Louisiana

Louisiana Gambling Overview

Since the colonial era, legalized gambling has been woven into Louisiana’s economic, political and cultural fabric. It has been a tumultuous ride, with several attempts to ban the activity, proving ultimately fruitless.

Video poker is available in truck stops, restaurants, and bars in the southern part of the state. There are also riverboat casinos, a land-based casino, racinos, and tribal casinos.

Fantasy sports betting is expected to go live in Spring 2021. Businesses will be able to apply for licenses to start operating fantasy sports games only in the 47 of 64 parishes that approved it.

55 parishes have agreed to the legalization of sports gambling. However, it is expected that bettors won’t be able to make legal sports bets until 2022.

Lottery

The Louisiana Lottery is overseen by the Joint Legislative Committee on the Budget, Governor of Louisiana, Senate Judiciary B Committee, Office of the Legislative Auditor, and House Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice.

It offers instant games consisting of instant play scratch-off tickets, and tickets to draws. It also sells tickets for multi-state games, including Powerball and Mega Millions.

Tickets can be purchased at authorized retailers. Louisiana does allow the buying of tickets over mobile.

Charitable Gambling

Charitable gaming is regulated by the Office of Charitable Gaming. Legal forms of gaming include pull tabs, electronic video bingo, Las Vegas nights, charitable raffles, keno, and bingo. Organizations must hold a license unless meeting the following conditions.

• Five or fewer charitable activities per year
• Gross receipts of no more than $5,000 per year from all gambling activities
• Gambling premises is donated
• Pulltabs and electronic video bingo machines are not offered

Pari-Mutuel Racing

Horse racing and pari-mutuel gaming are regulated by the Louisiana Racing Commission. Dog racing is prohibited in the state. The state has 4 racetrack casinos (racinos) where players can participate in live racing and simulcast off-track betting. These racinos also offer hundreds of slot machines.

Video Poker

Louisiana has over 1,700 video poker outlets on over 13,000 devices in 31 approved parishes. Outlets are authorized in restaurants, bars, off-track betting parlors, truck stops, and hotels.

State and Tribal Casinos

Louisiana law requires that local voters first pass a local ballot referendum to allow commercial gambling in the region (‘parish’).

Louisiana presently has 13 riverboat/land-based casinos licensed to operate. Gambling on international commercial cruise ships to parish ports with a population of 475,000 or more is permitted.

The state also permits tribal gaming operated by three tribes: Chitimacha, Coushatta, and Tunica-Biloxi.

Casinos in Louisiana offer table game variants of blackjack, baccarat, craps, roulette, and poker. They also offer slot machines, electronic table games, and video poker.

Louisiana Gambling History

In 1886 the Louisiana lottery was created, which Democrats attempted but failed to abolish in 1879 due to rampant corruption. In 1895, the Louisiana legislature prohibited a renewal of the lottery’s Charter, effectively sealing its fate.

During the 1920s, New Orleans Fair Grounds pari-mutuel betting was the only form of sanctioned gambling. This didn’t stop illegal casinos from sprouting up. Louisiana’s oil-based economy collapsed early in the 1980s, serving as a catalyst for promoting legalized gambling by Gov Edwin Edwards, whose efforts failed.

In 1940, The Louisiana State Racing Commission was created to regulate the practice. Nearly half a century later, in 1987, Louisiana approved charitable bingo, keno, and raffles in the state. Charity machines would later be approved in 1991.

On January 15, 1991, the Louisiana Lottery Corporation began operating. That same year (1991), commercial casinos were legalized and regulated, with the Louisiana Gaming Control Board created in 1996.

1993 saw the state negotiate three tribal casinos compacts with the Tunica-Biloxi, Coushatta, and Chitimacha tribes, leading to casinos on tribal land.

In the 1997 Regular Session, slot machine gaming at live horse racing facilities was authorized in Calcasieu, Bossier, St. Landry Parishes by Act 721. Act 352 in 2003 authorized limited slot machines in Orleans Parish. Then came Act 591 in 2006, authorizing up to 700 slot machines at the facility in Orleans Parish. This was followed by several other parishes.

In November 2020, voters in 55 of 64 Louisiana parishes approved sports betting in their counties.

In December 2020, fantasy sports regulations were agreed by lawmakers in 47 parishes that had approved fantasy sports in November 2018.

Louisiana Gambling FAQ

What types of gambling are legal in Louisiana?

Louisiana allows pari-mutuel horse racing, lottery, charitable gaming, video poker, commercial casinos, and tribal casinos. The state will soon offer fantasy sports and sports betting.

Does Louisiana have a state lottery?

Yes, The Louisiana Lottery offers state and multi-state lottery products.

Is fantasy sports betting legal in Louisiana?

Yes, 47 of 64 Louisiana parishes approved fantasy sports. It is expected to go live in the spring of 2021.

Is sports betting legal in Louisiana?

Sports betting was approved in 55 of Louisiana’s parishes and is expected to go live in 2022.

Can I find commercial casinos or tribal casinos in Louisiana?

Yes, Louisiana has riverboat casinos, a land-based casino, and tribal casinos.

Is video poker legal in Louisiana?

Video poker is available at truck stops, restaurants, bars, off-track betting parlors, and hotels in Southern Louisiana.