Hold anything of value or offered to bet with the aim of making a profit.Operate or participate in the earnings of a gambling place.Section 47.03 criminalizes the intentional promotion of gambling activities. Gambles for cash or other valuable products at a game played using cards, dice, or other gambling paraphernaliaĪn offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor.Makes a bet on the result of any political nomination, appointment, or election or on the degree of success of any nominee, appointee, or candidate.

Makes a bet on the partial or final result of a game or contest or on the performance of a participant in a game or contest.Chapter 47 of the code specifically forbids betting money or anything else of value on the outcome of a card game or any game of chance.Īccording to section 47.02, a person commits an offense if he or she: The Texas Penal Code strictly forbids most forms of gambling. While the potential profits might encourage some to engage in illegal gambling activities, the legal consequences might be quite sobering.Īre you or someone you know facing a gambling charge in Texas?Ĭontact Houston game room attorney Matthew Sharp for help » Laws Surrounding Game Rooms and Eight-Liner Machines Due to the increasing popularity as well as highly profitable nature of gambling, an illegal and semi-legal gambling industry worth billions of dollars exists in Texas. The strict regulations on nearly all forms of gambling have led many people to use loopholes, legal machinations and in some cases pure lies to bypass them. The game derives its name from Texas but the Lone Star state forbids people from playing it for economic benefit. “Texas Hold ‘Em”, the extremely sought after casino game is regularly played in poker tournaments around the world offering millions in cash prizes. Although gambling is a multi-billion-dollar industry, the state of Texas has traditionally taken a hard line stance against the industry.

Texas casino laws