still, the legal uncertainty has dissuaded investments into Texas horse racing and resulted in fewer race days at some tracks.

Texas Racing Commission vs. HISA

The Horseracing Integrity and Safety Authority (HISA) is a regulatory organization approved by Congress in 2020 to implement nationwide safety and integrity standards for all thoroughbred races in the United States.

However, the Texas Racing Commission (TXRC) believes state law precludes it from participating in HISA because only the TXRC is authorized to regulate horse racing in Texas.

The TXRC has the right of refusal, but HISA still holds jurisdiction over interstate wagering under the Interstate Horseracing Act of 1978 (IHA).

When HISA began implementing its policies in mid-2022, the TXRC said it had no choice but to stop allowing race tracks to transmit simulcasts across state lines to remain compliant with Texas law.

The impasse remains unresolved to this day. Live racing is still going strong in Texas despite the extended simulcasting blackout and sharply reduced wagering handle.

Efforts to Legalize Advance Deposit Wagering in Texas

An effort to legalize online racing betting in Texas emerged in March 2017 with the introduction of . The bill sought to amend the Texas Racing Act to allow Texans to bet on greyhound and horse races that take place inside and outside of Texas via legal betting sites.

This bill appeared to have a decent chance of success for two primary reasons. First, the bill was driven by motivations to fund popular items in Texas – the text of the bill explains that one of its primary purposes was to raise money to provide better body armor for Texas law enforcement officers. Additionally, the bill sought to raise money for charity, with players maybe even being given the option to choose which charities they wish to support as they play.

Secondly, the bill had the support of the horse racing industry in Texas. In a quote , the executive director of the Texas Thoroughbred Association offered his support of the bill and said that it has the potential to raise significant money for horse racing purses.

However, the bill died in committee. No other serious measures to legalize horse racing betting in Texas have emerged since.

Texas Horse Racing Betting FAQ