Texas Lottery Bingo
Texas is one of the strictest states when it comes to gambling and its laws can cover a wide variety of activities. Under Texas law, (Penal Code §47.02) gambling is considered a criminal offense if someone:
- makes a bet on the partial or final result of a game or contest or on the performance of a participant in a game or contest
- makes a bet on the result of any political nomination, appointment, or election or on the degree of success of any nominee, appointee, or candidate; or
- plays and bets for money or other thing of value at any game played with cards, dice, balls, or any other gambling device.
Get a Lotto Texas® playslip from your favorite Texas Lottery ® retailer or create a play using the Texas Lottery® app. Select six (6) numbers from 1 to 54 in the play area of the playboard or mark the 'QP' box and the terminal will select your six (6) numbers. Bingo Service Portal. Forgot Password? Public FAQs: User Id: Password: Logon. First Time User? Create An Account: NOTE: Make sure you have added this site to allow popups for your browser. Terms and Conditions. How to Play Mega Millions®. Get a Mega Millions playslip from your favorite Texas Lottery® retailer or create a play using the Texas Lottery app. Select five (5) numbers from 1 to 70 in the play area of the playboard or mark the 'QP' box and the terminal will select your five (5) numbers. Non-profit organizations and other community groups may operate bingo games and sell pull-tabs (referred to as 'Instant Bingo'), with a license from the Charitable Bingo Operations Division of the Texas Lottery Commission. Bingo sessions are limited to three per week, with a maximum prize value of $750 for a single game.
The law does provide for some exceptions such as participating in the state lotteryor placing bets on horse and greyhound dog races (sometimes referred to as pari-mutuel wagering). The law also provides for some affirmative defenses to prosecution:
- the actor engaged in gambling in a private place;
- no person received any economic benefit other than personal winnings; and
- except for the advantage of skill or luck, the risks of losing and the chances of winning were the same for all participants
Additional exceptions include if the person reasonably believed their conduct:
- was permitted under Chapter 2001, Occupations Code; (Charitable Bingo)
- was permitted under Chapter 2002, Occupations Code; (Charitable Raffles)
- was permitted under Chapter 2004, Occupations Code; (Sports Charity Raffles)
The first page of this guide will provide you with an overview of the Texas laws on gambling while the subsequent pages will discuss more specific topics like bingo, eight-liners and poker.
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