Online Fantasy Sports Betting
Legal sports betting is on the way to Louisiana, thanks to a November 2020 public vote. Residents approved Louisiana sports betting in 55 of 64 parishes, and legal sportsbooks could launch in the state in 2021 or 2022.
The specifics of the state’s new sports betting industry still have to be determined. Louisiana lawmakers will spend 2021 deciding on taxation, regulation, and the status of statewide online sports betting in Louisiana.
Other ways to gamble legally in the Pelican State include gaming at more than 20 land-based casinos, as well as the Louisiana Lottery. Daily Fantasy Sports are legalized, but awaiting regulations from Louisiana lawmakers and gaming agencies before they can launch.
As the Official Daily Fantasy Partner of the NFL, DraftKings is the best place for all of your fantasy football action. Jan 29, 2021 Daily fantasy sports — a spin on traditional season-long fantasy sports contests — has been around since 2007. Many people just started hearing and learning about daily fantasy sports (DFS) in the past two years since the start of legal US sports betting.
- As with most online betting platforms, DFS and fantasy sports sites allow players to deposit funds into their accounts via a number of options. The easiest and most straightforward options include credit cards and bank transfers, but most sites also are able to accept from PayPal accounts and even cryptocurrencies through sites like BitPay.
- Jan 01, 2021 No. Daily Fantasy Sports and possibly sports betting (if online sports betting is approved by lawmakers) are the only legal forms of real-money online gambling in the state. Sweepstakes casinos (like Chumba Casino and Luckyland Slots) and sweepstakes poker sites (Global Poker) are legal, however.
Legal Forms Of Gambling In Louisiana
| Game Type | Louisiana Gambling Options |
|---|---|
| Online Sports Betting | Not legalized |
| Online Casinos | Not legalized |
| Online Poker | Not legalized |
| Online Horse Race Betting | Legal, available on TVG, TwinSpires, BetAmerica and other apps |
| Online Lottery | Not legalized |
| Daily Fantasy Sports | Formally legalized in 2018, but regulations must be determined before DFS platforms can launch |
| Sweepstakes Casinos | Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots legally available |
| Sweepstakes Poker Sites | Global Poker legally available |
Louisiana Online Sports Betting
A sports betting legalization bill went to a public vote in Louisiana in November 2020. The state conducted the process as a parish-by-parish vote, and 55 of the states 64 parishes approved sports wagering.
Major metropolitan areas like New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Lafayette all approved sports betting. The language of the bill allows for all parishes that voted yes to offer retail sports betting at casinos and racetracks.
On-site mobile sports betting also got the green light, but statewide online wagering wasn’t included in the bill. If Louisiana does decide to offer full-scale online sports betting, bettors could wager on mobile apps from anywhere within the state.
Lousiana lawmakers expect to make a decision on mobile sports betting, as well as determine taxation and regulation of the new industry, during 2021.
Without legalization of statewide online sports betting, Louisiana sports betting would be limited to retail wagering at the state’s casinos and racetracks.
Online Gambling In Louisiana – The Rundown
Online Horse Race Betting
Louisiana hosts four racetracks, with pari-mutuel wagering and off-track betting (OTB) permitted in the Pelican State. Horse race betting was formally legalized in 1940, as the Louisiana State Racing Commission was created to oversee the state’s horse racing industry.
Several mobile apps offer online horse race betting in the US. The biggest three companies offering online horse race betting (TVG, TwinSpires, and BetAmerica) all offer legal wagering in Louisana.
Mobile horse race wagering currently stands as the only form of legal online gambling in Louisiana.
Sweepstakes Casinos
State-regulated online casino gaming isn’t on the horizon for Louisiana just yet. Players in the Pelican State can access sweepstakes casino sites, however, which offer the opportunity to play classic casino games and win cash prizes.
The biggest sweepstakes casino site in the US, Chumba Casino, offers casino gaming under the sweepstakes gaming model. Legally designated as a sweepstakes gaming platform, Chumba Casino offers both play money and sweepstakes games o separate sides of the site.
The play money games use a currency called “Gold Coins”, which are available for purchase. Gold Coins package purchases come with a gift, in the form of “Sweeps Coins.”
Sweeps Coins function as currency for the sweepstakes games at Chumba Casino. Sweeps Coins carry no cash value, and can’t be directly purchased.
The Sweeps Coins won in the sweepstakes casino games can be redeemed for cash prizes, however. Sweeps Coins can also be acquired for free via mail-in and social media offers.
Sweepstakes Poker
Global Poker operates as a sister site to Chumba Casino. Both platforms are owned by VGW Holdings and use the same sweepstakes gaming model.
Like Chumba Casino, Global Poker offers play money games using the Gold Coins currency, and sweepstakes games using Sweeps Coins. The Sweeps Coins poker games run around the clock, and Global Poker draws some of the highest traffic of any online poker site in the US.
Global Poker offers multi-table tournaments, Jackpot Sit & Gos, traditional sit & gos, and ring games on the sweepstakes side of the platform. These games don’t use cash as currency, but the Sweeps Coins won in these games can be redeemed for cash prizes.
Like Chumba Casino, Global Poker legally operates in 49 US states, including Louisiana.
Daily Fantasy Sports
Louisiana’s complicated relationship with Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) presents an unusual landscape for DFS operators.
DFS legalization went to a public vote in 2018, with 47 of Louisiana’s 64 parishes approving the DFS bill. Much like the 2020 sports betting legislation, however, state lawmakers must decide on regulation and taxation of the state’s DFS industry before products can launch.
That legal process has stalled since the 2018 vote. Pro-DFS lawmakers like Rep. John Stefanski hope to have the necessary regulations decided for DFS to launch in Louisiana soon.
Online Casinos
Louisiana hosts 28 casinos and racinos across the state, but regulated legal online casinos aren’t part of the state’s lineup of gambling options as of yet.
Recent trends in Louisiana’s stance on online gambling could point to positive signs for the future of online casinos, however. DFS was legalized in 2018, and sports betting was approved in 2020.
Both DFS and sports betting were greenlighted via a public vote. If online casinos could get through the legislature and on the ballot, Louisiana residents could very well vote yes on mobile casino gaming.
Online Lottery
The Louisiana Lottery Corporation operates as the state’s lottery and started offering games in 1991. The lottery offers in-state instant win and drawing games, and also participates I multi-state lotteries like Mega Millions and Powerball.
Online lottery purchases aren’t currently legal in Louisiana, however. Any kind of retailer offering online lottery purchases in the Pelican State is doing so illegally.
Louisiana Mobile Sports Betting Guide
On-Site Mobile Sports Betting
Louisiana’s sports betting bill authorizes casinos in the 55 parishes that voted yes on the bill to offer sports wagering. Casinos and racetracks located in those 55 parishes, which cover most of the state, can launch retail sportsbooks as soon as regulations are hammered out by the Louisiana legislature.
The language of the bill permits on-site mobile wagering at properties that operate a retail sportsbook. For example, if Harrah’s New Orleans casino launches a retail sportsbook, the casino could also offer a mobile app that allows wagering from anywhere on the Harrah’s New Orleans property.
Statewide Mobile Sports Betting
If statewide mobile sports betting is approved by Louisiana lawmakers, bettors could potentially wager online from anywhere within the state. Depending on the specifics of mobile sports betting regulations, online wagering could be limited to the 55 parishes that approved sports betting in the November 2020 vote.
New Jersey and Pennsylvania, two of the biggest sports betting markets in the US, produce more than 80 percent of overall wagers from mobile sports betting. Louisiana would likely realize a similar trend if online wagering is legalized.
Statewide online sports betting would allow for wagering on mobile apps for both Apple iOS and Android devices. Most online sportsbooks also allow for wagering directly through their websites, with no app download required.
If mobile sports betting launches in Louisiana here are some of the legal sportsbooks we anticipate will debut in the state:
Online Gambling In Louisiana: A Brief History
Online horse race betting currently stands as the only legalized form of real-money mobile gambling in Louisiana. Sweepstakes casinos and poker platforms (like Chumba Casino and Global Poker) also operate legally in Louisiana, but these sites don’t fall under the definition of real-money gambling.
DFS legalization went to a public vote in 2018, with 47 of 64 parishes voting yes on the measure. For DFS platforms to launch in Louisiana, however, taxation and regulations must be determined by state lawmakers and the Louisiana Gaming Control Board.
That process has taken more than two years, and as the fall sports season of 2020 dawned DFS companies like FanDuel and DraftKings still await approval to offer games in Louisiana. When DFS platforms do finally get the green light, players located in one of the 47 parishes that voted yes on DFS legalization will enjoy access.
Sports Betting – Will Louisiana Approve Online Wagering?
Sports betting is definitely on its way to Louisiana players, as a November 2020 ballot measure passed in 55 of the state’s 64 parishes. The measure approved retail sports betting at casinos and racetracks located within the 55 parishes that voted yes on the bill.
The language of the bill also allows for on-site mobile sports betting. On-site mobile apps allow for wagering anywhere on the property that runs a retail sportsbook.
Statewide mobile wagering wasn’t explicitly outlined in the 2020 sports betting bill but could be added by Louisiana lawmakers before the industry goes live. If approved, bettors could place wagers on mobile apps from anywhere with the 55 parishes that approved sports betting.
The jurisdiction of statewide online sports betting could also extend to anywhere within the state, depending on the regulations decided on by lawmakers and the Louisiana Gaming Control Board.
Live Gambling In Louisiana
Live casino gambling traces roots back to the early 1700s, with the legality of casino gaming going back and forth for more than 200 years. The current era of retail casino gaming in Louisiana began in earnest in the early 1990s.
State lawmakers approved licenses for 15 commercial casinos in 1993. That same year, Native American tribes also began negotiating with the state with the aim of opening tribal casinos.
Nearly three decades later, Louisiana’s live casino industry has evolved to include more than 20 commercial and tribal casinos. The state’s horse racetracks are also permitted to offer casino games.
Most of Louisiana’s casinos operate as riverboat properties. Only one commercial casino, Harrah’s New Orleans, is permitted by law to operate as a land-based facility.
In addition to casino gaming, other forms of legal gambling in Louisiana include pari-mutuel horse race betting at the state’s four racetracks. The Louisiana Lottery represents another legal gambling option.
Louisiana Gambling Facts
| Is lottery legal in Louisiana? | Yes, both in-state and national lotteries are legal in Louisiana |
| Does Louisiana have casinos? | Yes, Louisiana hosts more than 20 commercial and tribal casinos |
| Does Louisiana have racetracks? | Yes, Louisiana hosts four race tracks, each of which offers OTB wagering and casino games |
| Where else can you gamble in Louisiana? | Daily fantasy sports and sports betting are legal, but still pending launch. Sweepstakes casinos are legally available to players in Louisiana |
| Minimum gambling age | 21 or over for casinos; 18 or over for DFS, horse racing, and lottery |
| Who regulates gambling in Louisiana? | Louisiana Gaming Control Board |
Louisiana Casino Industry Overview
Louisiana hosts more than 20 commercial and tribal casinos. By state law, only one commercial casino, Harrah’s New Orleans, is permitted to operate as a land-based casino. All other commercial casinos in Louisiana operate as riverboat casinos.
Tribal casinos started appearing on the Louisiana landscape in the early 1990s. The Pelican State is home to four Native American-owned casino properties.
Louisiana Casinos And Locations
| Casino Name | Location |
|---|---|
| Amelia Belle | Amelia |
| Belle of Baton Rouge | Baton Rouge |
| Boomtown Bossier City | Bossier |
| Boomtown New Orleans | New Orleans |
| Coushatta Casino Resort | Kinder |
| Delta Downs | Vinton |
| Diamond Jacks Casino Bossier City | Bossier City |
| Eldorado Shreveport | Shreveport |
| Evangeline Downs | Opelousas |
| Fair Grounds Race Course | New Orleans |
| Golden Nugget Lake Charles | Lake Charles |
| Harrah’s Louisiana Downs | Bossier City |
| Harrah’s New Orleans | New Orleans |
| Hollywood Casino Baton Rouge | Baton Rouge |
| Horseshoe Bossier City | Bossier City |
| Isle of Capri Casino Lake Charles | Westlake |
| Jena Choctaw Pines Casino | Dry Prong |
| L’Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles | Lake Charles |
| L’Auberge Casino Baton Rouge | Baton Rouge |
| Margaritaville Resort Casino | Bossier City |
| Paragon Casino Resort | Marksville |
Among the state’s riverboat casinos, the St. Charles market stands as the highest revenue-earning area in the state. Louisiana’s two most popular riverboat casinos (L’Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles and Golden Nugget Lake Charles) each brought in upward of $300 million in revenue in 2019.
Aside from Harrah’s New Orleans, Louisiana’s four tribal casinos operate legally as land-based casinos. These tribal properties include Coushatta Casino Resort (Kinder), Cypress Bayou Casino (St. Mary), Jena Choctaw Pines Casino (Dry Prong), and Paragon Casino Resort (Marksville).
The Lake Charles trio of riverboat casinos realized just under a 3% increase in year-to-year revenue from 2018 to 2019. Combined revenue among the three came in at just under $746 million in adjusted gross revenues.
Harrah’s New Orleans, which holds the state’s lone license to operate as a land-based casino, brought in just over $288.5 million in revenue for the fiscal year 2017-2018. That figure represented a 2.5% increase over FY 2016-17.
Louisiana’s Casino Brands
Many of the biggest names in the US casino industry own and operate properties in Louisiana. The state’s most popular casino, L’Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles, is owned by Gaming and Leisure Properties and operated by Penn National Gaming.
Landry’s, Inc. owns Golden Nugget Lake Charles, the second-highest-grossing casino in the state. Harrah’s New Orleans is owned by Vici Properties and operated by Caesars Entertainment. Boyd Gaming also owns multiple casinos in the Louisiana market.
Other Ways To Gamble In Louisiana
Louisiana Lottery
Fantasy Sports Betting
The Louisiana Lottery Corporation operates the state lottery, which offers instant win and drawing games. Online lottery isn’t legal in Louisiana, and the only way to purchase lottery tickets is through retail locations across the state.
Louisiana also participates in the two biggest multi-state lotteries in the US, Powerball and Mega Millions.
Horse Racing
Louisiana plays host to four racetracks, including Harrah’s Louisiana Downs, Evangeline Downs, Fair Grounds Race Course, and Delta Downs.
All four of Louisiana’s horse race tracks operate as racinos, offering live horse race betting, off-track betting, and casino games.
More Resources On Louisiana Gambling
Louisiana Legal Gambling FAQ
No. Daily Fantasy Sports and possibly sports betting (if online sports betting is approved by lawmakers) are the only legal forms of real-money online gambling in the state.
Sweepstakes casinos (like Chumba Casino and Luckyland Slots) and sweepstakes poker sites (Global Poker) are legal, however. These platforms present casino games and poker as sweepstakes games.
Not yet. Sports betting was legalized in 55 parishes via public vote in November 2020. The sports betting bill that passed outlines the legalization of retail sports betting and on-site mobile sports betting.
Louisiana lawmakers are expected to spend 2021 discussing whether to allow full-scale statewide online sports betting in Louisiana.
21 or over. To place any kind of legal sports bet, you must be 21 or older. This minimum age applies to in-person, on-site mobile, and statewide mobile sports bets.
If online sports betting is approved, Louisiana will likely use the same model for mobile sports betting used by other states.
New Jersey, Colorado, Pennsylvania, West Virgina, and several other states use a model that allows casinos to operate online wagering with a licensed sports betting partner.
Some of the most popular online sportsbooks in other states include FanDuel Sportsbook, DraftKings Sportsbook, BetMGM, FOX Bet, PointsBet, and BetRivers. In most states, these brands operate under the license of land-based casinos.
Not yet. If online sports betting is legalized, however, DraftKings stands a good chance of entering the Louisiana market.
Yes. Louisiana plays home to more than 20 casinos. This lineup includes four tribal casinos, one land-based casino, and around 20 riverboat casinos.
The state’s four horse race tracks also operate as racinos, offering casino gaming and live horse racing at the same venue.
The Louisiana Gaming Control Board oversees all commercial casino operations in Louisiana. This includes all upcoming sports betting products, including mobile apps.
State lawmakers approved retail casinos in 1991. Louisiana law permits one land-based casino license (Harrah’s New Orleans), while all other casinos must operate as riverboat casinos.
Louisiana’s Native American tribes began construction on casinos in 1993, with the 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act paving the way.
No. If online sports betting gets the green light from Louisiana lawmakers, you’ll only have to be located within state borders at the time of a wager to play at regulated online sportsbooks.
Legal online sportsbooks use geolocation technology to determine a user’s location when placing a bet. You have to be located in Louisiana when making a wager, but you don’t have to be a resident.
Yes, if you’re playing at a state-regulated online casino or sportsbook. Approved online sportsbooks in Louisiana will go through a thorough vetting process and background check from the Louisiana Gaming Control Board before they’re approved for launch.
Playing at regulated online sportsbooks offers the same level of safety as playing on the casino floor at one of Louisiana’s legal casinos. Offshore sportsbooks and illegal bookmakers might not offer the same level of safety, however.
Daily fantasy sports — a spin on traditional season-long fantasy sports contests — has been around since 2007. Many people just started hearing and learning about daily fantasy sports (DFS) in the past two years since the start of legal US sports betting. What is DFS, and what should you know about it?