GAMBLING PROMOTION
Gambling Promotion in Texas: what bail is set at, how often a personal bond is granted, and what usually happens to the charge.
What “GAMBLING PROMOTION” means
Texas Penal Code § 47.03, gambling promotion, targets the operating and profit-taking side of illegal gambling rather than mere participation as a bettor. A person commits the offense by intentionally or knowingly: operating or participating in the earnings of a gambling place; engaging in bookmaking; for gain, becoming a custodian of anything of value bet or offered to be bet; selling chances on the partial or final result of, or margin of victory in, a game or contest, or on the performance of a participant; or, for gain, setting up or promoting a lottery, or selling, offering to sell, possessing for transfer, or transferring tickets or other devices evidencing participation in a lottery. It is a Class A misdemeanor, distinguished from simple gambling under Texas Penal Code § 47.02, which addresses making bets.
| Charged as | Possible confinement | Fine | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Class A misdemeanor | Up to 1 year in county jail | Fine up to $4,000 | Penal Code § 12.21 |
Ranges are the statutory maximums for the level; enhancements, prior convictions and plea agreements change what is actually imposed.
Bail for GAMBLING PROMOTION in Texas
Across 1,556 Texas bail settings for this charge (10 counties, Apr 2022 – Jun 2025), the median cash or surety bond was $2,500 (middle half: $1,000 – $5,000). 19% of defendants were released on a personal bond, and bail was denied in 21 cases. When this was the only charge at booking (79 records), the median was $2,000 and 32% got a personal bond.
| County | Records | Median cash bail | Middle half | Personal bond | Denied |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nueces | 395 | $1,750 | $1,000 – $5,000 | 2% | 0% |
| Tarrant | 258 | $1,000 | $750 – $1,000 | 52% | 0% |
| Bexar | 156 | $2,000 | $1,000 – $5,000 | 13% | 2% |
| Hidalgo | 119 | $5,000 | $5,000 – $10,000 | 46% | 0% |
| Karnes | 77 | $3,000 | $3,000 – $3,000 | 0% | 0% |
Showing the 5 counties with the most records; use the selector for any county with at least 30. Per-charge bond settings on original magistrations, from Texas OCA bail reporting under SB 6. Bail is set case by case — these are statistics, not a prediction.
How real GAMBLING PROMOTION cases ended
Individual cases from the public court record, with the disposition and sentence text exactly as the clerk entered it. Every case is decided on its own facts.
Ended without a conviction
Deferred adjudication
Ended in a conviction
Charged with GAMBLING PROMOTION?
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Find a Defense AttorneyBail data: Texas Office of Court Administration magistration reports (SB 6), Apr 2022 – Jun 2025. Court outcomes: county district and county clerk records. Statistics describe past cases and are not legal advice; every case is decided on its own facts.