The Best Casinos in San Antonio Texas

Are you looking for legal casinos in San Antonio Texas or nearby? While commercial gambling is illegal in Texas, you do have several alternative options to enjoy. In this guide, we’ve covered the current gambling laws, your available options, and other interesting details about this topic.

The current legal situation of gambling in Texas shouldn’t stop you from enjoying the best casinos in and around San Antonio. Even though playing online remains illegal in the state, the land-based casinos still have plenty to offer.

• Are Casinos Legal in San Antonio?
• Gambling Options in San Antonio
• Casinos Near San Antonio
• The Future of San Antonio Gambling
• Is Online Gambling Legal?

Are San Antonio Casino Options Legal?

Although it is one of the most populous states in the USA, most forms of gambling are illegal in Texas. This has been the case for over 100 years, and the state has been quite slow to progress when it comes to gambling expansion. However, this looks to be changing, with several bills currently being considered to legalize Texas gambling.

That said, while there are no casinos in San Antonio Texas, this doesn’t mean that there are no casino options at all. There are several destinations located on Native American tribal lands that offer Class II gaming. While these will require you to travel, they can be a great option for those looking to play slots. There are also some social casinos available.

Gambling Options in San Antonio

In Texas, the only forms of legal commercial gambling are bingo, lottery, and pari-mutuel wagering on horse racing. While there is no San Antonio casino, fortunately, there are several horse race tracks located around the state, with one based in Selma, a bordering town of San Antonio. We’ve discussed this race track below.

Retama Park Racetrack

The Retama Park racetrack provides the closest legal gambling options to San Antonio residents. The track hosts live quarter horse races between June and August each year, with thoroughbred races held between September and November. You can also enjoy simulcast wagering on-site all year round, or bet through your mobile device.

There are several restaurants and bars to enjoy, including the Clubhouse 95 Sports Bar and Grill, which offers more than 80 HD TVs showing your favorite sports. There is also the Terrace Dining Room, which offers a buffet and full views of the racetrack, as well as the Double Deuce Bar.

The site also frequently hosts major events, including fairs and conferences. If you wish to stay nearby, the Hilton Garden Inn and Hampton Inn are just down the road. Other attractions in the area include the Evo Entertainment Movie Theater, the Olympia Hills Golf Course, and the Blue Bonnet Palace Dance Hall.

Social Card Rooms

While there is an absence of legal gambling games at casinos in San Antonio Texas, you can still visit social card rooms to play poker. You won’t be able to technically gamble with real money at these sites, but you can play single games and tournaments of everything from Texas Hold’em to Stud.

These rooms are membership-only clubs, which require you to pay a sign-up fee on top of a monthly access fee. You can then enter tournaments that offer real money prizes. Interestingly, the legality of these options is currently up for debate, and they exist in a legal gray area as people aren’t technically buying into games.

Nevertheless, the following are some of the top card rooms in San Antonio:

• The Royal Card House of San Antonio
• SA Card House
• Rounders Card Club
• HC Card House
• Alamo Card House

Each club will have varying membership fees and requirements. In most cases, you will also need to be over 21 years old to participate. It’s worth noting that while these activities aren’t technically legal, patrons won’t have to fear being charged if there is a crackdown.

A Top Casino Near San Antonio

If you’re looking for legal gambling options in Texas and are prepared to travel, then there is one Indian casino located within a two-and-a-half-hour drive away from San Antonio. We have covered the details for the only casino near San Antonio below.

Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino

Operated by the Kickapoo Band of Indians, the Lucky Eagle Casino in Eagle Pass provides some of the best gambling options in Texas. Whether you’re looking to play slots, bingo, or poker, or enjoy the site’s fine amenities, you’ll have endless opportunities to unwind at this top destination.

• Address: 794 Lucky Eagle Drive, Eagle Pass, TX 78852
• Opened: October 28, 2013
• Gaming Floor Size: 15,000 square feet

Located beside the Rio Bravo, the 15,000 square foot gaming floor offers over 3,000 slots and electronic games, a bingo hall, and a poker room that hosts Texas Hold’em games. Outside of poker, table games such as roulette and blackjack are not available.

There are more than 10 restaurants and eateries throughout the casino, including the Red Sky Grill and the Center Bar sports bar. If you’d like to stay for a few nights, the hotel houses around 250 rooms and suites. At night, enjoy dancing and live music at the Que Pasa Lounge. This is the only of the Indian casinos near San Antonio Texas.

The Future of San Antonio and Texas Gambling

In 2023, the Texas House of Representatives pushed to introduce legislation that would legalize casinos and sports betting in the state. Unfortunately, the casino bill narrowly failed and it won’t be possible to progress on this matter until at least 2024. Another bill is still under process which would see gambling resorts established at racetracks in cities, including one or two casinos in San Antonio Texas.

The good news is that the bill to legalize sports betting in the state passed House approval, and will now head to the Senate. There it will face challenging hurdles, with many Senators showing strong resistance against the measure. If it does manage to pass, the state would have to update its constitution to launch it.

This means that over two-thirds of voters would need to approve it in a referendum. As the bill stands, the law would see the state’s professional team and the PGA Tour offer online betting. They would likely partner with major betting brands such as BetMGM and DraftKings to offer these online.

If Texas does approve of sports betting, it is expected that the state would generate $30 billion in bets in the first year and up to $300 million in tax revenues. This would see it become the largest sports betting state in the USA. Estimates for legal land-based casinos exceed $400 million a year, so a San Antonio casino would be very profitable.

Is Online Gambling Legal in San Antonio?

Unless the current sports betting bill passes the Senate and is approved by voters in the referendum, Texans’ ability to gamble online will remain extremely limited. Currently, residents are only allowed to bet on horse races online. The Texas Lottery does not sell online tickets, with ticket sales required in person.

Locals are also able to join daily fantasy sports (DFS) sites, with the activity currently operating in a legal gray area. While the state’s Attorney General declared DFS to be illegal gambling in 2016, there has been no move to prevent players from joining. Therefore, major operators such as FanDuel and DraftKings accept players in Texas.