Is gambling legal in Texas?

Gambling is generally illegal in Texas. There are several exceptions, like the state lottery and charitable bingo.

As librarians, we cannot determine whether a specific gambling practice is legal or illegal. We also do not have any attorneys on staff who can provide legal advice. For more information on finding an attorney, please see the library's Legal Help page.

Where can I find Texas laws on gambling?

Criminal laws relating to gambling are in the Chapter 47 of the Texas Penal Code. Laws that legalize a few specific types of gambling can be found in other statutes. See our Gambling Law guide for more information on these and other gambling laws.

To help clarify and interpret the existing laws, the Attorney General has issued a number of opinions on the topic of gambling. Attorney general opinions are not laws but can offer some guidance on what may or may not be considered gambling.   

Related FAQs and Guides

FAQs

• Are raffles legal?
• I'd like to sell my house using a raffle. Is that legal?

Guides

• Gambling
• Raffles, Contests, and Sweepstakes