It is almost inevitable that gambling casinos will soon make their way to Texas. Historians will agree that The Lone Star State is famous for standing out strong and tall among the other fifty states. However, at the time of this article, Texans have to cross the border into Oklahoma or Louisiana to play their favorite games at the casino. (We know- many Texans like to find their game of chance while sitting in the comfort of their own homes playing in an online casino. If this is you- just make sure you utilize Safe Online Gaming to provide you with helpful information to play in a safe and secure environment.)
Gambling in Texas’ early days was considered to be one of the many “vice activities” which were popular in Texas’ early history. These activities included sex work, excessive drinking, and the taking of opium and peyote, a hallucinogenic. Part of Texas’ “bad boy” or “no messin’” reputation is likely due to the wildness of these early days which saw colonial Texas littered with saloons, gambling houses, and brothels.
After the US Civil War and throughout the Reconstruction Era, gambling houses became an increasingly popular form of entertainment. Gambling was one of the favorite pastimes of cowboys, ranchers, smugglers, and buffalo hunters, and gambling only became more popular as the state began to grow in prosperity following a frontier boom and a spike in the price of buffalo hides.
During the Progressive Era, the” vices” of excessive drinking, sex work, gambling, and the taking of drugs (marijuana, peyote, and opium were all popular) were either regulated or outlawed one by one. Although gambling continued illegally in homes and in San Antonio and Galveston’s “vice districts”, its popularity massively declined throughout the state.
The most significant victory for Progressive Era campaigners was the banning of alcohol in the 1920s. However, as everyone is undoubtedly aware, the banning of alcohol did not mean the end of drinking. Instead, drinking and gambling became activities that were enjoyed in more “underground” environments.
The Great Depression ravaged the national economy in the 1930s and each state struggled to overcome its financial difficulties in different ways. In 1933 Texas first legalized parimutuel betting on horse races. Parimutuel is French for “mutual betting”, and parimutuel betting is a betting system in which all bets of a certain type are pooled together. After taxes and the bookmaker’s fee have been deducted, the payoff odds are worked out by dividing the pool between all of the winning bets.
Although gambling is currently illegal in Texas, Mark Cuban’s blockbuster sale of his majority ownership stake in the Dallas Mavericks to Miriam Adelson and the Dumont family is shaking up the sports world. It will soon pave the way for onsite casinos to enter into the Dallas Ft. Worth area, and even allow for gambling online be open and available for all to enjoy. Before the 2023 legislative session in Austin, Cuban was already talking about a potential partnership with the Las Vegas Sands who are now the owners of the Dallas Mavericks. Add that Choctaw Casinos owns The Ballpark in Arlington, and WinStar is a major sponsor of Globe Life Stadium (Home of the World Champions Texas Rangers), and soon you will have a Vegas/Atlantic City of the South!
For those of you who might dread fighting the traffic, large crowds and high priced drinks; online betting will be as easy as touching a button. There are thousands of sites to play, but it is important to do your research when choosing an online gaming site. Sites like https://www.fiestajackpot.games/ or https://calientecasino.games/ and even https://www.sugarshack.games/ have all of the thrills of being at a casino in a safe secure environment. Players can have hours of fun and a chance to win real money. Each of these casinos have an operator standing by offering gamblers assistance 24 hours 7 days a week.
For those operators who need a safe online site who need to purchase credits; visit sites like www.BuySkillCredits.com or www.InternationalGamingCredits.com.
In addition to having a great opportunity to win, you don’t have to pay for that high priced drink or shell out hundreds of dollars to take a flight. As always, be responsible, and set your limits.
Safe Online Gaming 