Jerry Jones Backs Sports Betting Law in Texas

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones believes the political shift in Texas could help legalize sports betting. In the state, Democrats won major victories in key races, including lieutenant governor and the Senate. Gina Hinojosa will be the state's first Democratic governor since Ann Richards. In the lieutenant governor race, Vikki Goodwin created a major upset by defeating three-term incumbent Dan Patrick. James Talarico, meanwhile, defeated Ken Paxton, sending a Democrat to the Senate for the first time in more than thirty years. In the state legislature, Democrats also won seats around Dallas and regained lost ground in border areas.

Jones describes himself as politically neutral and says he has donated to both Republicans and Democrats. The 84-year-old billionaire says 99 percent of his political activity is for the Cowboys. Even so, it has been reported that he gave 250,000 dollars to Paxton and 500,000 dollars to Republican candidates in the state for the 2026 midterm elections.

In his weekly Friday interview on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas, Jones said he hopes the political shift will lead to regulated sports betting. In his view, sports betting is not legal in Texas but it is happening in practice. He argued that legalization would protect consumers, generate tax revenue, and protect the integrity of sports competitions.

The Texas Constitution bans sports betting. For that reason, the legislature must first pass a bill that would put the issue to a statewide referendum. If a simple majority of voters approves the measure, the legislature could then set the rules for how betting would be run.