TwinSpires begins accepting customers in Texas

TwinSpires.com, the account-wagering provider owned by Churchill Downs Inc., has begun accepting wagers on horse racing from Texas residents.

TwinSpires stopped accepting customers from Texas in September 2013 after a federal judge dismissed Churchill's lawsuit against the state's ban on internet gaming. A post on social media site X from racing analyst Dave Valento was the first indication that TwinSpires had re-entered the Lone Star State. 

A second Texas resident contacted by Horse Racing Nation confirmed that he could wager using the app. Recent attempts to do so resulted in a message that would tell the user TwinSpires is not available in Texas.

One industry executive speculated that Churchill was emboldened by its victory in Michigan, where a three-judge panel ruled that the Interstate Horseracing Act does not allow Michigan to require ADWs to be tied to a state licensee. Churchill does not operate any racetracks in Texas.

Churchill's lawsuit 12 1/2 years ago challenged the Texas prohibition on internet wagering, but after its win in Michigan, Churchill appears to be taking the approach that states cannot prohibit what the Interstate Horseracing Act allows.