The frontier boom only saw them getting busier as well, as more trade passed through towns. Cowboys, smugglers, ranchers and more all loved frequenting gambling houses to get their kicks in their downtime. These gambling establishments saw a huge boom in popularity after the civil war as people wanted to take their minds off of their troubles. Part of the legendary ‘bad boy’ reputation Texas gets is from the fact that colonial Texas was absolutely swamped with brothels, saloons and gambling venues. It was classed in the same category as sex work, heavy drinking and taking drugs like peyote and opium. In the early history of Texas, gambling was seen as a vice activity. Let’s take a look through the twists and turns of the history behind gambling in Texas. Texas has always been strict with its gambling legislation. You can’t directly get access to online sports betting in Texas, but this doesn’t mean to say that there aren’t ways around it if you are a resident of the lone star state. One thing that Texans are passionate about is gambling – a passion that has a very interesting history in the state. It’s well known for standing strong and having some of the most passionate Americans in the USA. Texas has its own reputation amongst the states of America.