Texas: The Birthplace of Poker, But Not Online Gambling

Texas, the birthplace of Texas Hold'em, a poker variant that dominates global markets, ironically does not offer regulated online casinos to its residents. Instead, Texans use offshore platforms for online gambling due to the lack of regulated options. The Texas State Legislature officially recognized Robstown as the birthplace of Texas Hold'em in 2007.

Despite the absence of regulated online casinos, Texas has over 60 licensed card clubs operating across major cities. The Lodge Card Club in Round Rock is the largest poker room in Texas. Doug Polk, Brad Owen, and Andrew Neeme purchased a share of The Lodge Card Club and launched Poker at the Lodge, a YouTube channel, which has become a significant media event in the poker world.

The U.S. online casino market was valued at approximately $6.78 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow at nearly 12% annually through 2030. However, the path toward legal online gambling in Texas has stalled repeatedly. Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick has been consistently outspoken against expansion of online gambling, and lawmakers meet only every two years, pushing the realistic timeline for regulated online casinos further down the road.