Dallas Cowboys and Jerry Jones could benefit from Texas election results
Texas is set to look a lot different these next few years.
Tuesday's midterm election results have polarized the country, sparking major change within the government. Texas was one of the states that saw surprising results, and one of those results could end up playing a role in the Dallas Cowboys ' financial future under owner Jerry Jones .
In the race for Lieutenant Governor of Texas , Democrat Vikki Goodwin handily beat out Republican Dan Patrick . Along with Gina Hinojosa defeating Greg Abbott , there's now renewed hope that sports betting could soon become legal in Texas.
Sports betting is still illegal in Texas and 10 other states in the U.S.
Texas is one of 11 states where sports betting is still not legal: Alabama, Alaska, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Minnesota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas, and Utah .
Patrick and Abbott were notoriously against sports gambling, but they are now no longer obstacles. It's not that clear-cut, as there are still many hoops to clear , but Marc Engel of Fort Worth Star-Telegram has explained why sports betting could once again be on the discussion table for Texas.
For the first time, a Texan can envision a future with legalized gambling possible within its borders. It does not mean it’s imminent. In a September interview with Fox 7 Austin, Goodwin said she is open to putting legalized gambling on a ballot for voters. Her win does not mean this topic will automatically flip in Austin. The Democrats took control over the Texas House, but the Republicans still have the Texas Senate. Gambling requires a constitutional amendment approved by two-thirds vote of both chambers, and a statewide vote. Hinojosa’s stance on this is murkier. In her campaign for the governor’s office, she didn’t offer anything concrete about gambling. Her only real record on this is from 2023, when she was a state representative, and she voted against the sports betting constitutional amendment.
While nothing is set in stone, at all, there's at least some hope for sports fans who have been begging to be able to bet on games. If sports betting becomes legal in Texas, it will only grow the Cowboys' value, due to potential partnership deals and more ways of generating revenue through betting.
