Gambling Casinos In Texas

Speaking Rock Casino is the first gambling facility in Texas, which become popular after facing many legal charges. 1993 The Tigua Tribe initiated the operation of the first casino in Texas. Despite many legal battles between the tribe and the state, it still operated without a gaming compact. More Online Casinos Texas Casinos & Gambling. Texas Regulated Gambling by Year – Bingo (1982), Horse racing (1987), Lottery (1991), and Kickapoo Casino (1996).; Estimated Tax Revenue from Gambling – $1.2 billion.; Estimated Gambling Revenue – $4.6 billion.; Texas Gambling Age – 18 for lottery and bingo games, 21 for racing, and Kickapoo Casino.; Smoking Ban – Texas does not have a.

1. Gambling Casinos In Texas With Slot Machines
2. Is There Gambling Casinos In Texas
3. Indian Gambling Casinos In Texas
4. Locations Of Gambling Casinos In Texas

There is one Indian casino in Texas, the Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino in Eagle Pass. Texas has three federally-recognized tribes but only the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe is authorized to own and operate a casino under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1987.

News Headlines

Indian Casinos

Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino
7777 Lucky Eagle Drive
Eagle Pass, Texas 78852
(888) 255-8259

Naskila Gaming
Former Livingston Entertainment Center
333 State Park Road 56
Livingston, Texas 77351
936.563.2WIN
936.563.2946

Speaking Rock Casino (Closed 2002)
Speaking Rock Entertainment Center (Opened 2016)
122 South Old Pueblo Road
El Paso, TX 79907

History of Texas Indian Casinos

In 1987, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that since federally recognized Indian tribes are considered sovereign entities they could have casinos outside of state jurisdiction.

Texas has three federally-recognized tribes:

Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas
Route 3 Box 640
Livingston, TX 77351

Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas
Kickapoo Traditional Council
Post Office Box 972
Eagle Pass, TX 78853

Tigua Reservation
Ysleta Del Sur Pueblo
Post Office Box 17579
El Paso, TX 79917

This 1987 Supreme Court ruling led to the 1987 Registration Act followed by the 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA). Only the Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of Texas is authorized under the IGRA to operate a casino.

The Tigua and Alabama-Coushatta tribes were granted federal recognition under the 1987 Indian Restoration Act, but were specifically prohibited by that act from casino operations.

Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino

In 1996 the Kickapoo established the Lucky Eagle Casino in the small town of Eagle Pass about 100 miles south of San Antonio.

In 2008 the Texas Attorney General's office sued over the legality of the casino even though the Kickapoo are an IGRA tribe. The case is now before the U.S. Supreme Court after the tribe lost in the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Click For Practice Play
FREE SLOTS • No Signup • Instant Play
Exclusive Free Play! Select any of these three slot games for exclusive access inside BOVADA CASINO. No player signup is required. No deposit.

Click For Practice Play
No Signup • Instant Play
Direct access to play casino games free inside BOVADA.

Click For Practice Play
No Signup • Instant Play
Direct access to play casino games free inside BOVADA.

Tigua's Speaking Rock Casino

In 1992 the Tigua tribe of El Paso petitioned Governor Ann Richards to negotiate a gaming compact for an Indian casino on their reservation, however, the governor rejected their request.

The Tigua felt their rights under federal law were ignored, so in 1993, they opened the Speaking Rock Casino without state approval. That began a ten year battle in the courts over the legality of their casino.

In 2015 a court decision and endorsement by the U.S. Interior Department determined the casino should have never been closed. The tribe plans to reopen with Federal help. In the meantime the casino reopened as the Speaking Rock Entertainment Center in 2016. There is currently no gambling, but the tribe intends to reintroduce Class II gambling in the near future.

Alabama-Coushatta Casino

In 2001 the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas opened a tribal casino in Livingston, Texas. After nine months of operations it was forced to close after the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that the tribe was violating the 1987 Indian Restoration Act which prohibited their operating a casino.

The casino generated $1 million/month for its tribal members during is operation.

In 2015 the tribe received a federal decision similar to the Tigua. The US Interior Department determined their casino should have never been closed and could now reopen with Class II electronic gambling. In May 2016 the tribe reopened their casino and bingo hall as the Naskila Entertainment.

News Articles

Texas casino legalization sought by Las Vegas Sands

December 14, 2020

Billionaire Sheldon Adelson and his Las Vegas Sands company see Texas as a super huge opportunity for future growth of Sands Casinos. The company is pushing for casino legalization in the upcoming legislative session.

A Sands spokesman told the Texas Taxpayers and Research Association last week:

'Texas is a worldwide destination and one of the top potential markets in the entire world.

'Texas is considered the biggest plum still waiting to be out there in the history of hospitality and gaming.'

Sands proposes a limited number of destination resorts near large Texas cities rather than state-wide gambling.

Sheldon and Miriam Adelson have been among the top donators to the Texas Republican Party and donated $4.5 million last September to the Republican State Leadership Committee.

Back Full Page >Texas Casinos Updates 2021

U.S. House Bill would restore Texas Indian Gaming

May 12, 2019

A bill in the U.S. House of Representatives would protect the Indian gaming rights of two Texas tribes that have long been denied by the state's attorney general.

The bill is HR 759 titled 'Ysleta del Sur Pueblo and Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas Equal and Fair Opportunity Act of 2019'. Ref congress.gov

Texas is home to three federally-recognized Native American tribes. All three have been approved by the U.S. Department of Interior to conduct Indian gaming on their lands under the Indian Gaming Regulatory.

However, the Texas attorney general has spent years and millions of dollars fighting to prevent gaming by two tribes while allowing it for the third tribe. The Texas AG has shut down these Indian casinos:

Speaking Rock Casino operated by the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo

Naskila Gaming operated by the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas

Only the Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino continues to operate without state interference. The casino is owned by the Traditional Kickapoo Tribe of Texas in Eagle Pass.

Bill HR 759 was introduced by U.S. Rep Brian Babin and do-sponsored by 24 Republicans and Democrats.

SUPPORT THIS BILL
Visit the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe's special website: Support the AC Tribe.

Back Full Page >Texas Casinos Updates 2021

Texas Bill Would Allow 12 Casino Resorts

March 06, 2019

Many Texas politicians believe the state is losing millions of dollars in potential tax revenues from casino gambling as neighboring states draw Texans into their casinos. Oklahoma, Louisiana, New Mexico and soon Arkansas all have full-scale gambling.

Texas has prohibited commercial casinos. There is only one casino in the state, the Kickapoo Lucky Eagle which is Native American and offers only electronic gaming machines.

Gambling Casinos In Texas With Slot Machines

This week State Rep. Roland Gutierrez (D-San Antonio) introduced House Bill 3043 to legalize casino gambling and authorize up to twelve casino resorts.

The bill requires local elections for voter approval before a casino could be built.

'We need to come up with taxing revenue that doesn't come from raising folks' property taxes,' Gutierrez said.

The odds of Bill 3043 becoming law are not good. If passed, Governor Greg Abbott (R) would likely veto it. The Governor has publicly opposed casino legislation.

Back Full Page >Texas Casinos Updates 2021

News Headlines Continued

03.28.2013 Texas's Only casino Lucky Eagle Succeeds in Helping Tribe
01.24.2013 Possible Texas Gaming Expansion

04.14.2011 Investors ready for legalized casinos in Texas
02.15.2011 Gaming Texas Still A Divided Issue With Lawmakers
01.08.2011 Poll Results: Texans in favor of gambling

12.31.2010 New gaming expansion law to be introduced next month
10.08.2010 54 percent of surveyed voters support legalized casino
05.24.2010 Texans favor legalized casinos 57%-33%
04.27.2010 Kickapoo Lucky Eagle Casino installing new games

10.19.2009 Grand Prairie horse track back on the auction block
09.29.2009 Chickasaws bid $27 million for bankrupt Grand Prairie horse track
08.10.2009 Tiguas dispute court's ruling to shut down slots and sweepstakes
05.18.2009 Casino gambling bill is dead

03.30.2009 Tigua asking lawmakers to reopen Speaking Rock Casino
02.25.2009 Major casino bill introduced in Texas legislature
02.24.2009 Galveston eyes casinos to stay afloat
02.20.2009 Bill would legalize Texas Indian casinos

12.31.2008 Tigua Tribe hopes to reopen Speaking Rock Casino
12.13.2008 Alabama-Coushatta and Tigua hope to reopen casinos
12.04.2007 Eagle Pass Casino Considers Las Vegas-style Gaming

VOTED #1
Most Popular Online Casino USA

Most players - Most visits

CASINO • LIVE DEALER • POKER • SPORTSBOOK • RACEBOOK

Disclaimer: All images are copyright to their respective owners and are used by 500 Nations for informational purposes only.

500 Nations is an independent directory and information service free of any gaming operator's control and not affiliated with any casino.
Warning: You must ensure you meet all age and other regulatory requirements before entering a casino or placing a wager. There are hundreds of jurisdictions in the world with Internet access and hundreds of different games and gambling opportunities available on the Internet. Do not assume that Internet gaming sites are in compliance with the rules and regulations of every jurisdiction from which they accept players. YOU are responsible for determining if it is legal for YOU to play any particular game or place any particular wager under the laws of the jurisdiction where you are located.

I remember in the late 1990s and early to mid-2000s, I used to play poker at a lot of the underground poker rooms in Dallas. Many of them had been in business for years. At some point, though, they started getting raided by the cops.

This continued until all the places I knew about had been closed. I vaguely understood that there were underground casinos in Dallas, too, but I didn’t play at any of them. I know that many bars and gas stations had the equivalent of slot machines – in Texas, they’re called 8-liners.

At one time, most of the mid-sized cities had even opened up so-called “game rooms” featuring these 8-liners. Most of them are now closed, too. The only one I ever played in with any regularity was in Farmersville.

It was fun, but you couldn’t win real cash there. You could only cash in points for merchandise, most of which looked like it had been bought on sale at Dollar General. I remember gardening tools and a 6-pack of canned corn.

And it made me wonder why the Texas gambling scene doesn’t have real casinos.

In this post, I’m going to delve into that subject a little more.

Texas Has Strict Gambling Laws

The main reason Texas doesn’t have casinos is because casino gambling – all types of casino gambling – are illegal in the state of Texas. In fact, Texas has some of the strictest gambling laws in the country.

This all stems from Penal Code 47.01, which is the statute making gambling illegal throughout the state.

The only exceptions are bets on dog and horse racing.

Not only that, but the law specifically enumerates which gambling activities are illegal in the state.

Which Types of Gambling Are Illegal in Texas?

If you’ve read any of my previous posts, you already know that gambling has any number of subcategories. The state of Texas agrees. After all, they’ve enumerated and listed the specific types of gambling which are illegal throughout the state.

The first kind of gambling that’s illegal in Texas is the casino game. Any kind of game played in a casino is illegal in Texas, and this includes real money blackjack, craps, roulette, slots, and video poker. This also applies to online gambling, although I’ve never heard of anyone getting in trouble for playing online casino games.

The only exception is if you’re on Native American land. I’ll have more to say about this later in the post. Stay tuned.

Sports betting is also illegal, with the exceptions of betting at the dog track or the horse track. Betting on sports is punishable by a $500 misdemeanor fine. It applies to online as well as in-person or over-the-phone betting.

This didn’t seem to slow down any of the bettors at my local bar who placed wagers with their local bookie.

Texas also has laws related to so-called social gambling. This is how Texas categorizes bingo games or charitable raffles.

These activities are legal when operated for the benefit of charities in the state. Otherwise, they’re illegal.

Strictly speaking, it’s even illegal to play in a friendly home poker game.

What About the Lucky Eagle Casino?

If you’ve heard of a Texas casino called the Lucky Eagle Casino, then you’ve found one of the rare exceptions to the statement that there are no casinos in Texas.

The Lucky Eagle Casino is open Sunday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m., and they stay open until 4 a.m. on Friday and Saturday night.

They have over 1200 slot machine games, but they also offer table games including blackjack, craps, roulette, and even keno. They have over 55,000 square feet of casino space with both smoking and non-smoking sections.

I saw no mention of baccarat on their site, but I suspect baccarat isn’t a big draw in Texas.

Lucky Eagle also hosts bingo games in their event center except on Friday and Saturday night.

The keno lounge offers multiple keno games, including speed keno and 50 cent keno.

Why is the Lucky Eagle Casino allowed to operate in Texas?

They’re a Native American casino, owned by the Chehalis Tribe, which has a compact with the state government allowing them to operate.

What About Naskila Gaming?

Naskila Gaming is another notable exception to the “no casinos in Texas” generality. It’s another example of a Native American casino. They’re owned by the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe.

They’re located on the Indian reservation near Livingston, Texas, and they’re open 24/7.

They only offer Class II slot machines, and they have about 800 games to choose from.

Naskila Gaming also has multiple restaurants onsite, including a Nathan’s Hot Dogs and a Mexican café. They even have a grill serving traditional American fare.

There’s some controversy related to whether they’ll be able to continue operating in Texas. If you visit their website, you’ll see notices asking their patrons to support HR 759 to keep them open.

HR 759 intends to clarify that Naskila Gaming IS acting legally because they’re on tribal land.

Texas has three Native American tribes that are legally recognize by the federal government. The Kickapoo Tribe is the only one currently allowed to offer Class II gaming.

Is There Gambling Casinos In Texas

HR 759 aims to correct that inequity. And, just to be clear, it doesn’t make it legal for Naskila Gaming to offer blackjack, craps, or roulette. They must stick with the electronic bingo gambling machines.

The legislation also authorizes the Ysleta del Sur Pueblo Tribe to offer gaming on their reservation.

What About Casino Cruises?

One way casino companies circumvent casino gambling laws is to offer casino gambling on cruise ships. These ships generally go out far enough in the water to get outside the jurisdiction of the state where they’re docked. Several casino cruises are available from Texas ports.

These include Carnival Valor Casino, Carnival Breeze Casino, Carnival Freedom Casino, and Jacks or Better Casino.

The last time I went on a casino cruise, I played Texas holdem the entire time.

It’s common knowledge among those in the know that the slot machine payback percentages on casino cruises are lousy.

Where Else Can You Gamble in Texas?

You’re legally allowed to bet on dog racing and horse racing in Texas. You must do so from the site itself, though. You have the following tracks to choose from:

• Gulf Greyhound Park
• Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie
• Sam Houston Race Park
• Valley Race Park

Of these, the only one I’ve visited was Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie. They have no casino facilities, but there’s enough horse betting action here to keep even the most avid action junkie entertained for hours (or days).

Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie

Admission to Lone Star Park is only $5, and the gates open at 5 p.m. The first race is run at 6:05 p.m.

They offer stakes races where they’ll either add money to the prize pool or they’ll have a minimum guaranteed prize pool.

Like a casino, Lone Star Park has a rewards program. It’s comparable to a slot machine players’ club at a casino.

You earn a point for every dollar you wager, but you also get additional points by placing wagers with the self-serve facilities. You also get two bonus points per dollar by betting on Lone Star Park and Remington Park races.

When you spend money at the concessions stand or in the gift shop, you get a point for every dollar you spend. You can redeem these points later.

They have a variety of rewards available, but you can get an idea of what the points are worth by looking at the vouchers and food and beverage credits.

You can cash in 10,000 points to get a $10 food and beverage credit.

You can also cash in 20,000 points to get a $20 mutuel voucher. The ratio is the same for $50 and $100 vouchers, which would require 50,000 points and 100,000 points each.

I should point out that only a handful of gambling activities — including blackjack, poker, and sports betting — offer the opportunity to get a mathematical edge. Betting on horses – if you’re good at it – also offers that opportunity.

Conclusion

I’m not sure who said there are no casinos in Texas. There are at least two, and more depending on whether you count the racetracks and cruises.

Indian Gambling Casinos In Texas

You also have any number of businesses offering the equivalent of slot machine games called 8-liners.

Locations Of Gambling Casinos In Texas

I think the state government should go ahead and legalize and regulate gambling throughout the state. Right now, they’re just leaving all that revenue on the table.