Louisiana Sports Betting

Legalized sports betting has trickled down from the Northeast, into the Midwest and out toward the Pacific. The South, though, remains slower to actualization.

That said, two states surrounding Louisiana have launched regulated wagering, and the Pelican State could join that group.

In November 2020, voters will have the opportunity to decide if sports betting should be legal in their respective parishes.

If even a single parish, or county, approves legalization, lawmakers in Louisiana can move forward with additional legislation. It appears more than likely, however, that a majority of parishes will sign off on state regulation.

The public will likely have to wait until fall 2021, though. Because even if voters approve legalization, lawmakers will still need to return to work and pass two more bills: one for language in regulation and licensing procedures, and another to set the tax rate.

Regardless, all signs point to Louisiana boasting its own regulated sports betting industry in the near future.

When will Louisiana sports betting launch?

Before any timeline can truly be set, Louisiana first has to legalize sports betting.

In November, voters will decide just that after the House passed a regulated wagering referendum bill by a 71-24 vote in May. All 64 parishes in Louisiana will weigh in on the measure, which would tab the Louisiana Gaming Control Board as the regulatory authority for the industry.

If even one parish approves of legalized sports betting, legislators can move forward with two additional bills addressing licensing, regulation and taxation. It appears likely that voters in most parishes would approve of regulated wagering. But the possibility remains that some would not approve, thus creating a fractured industry statewide.

Lawmakers believe that at least 47 parishes would sign off on legalizing sports betting.

If voters do approve of the measure, lawmakers would return next year to draft a few more bills on the industry’s specifics, potentially setting up a fall 2021 launch of regulated sports betting in Louisiana.

Sports betting legislation in Louisiana

Louisiana lawmakers carried a bill to legalize sports betting and daily fantasy sports to the goal line in 2019. But on the final day of the session, it didn’t receive enough support to move forward.

In 2020, however, several legislators shouldered the load to make another push.

Several bills emerged to put the question to legalize wagering in front of voters, with some of those bills also including regulatory language that restricted betting to casino properties without the option for online wagering.

The measure that ultimately made it through simply asks voters if sports betting should be legal while also tabbing the Louisiana Gaming Control Board as the regulatory body.

Mobile wagering remains in question, though the possibility of it is not dead. The topic expects to be discussed next year.

Where will I be able to make legal sports bets in Louisiana?

As indicated, where you are able to place a bet depends on which parishes approve of legalization.

Louisiana features 15 riverboats, four racinos and one land-based casino as well as three tribal casinos. Likely those parishes will favor regulated wagering.

Property	Type
Boomtown Bossier City	Riverboat
Eldorado Shreveport	Riverboat
Horseshoe Bossier City	Riverboat
Diamond Jacks Casino Bossier City	Riverboat
Sam's Town Shreveport	Riverboat
Margaritaville Resort Casino	Riverboat
Isle of Capri Casino Lake Charles	Riverboat
L'Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles	Riverboat
Golden Nugget Lake Charles	Riverboat
Amelia Belle	Riverboat
Boomtown New Orleans	Riverboat
Treasure Chest Casino	Riverboat
Belle of Baton Rouge	Riverboat
Hollywood Casino Baton Rouge	Riverboat
L'Auberge Casino Baton Rouge	Riverboat
Delta Downs	Racino
Harrah's Louisiana Downs	Racino
Evangeline Downs	Racino
Fair Grounds	Racino
Harrah's New Orleans	Land-based
Coushatta Casino Resort	Tribal
Cypress Bayou Casino & Shorty's	Tribal
Paragon Casino Resort	Tribal

How old do I have to be to place sports bets in Louisiana?

The legal minimum age to gamble in casinos and play video poker in Louisiana is 21 years, while no one under the age of 18 can participate in the lottery or horse betting. As for regulated sports betting, the most common minimum age among states that have legalized the industry is 21.

Of course, this will be an area broached by lawmakers if voters approve the bill in November.

How do I begin betting on Louisiana sports?

Requirements for how and where to sign up for legalized sports betting accounts have yet to be determined, obviously.

That said, based on other states, the process has typically followed a similar pattern.

Registering for a new account

No matter if bettors are signing up for a new account online or in person, the information they need to provide remains the same. These pieces of information allow operators to confirm identities as well as run background checks to determine if an individual is allowed to participate.

This information includes:

• Name
• Email address
• Date of birth
• Cell phone number
• Address
• Social Security number or last four digits

Of course, those signing up for online wagering will need to create usernames and passwords that allow them to access their accounts.

Making deposits and withdrawing from accounts

Once an account is created, individuals will then need to make a deposit in order to place wagers.

Typically, sportsbooks offer a variety of methods for funding accounts. The most common method is credit and debit cards, such as Visa and Mastercard.

Other ways include:

• Online bank transfers, which are similar to online bill pay
• Wire transfers
• Electronic checks
• Prepaid cards
• Electronic wallets such as PayPal
• Cash at the land-based casino cage
• Checks or money orders

It should be noted that not all sportsbooks will offer all these options. Each operator will determine which methods are acceptable.

Additionally, some banks have flagged gambling sites. So when their customers attempt to use credit cards to fund their accounts, select banks decline those transactions.

For good measure, check back with PlayUSA before you submit a deposit request to your sportsbook of choice. Not only do we feature bonus offers from sportsbooks, but we also share exclusive deals not found anywhere else.

Withdrawing from LA sportsbooks

Similar to depositing, online sportsbooks usually offer multiple ways for bettors to cash out winnings, albeit with fewer available options.

As has been the case, many operators prefer to deliver withdrawals via electronic or paper checks. However, several other methods include:

• Online bank transfers
• Wire transfers
• Electronic checks
• Prepaid cards
• Electronic wallets
• Cash at the land-based casino cage

Do I have to be in Louisiana to bet online?

Should Louisiana greenlight online sports betting, bettors physically must be within state lines. If not all parishes approve of the November bill, that creates a bit more of a hassle for lawmakers looking to capitalize on mobile wagering.

Creating a geofence around parishes that have signed off on legalization, for example, would be similar to states that do not allow for online betting while on tribal land.

Individuals do not need to be in Louisiana in order to create an account. But those looking to place bets would need to be within state lines.

Betting on pro and collegiate teams in Louisiana

Smack-dab in the heart of SEC country and home to several gritty pro teams, Louisiana boasts lovable franchises and colleges in a sports-hungry area of America.

The state is home to two pro teams: the New Orleans Saints of the NFL and the New Orleans Pelicans of the NBA. And, of course, perennial college football contender LSU, among other FBS colleges.

• New Orleans Pelicans (NBA)
• New Orleans Saints (NFL)
• LSU (SEC)
• Louisiana Tech (C-USA)
• Louisiana-Lafayette (Sun Belt)
• Louisiana-Monroe (Sun Belt)
• Tulane (AAC)

What types of sports bets will be available in Louisiana?

Depending on how lawmakers develop follow-up bills regarding regulations, Louisiana could offer the full gamut of possible betting markets.

Most states do, after all. And those types of bets include:

• Moneyline: Wagers on which team or player will win, regardless of score. This is the simplest type of bet.
• Spreads: Bets based on how many points a team wins by. Not necessarily who wins, but the point differential. For example, if one team is favored by 3.5 points, you could bet on that team to win by at least four points for the win. Or, you could take the underdog to lose by three or fewer points or to win outright.
• Totals: Here, which team wins makes no difference. It’s about the total score. With totals, you are wagering on how many points, for example, both teams will score during a game, either over the total set by a sportsbook or under.
• Futures: A very popular market, futures allow bettors to put money down on a prediction. Picking the Saints to win the Super Bowl before the season even begins, for example.
• Parlay: This type of bet is a little riskier, as it includes several legs in one bet. You receive bigger payouts, but every leg of the bet must win. So, if you have the Saints, Pelicans and LSU to all win, all three must win. Even if one team loses, the parlay is broken.

Which sportsbooks will launch in Louisiana?

At this point, it’s hard to say exactly which operators will move into Louisiana.

However, existing casino companies in the state already offer regulated wagering elsewhere. Eldorado Resorts, for example, acquired Caesars Entertainment in 2020 and has a wide array of sports betting offerings in other states.

Should Louisiana elect to integrate online wagers, it’s a safe assumption that a variety of operators would be ready to set foot in the Pelican State and capture the hungry sports nuts in Louisiana.

The likes of DraftKings and FanDuel, for example, have shown aggressive expansion across the country, while established brands such as BetMGM and William Hill could likely enter the fold as well. Then consider bookmakers from overseas, such as PointsBet, and the potential for incoming operators increases even more.

Background of Louisiana gambling law

Government-run gambling in Louisiana dates back hundreds of years. In fact, the first establishment cropped up in 1753, courtesy Gov. Louis Billouart de Kerlerec, who essentially conceded that cracking down on gambling had proven fruitless.

By 1866, the Louisiana State Lottery was formed, though it was shut down just 30 years later as government officials didn’t approve of residents supporting the group. Alleged corruption and other legal issues certainly didn’t help, either. The state lottery eventually returned in a landmark year for state gambling.

In 1991, 70 years after pari-mutuel wagering on horse races became legal, Louisiana approved a new lottery system as well as 15 riverboat casinos and video poker machines.

Two years later, three Native American tribes negotiated compacts with the state that included opening casinos on tribal land.

Expansion continued in 1997, as Louisiana authorized slot machines at racetracks.

Now, Louisiana features 20 state-regulated casinos and racinos as well as three tribal casinos.

In 2018, voters approved the legalization of daily fantasy sports in the state. But it was not until July 2020 when Gov. John Bel Edwards signed a bill to set the tax rate for the industry. By fall, the public will likely have the opportunity to participate in DFS.

This came on the heels of lawmakers pushing a bill through to ask voters if sports betting should be legal, which they will decide in November.