Like many other southern states, Texas doesn’t have the most welcoming attitude towards gambling-related activities. Despite this, Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) betting is tolerated by lawmakers in the state, giving locals the chance to join in on the weekly fun! For more information on the laws surrounding DFS in Texas and what leagues are popular, we recommend you keep reading!

Todd Winkler, Editor at online-gambling.com

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Todd Winkler has been an editor at online-gambling.com for 6 years. His focus is on guides and articles about poker games, blackjack, and DFS. With relatives in New Zealand, he is also well aware of the gambling industry in the country.

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Online Daily Fantasy Sports in Texas – Overview

Texas has long held on to rigid beliefs concerning the legalization of gambling, with most forms of wagering illegal. When Daily Fantasy Sports came to the state, it reignited the conversation around what constitutes gambling and how welcome it is in the modern era. In 2016, Texas’ Attorney General stated that DFS operators were probably breaking the law in Texas and would need to vacate the state.

This prompted FanDuel to leave, while DraftKings continued to remain active whilst challenging the ruling in court. They were seeking a proper legal definition of DFS’ legality before they were to leave, and in time, FanDuel joined them in the suit. The court ruled in DFS’ favor in 20118, prompting FanDuel to return against the advice of the state Attorney General.

House Bill 2303 is currently moving forward to the Senate, a piece of legislation that seeks to classify DFS as a contest of skill and therefore legal in Texas gaming law. This would be a huge victory for DFS – as Texas is one of the most populous states in the U.S. Until then, Texans are still free to play DFS without state interference. Below, we’ve listed the most popular fantasy sports leagues in the state and how they’re played.

Online Daily Fantasy NHL – Shoot For The Stars

The Dallas Stars have been wowing fans since 1967, having won two Presidents’ Trophies and eight division titles in their illustrious career. What better way could there be to celebrate them, then, than draft your best Stars into your NHL Fantasy lineup? The NHL Fantasy League asks contestants to draft teams of 9 players from at least 3 different teams and awards points to players for their goals, assists, blocked shots, etc. – with goalkeepers also earning more points for successful gameplay.

Online Daily Fantasy MLB – One Giant Leap For DFS

Texas’ fans of Major League Baseball Houston Astros broke attendance records at their Minute Maid Park Stadium in 2018, probably inspired by their 2017 World Series Win. We can only imagine, then, how many Texans’ fantasy teams were filled with Astros, too. In MLB Fantasy, players can build a team of 10 players and score points based on the real-life performance of those players. Scores can be earned in different ways, with 5 points for stealing bases, 10 points given for a home run, etc.

Online Daily Fantasy NBA – Loose Cannons

Texas’ Dallas Mavericks have sold out 707 consecutive games at their home stadium, which is the longest-running sellout streak in any major league sport, so it makes sense why NBA Fantasy is so popular here. The NBA Fantasy League is sure to lure many of those in, with contestants being asked to create a lineup of 8 players within a salary cap of $50,000. However, player’s values change every week based on their performances, so you may struggle to remain loyal to your picks as the weeks progress if you are to stay within budget.

Online Daily Fantasy NFL – Yee-Ha!

There’s no denying that the five-time Super Bowl-winning champions the Dallas Cowboys are an institution in Texas, and according to Forbes magazine, they are the most valuable sports team in the world. You can value them, too, in the popular NFL Fantasy League, where contestants are to build a team of 9 of NFL stars and watch them go head-to-head against other contestants’ teams. Points are scored similarly to other leagues and cash prizes are won at the end of every week.

College Fantasy Sport –The Tiger’s Roar

Texas may be wild about sports, but there is no state quite as passionate and loyal to their college sports teams then in Texas. While there are over ten universities in the state competing in the NCAA Division 1, it’s the University of Texas, Austin’s collegiate program that has us the most excited, and in particular their Texas Longhorns, football team, whose alumni including four Pro Hall of Famers.

Having claimed four national titles and playing to audiences of 100,000+ fans at their Darrel K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium, the team has a list of accolades that should make any other team nervous. If you’re a college football fan and play DFS, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t be considering Longhorn’s players for your fantasy lineup.

Timeline of Daily Fantasy Sports Legislation

For fifty years, Texas has adopted a strict anti-gambling mindset that limits most forms of gaming to charity-only enterprises. However, with the conversation reignited by the introduction of DFS sites to the state, we believe that this could change in the future. Below, we’ve created a timeline on the most important years in gambling history in the state. For additional information on the subject, visit our page about Texas gambling.

Legal Daily Fantasy Betting Age in Texas

The minimum legal age for participating in daily fantasy sports betting is 18 years old. This also goes for bingo and lottery gambling, although gamblers must be 21 years old or over to gamble at racetracks in the state. If a player is caught gambling underage, it is considered a Class C misdemeanor and is punishable with a fine of no more than $500.

• DFS Betting Age
  Players must be over 18 years old to legally gamble in Texas.
• Alcohol Age
  The legal drinking age in Texas is 21 years old.
• Weed Age
  Recreational cannabis smoking is illegal in Texas.

Is Daily Fantasy Betting Legal Outside of the State?

Despite the fact that states have only started bringing in DFS laws in 2016, DFS betting is now legal in most states across the USA. This could be due to the fact that in 2006, Daily Fantasy Sports was federally classified as a game of skill as opposed to chance, and left it for states to decide whether or not they would tolerate it. There are nine states included in the group who choose not to tolerate DFS, including Idaho, Hawaii and Iowa. There are also many that have chosen to avoid outlawing it or legalizing it altogether – allowing it to exist in a sort of unregulated legal grey area limbo. Only time will tell whether or not these states will move towards DFS legalization, but as most states are proving, there are a lot of benefits to a legal, regulate the daily fantasy sports market.

The Best Fantasy Sports App in Texas

If you’re not a fan of using desktop computers and laptops, then we’ve got you covered. Many Fantasy Sports operators have developed dedicated DFS apps to ensure that you can bet anywhere at any time. This makes drafting, betting and checking scores more convenient and faster. Based on our experience, we recommend the DraftKings app the most for DFS gameplay.

Taxes on Daily Fantasy Winnings: Legal Overview

When it comes to taxes, you should keep in mind that all winnings that are generated from gambling are a subject of the federal tax laws, which means that they are taxable at a rate of 25%. This, though, is valid only in case your winnings overgo the amount of $600. For details and assistance, refer to the Comptroller of Taxes in Texas.

Upcoming Regulation Changes to Be Aware Of

It’s hard to think of a time when so much action was going on surrounding Texas’ gambling laws. With House Bill 2303 moving forward to the Senate after overwhelming support in the House of Representatives, all eyes are on the state to see if DFS will once and for all be classified as a game of skill and therefore legal for Texas residents. This legal clarity will be beneficial for everyone involved – allowing players peace of mind, operators a chance to work within state regulations and the state a reliable stream of tax revenue.

The next frontier would then be the legalization of sports betting, which if legalized in the state could open up one of the largest markets in the nation. While there are yet to be any sports betting bills introduced to government, it is only a matter of time before Texas follows the lead of most other American states in considering the financial benefits of legalized sports betting markets.

This would mean changing state legislation and could take time, but when you’re considering the potential annual influx of hundreds of millions of dollars a year, the effort is entirely worth it.

Daily Fantasy Guides for Nearby States

• New Mexico
• Oklahoma
• Arkansas
• Louisiana