GAMBLING PROMOTIONTexas Penal Code (PC) § 47.03
Gambling Promotion is a Class A misdemeanor under Texas Penal Code (PC) § 47.03. It is punishable by up to 1 year in county jail and a fine up to $4,000.
Below: how these cases end in Texas courts, how long they take, and the punishment.
What does “GAMBLING PROMOTION” mean?
Gambling Promotion is a Class A misdemeanor under Texas PC § 47.03.
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.
How did real GAMBLING PROMOTION cases end?
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
What is the punishment for Gambling Promotion in Texas?
Up to 1 year in county jail and a fine up to $4,000.
| 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.
How much is bail for GAMBLING PROMOTION in Texas?
The median bail is $2,500, and 19% of defendants were released on a personal bond.
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.
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.