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Introduction
The landscape of sports betting in the United States is poised for another wave of legislative activity in 2025, with Georgia, Texas, and Minnesota leading the charge. These three states are among those expected to take significant steps toward legalizing sports betting, driven by growing public interest and the potential for substantial tax revenues.
In Texas, the legislature convenes every two years, creating a limited window for action. Efforts to legalize sports betting failed in both the 2021 and 2023 sessions, despite strong advocacy from professional sports teams and major sportsbook operators. While challenges remain, 2025 offers a fresh opportunity to revisit the issue. Success will depend on overcoming opposition from conservative lawmakers and securing bipartisan support.
Georgia has also struggled to gain traction on sports betting legislation. In 2024, two sports-betting-related bills cleared the state Senate but failed to reach a vote in the House before the legislative session ended. The 2025 session could see renewed efforts, bolstered by the state’s proximity to thriving sports betting markets in Florida, Tennessee, and North Carolina. Advocates will need to address political divides and ensure that proposals include robust funding for education and problem gambling programs to win broader support.
Minnesota’s push for sports betting has faced hurdles due to disagreements among key stakeholders, including tribal nations, parimutuel operators, and charitable gaming organizations. After falling short in 2024, lawmakers are expected to return to the negotiating table in 2025. The success of these efforts will likely hinge on finding a compromise that respects tribal sovereignty while accommodating other gaming interests.
Meanwhile, Missouri has emerged as a bright spot in the sports betting landscape. In 2024, voters narrowly approved a measure to legalize both retail and online betting, making it the only state to achieve such a milestone that year. The initiative received strong backing from the state’s professional sports teams, including MLB, NFL, NHL, MLS, and NWSL franchises. These teams will have the opportunity to establish retail sports betting locations near their stadiums and partner with branded online platforms. Missouri’s six casino operators will also offer both retail and online sportsbooks, with two additional licenses available for independent online operators. Retail and online betting are expected to launch before the start of the 2025 football season, providing a potential blueprint for other states to follow.
As the nation’s sports betting market continues to grow, the experiences of states like Georgia, Texas, Minnesota, and Missouri will shape the future of this evolving industry. The coming year will be critical in determining whether these states can overcome legislative and political obstacles to join the ranks of those offering legal sports betting.
Texas: A Pivotal Year Ahead
The Texas legislature meets every two years, and 2025 marks the next opportunity to revisit sports betting legislation. Despite strong lobbying efforts, Texas has failed to pass sports betting bills in both 2021 and 2023. Advocates point to increasing bipartisan support and potential economic benefits as reasons for optimism this year. However, as the most populous state without legalized sports betting, Texas’s legislative journey will likely face resistance from conservative lawmakers and influential anti-gambling groups.
Georgia: Overcoming Past Stalemates
Sports betting returns to Georgia’s legislative agenda in 2025 after a tumultuous 2024 session that ended without progress. Surrounded by states such as Florida, Tennessee, and North Carolina—all of which offer online betting—Georgia’s lack of legalization stands out.
For sports betting to become a reality in Georgia, lawmakers must pass both a gambling legalization bill and an enabling bill to regulate sports betting and casino gambling. Each must secure a two-thirds majority in both legislative chambers before being signed by Governor Brian Kemp, a longtime supporter of legalized betting. Finally, voters would need to approve the measures in a statewide referendum.
In 2024, a rewrite of the enabling bill in the House committee cut funding for key programs like pre-K education and problem gambling support. This alienated bipartisan support, effectively dooming the legislation. With voting integrity—a contentious topic last year—no longer on the agenda, lawmakers hope for better collaboration in 2025. If successful, Georgia could offer up to 16 licenses, benefiting professional sports teams, venues, and independent operators.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma’s efforts to legalize sports betting remain at a standstill due to the intricate relationship between the state government and Native American tribes. The tribes currently hold exclusive rights to gambling in the state under long-standing gaming compacts. Governor Kevin Stitt has spent the past two years attempting to negotiate a deal with the tribes but faced another setback in 2024. The Oklahoma Indian Gaming Association continues to assert that the existing compacts grant their members sole control over all forms of betting.
Senator Casey Murdock has introduced a new bill aimed at reshaping the state’s betting landscape. His proposal would open sports betting operations to any qualified operator, with tribal nations allowed to negotiate compacts under the governor’s oversight. However, these compacts would also require approval from the Legislature’s Joint Committee on State-Tribal Relations. Despite these efforts, progress will likely stall until the tribes are fully integrated into the decision-making process.
Minnesota
In Minnesota, lawmakers are preparing for their third consecutive attempt to bring sports betting legislation to fruition. The 2024 push fell short due to a lack of consensus among stakeholders, which include tribal nations, parimutuel operators, and charitable gaming organizations. Disagreements over the structure and distribution of betting revenues have been a persistent roadblock.
Looking ahead to 2025, there are signs of potential collaboration. Tribal and parimutuel representatives have reportedly initiated preliminary talks to find common ground. If successful, Minnesota could finally establish a framework that balances tribal sovereignty with the inclusion of other gaming entities. With public support growing and neighboring states embracing sports betting, Minnesota’s legislature faces mounting pressure to deliver.
California
California remains the crown jewel for the potential expansion of sports betting in the United States. As the country’s most populous state, the sheer size of its market holds unparalleled promise for operators, but legal sports betting apps remain out of reach. A significant shift among the state’s powerful Native American tribes would be required to change that status quo.
The tribes—which hold significant influence over gaming in California—remain the key stakeholders in this debate. Efforts to legalize mobile betting have failed spectacularly without their support. In 2022, a high-profile $600 million campaign to pass two competing sports betting ballot initiatives failed decisively at the polls. Both proposals—one backed by major sportsbook operators and another by tribal entities—were rejected by voters amid a flurry of misleading advertisements and public confusion.
A second attempt to place sports betting initiatives on the 2024 ballot was quietly abandoned in early January of that year. This decision reflected a growing recognition among advocates that any path forward must involve consensus with the tribes. “To go back and do another ballot referendum without the Tribes buying in is a fool’s errand,” said veteran gaming lobbyist Bill Pascrell III in an interview with bookies.com.
Despite the setbacks, stakeholders remain optimistic about the long-term prospects of sports betting in California. The financial stakes are simply too high to ignore. Legal sports betting could generate billions in annual revenue for the state, creating new funding streams for education, infrastructure, and public services. It could also provide lucrative opportunities for sportsbooks eager to tap into the massive California market.
However, achieving these goals will require careful negotiation and collaboration with tribal leaders. The tribes have expressed concerns about protecting their gaming exclusivity, which has been a cornerstone of their economic sovereignty for decades. Any future ballot measure or legislative effort will need to address these concerns while balancing the interests of other stakeholders, including commercial operators and state lawmakers.
For now, California bettors will have to look to neighboring states like Nevada and Arizona to place their wagers. While the dream of legal mobile sports betting in the Golden State persists, it is unlikely to become a reality for several more years. The road ahead is long, but with so much at stake, the conversation is far from over.
South Carolina
South Carolina’s sports betting prospects in 2025 will largely depend on developments in neighboring North Carolina, which has already embraced legalized betting. A previous attempt to pass legislation, House Bill 3749, failed during the 2023-2024 session. This bill sought to allow residents aged 18 and older to wager on up to eight sports betting platforms.
Proponents of sports betting in South Carolina are expected to reintroduce similar legislation in 2025. Advocates argue that the state risks losing revenue to neighboring markets if it does not act soon. However, South Carolina’s conservative legislature remains a significant obstacle, with gambling expansion historically facing strong opposition.
Alabama
In Alabama, the push for legalized gambling gained momentum in 2024 but ultimately fell short of meaningful reform. Governor Kay Ivey has expressed her support for expanded betting options, but legislative efforts faced hurdles in the Senate. Two bills introduced in 2024 proposed a comprehensive approach to gambling, including sports betting, casino gaming, a state lottery, and pari-mutuel wagering. While the House passed both bills, the Senate removed the sports betting and casino provisions, leaving only the lottery and pari-mutuel components intact.
House Bill 151 sought to amend Alabama’s Constitution to legalize gambling and passed the House with a 70-32 vote—exceeding the required three-fifths majority. However, the bill never made it to the Senate floor. Similarly, House Bill 152 initially aimed to legalize a range of gambling activities, including online and retail sports betting, a state lottery, and up to 10 casino sites offering table games and slot machines. The removal of key provisions by the Senate committee effectively nullified its impact.
It has been 26 years since Alabama voters last rejected a proposed state lottery. With public sentiment shifting and increased competition from neighboring states, 2025 could present a renewed opportunity for Alabama to revisit its stance on gambling.
