AUSTIN, Texas — On Tuesday, Republican Rep. Dan Huberty and Democratic Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa each filed two matching bills in their respective chambers.
One of the bills would let voters decide if they want to amend the state constitution to legalize sports wagers. The other lays out the rules regulating sports betting.
The lawmakers say Texas stands to get $1.8 billion over 10 years if sports betting becomes legal, and they estimate that, right now, $5 billion in illegal bets are placed each year.
Now that the bills are filed, they will have to be assigned to committees for review and hearings.
KVUE spoke with professional sports handicapper Lee Sterling about what legal sports betting could mean for sports fans across Texas.
"You're going to see bigger crowds at games because they're going to want to be involved. They can wager on in-game wagers, individual plays, and the fans will want to stay there until the end of the games. It's exciting and if done correctly, I think it's a win-win for everyone," he said.
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