Feds: ‘Local Golfing Legend’ Ran Illegal Sportsbook at Golf Simulator Sports Bar

Federal prosecutors in Texas allege that a self-described “local golfing legend” ran an illegal sports betting ring out of his indoor Trackman golf club and sports bar in McAllen.

Ronald Lynn Kilby, 71, of Lakeway, Texas, is accused of using Killers Golf, an indoor golf center with Trackman hitting bays and a sports bar, to recruit bettors to his illegal sports gambling network. Kilby opened Killers Golf in March 2020.

Federal prosecutors allege in a criminal complaint that Kilby and his coconspirators recruited patrons to place illegal sports bets on websites they controlled that were maintained on servers located outside the United States.

The complaint details that Kilby provided bettors with unique usernames and passwords to access the offshore sportsbooks. Bettors who lost would pay up in person with cash at Killers Golf or through mobile payment services like Venmo and PayPal.

Law enforcement alleges that Kilby’s illegal sports betting operation took at least $2.4 million in bets through March 25, 2026. The gambling conspiracy allegedly netted Kilby more than $1.2 million.

The Legend Continues

Kilby describes himself as a “local golfing legend” and “The Original Killer” on his Killers Golf website.

Kilby was a member of the University of Houston 1977 national champion golf team and competed in 18 national championships conducted by the United States Golf Association (USGA), including seven US Amateurs and two US Senior Opens.

The local legend is charged with a single count of conspiracy to commit a federal crime or defraud the US government. Kilby faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and fines up to $250,000.

In March, Killers Golf was raided by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), a unit of the Department of Homeland Security. HSI investigates crime “at home, abroad, and online,” the agency says on its website.

Valley Central reports that Kilby’s criminal charge could be related to Marco Antonio Cardenas, 48, of Mission, who pleaded guilty in September 2026 to a similar conspiracy count. In his plea, Cardenas admitted to running LVAction.com and JCSportsBet.com, which ran on servers based in Costa Rica. Both websites remain live but can only be accessed with login credentials.

Texas Sports Betting

Texas is one of only 11 states without some form of legal sports betting. The others are Alabama, Alaska, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Minnesota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, and Utah.

Proponents of authorizing sports betting claim regulation hurts illegal operators and brings bettors already participating into a safe betting environment. The Sports Betting Alliance says legal sports betting provides consumer protections and responsible gaming tools that do not exist in the unregulated market.

Texas lawmakers are expected to once again consider sports betting legislation in 2027.