Louisiana Gambling Sites – Laws, Regulations, and Online Gambling Guide

Louisiana has a handful of beautiful riverboat casinos, plenty of charitable
gambling to go around, and some pari-mutuel horse racing.

But Louisiana’s history with gambling has been a love/hate one, like when
they legalized the state lottery, outlawed it, then legalized it again.

But where does Louisiana stand along the many states considering regulated
online gambling?

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Online Gambling and Louisiana Law

Is Online Gambling Legal in Louisiana?

Online gambling is illegal in Louisiana.

Here’s what the f
Louisiana Revised Statutes says about online gambling:

“Gambling has long been recognized as a crime in the state of Louisiana and
despite the enactment of many legalized gaming activities remains a crime.

Gambling by computer is the intentional conducting, or directly assisting in
the conducting as a business of any game, contest, lottery, or contrivance
whereby a person risks the loss of anything of value in order to realize a
profit when accessing the Internet, World Wide Web, or any part thereof by way
of any computer, computer system, computer network, computer software, or any
server.

Whoever commits the crime of gambling by computer shall be fined not more
than five hundred dollars, or imprisoned for not more than six months, or both.”

Can I Get Arrested for Gambling Online in Louisiana?

Since it’s illegal to gamble online in Louisiana, yes, you can get arrested
for it, but you probably won’t.

We couldn’t find any residents who’ve been arrested for gambling online.

The Louisiana law enforcement is more interested in taking down residents who
run illegal online casinos.

Our advice, of course, is to obey the law of the land, regardless of
jurisdiction. At the same time, we’re aware that some of our readers want
guidance about risk levels. We think that playing a hand of blackjack on the web
is one of the lowest-risk crimes you can imagine in Louisiana or elsewhere.

With this kind of business, it’s traditional for law enforcement to focus on
the providers rather than the customers. Online gambling of any kind is usually
low on law enforcement’s radar, although running an illicit gambling operation
presents considerable risk.

Is Louisiana Going to Legalize Online Gaming?

It’s unclear if Louisiana is going to legalize online gaming. The state has
been looking into state-regulated online gaming since 2013, but we’ve seen no
progress toward online gambling.

How do I choose a good and safe offshore gaming site?

If you’re in Louisiana and looking to play on the web, an offshore gambling
site is your most realistic option. As a bettor, the legal risks are minimal,
but the other risks are considerable. You need to worry about whether the site
is going to provide you with good customer service and reasonable payout times.

If you read the reviews on our site and keep the following in mind, you’ll
have a better time finding a place to play.

• Game Variety

The first thing you should do is check to see
if the site has the game you’re interested in playing. Also check out what other
games they have available, in case you occasionally want to switch up the games
you play.

It’s silly to sign up for an all-slots site if your goal is to place sports
bets and play blackjack.

• Tournaments

If tournaments are something you’re planning
on participating in, make sure the site you’re looking at offers good ones. Look
at the tournaments page for information like prizes, frequency, and rules.

• Bonus Terms and Conditions

Nobody likes reading the fine
print, but you might want to when it comes to bonus terms. Almost every site you
look at will have a sign-up bonus, but read the fine print to learn about the
conditions you have to meet in order to get the bonus. One condition you might
have to meet is how much you have to wager.

• Read Reviews

Reading reviews might be the most important
research you do before signing up for a site. Focus on member reviews, not a
forum or website reviews. Member reviews tell you all you need to know about a
site, including what to expect, what they liked, and what they didn’t like.

We think the reviews on our site are as even-handed and comprehensive as any
you’ll find on the internet. Read them, and let us know if you agree.

• Customer Complaints

Do a search for the name of the site
you’re considering and the word complaint, and you might find some members who
have filed complaints about the site. Reading these can alert you to common
problems people have with the site.

• Deposit Options

See what forms of deposit the site
accepts. You want to make sure there’s a form you’re familiar with.

• Cash Out Options

It’s also important to see how you can
get your money back out when you win. Not every deposit option is available as a
withdrawal option. It’s always a good idea to find out before you make a deposit
to make sure a good option is available.

• Contact Customer Service

Chat with customer service to get
a feel for their professionalism. You also want to keep in mind how long it
takes them to get back to you. If you become a member and have a real issue, you
don’t want to wait a week for a response.

• Restricted States

Some sites have restrictions on who they
can offer their games to. Make sure the site you’re considering can legally
offer their gaming to your state.

• Licensing Jurisdiction

Look into the site’s licensing
jurisdiction to find out what restrictions the site has to follow. Some areas
have stricter restrictions than others.

• Longevity of Business

See how long a site has been in
business. A site that has been in business for five years will have both more
information and a more reliable reputation than a site that has been in business
for five months.

Are Daily Fantasy Sports Legal in Louisiana?

No, daily fantasy sports are not legal in Louisiana.

But it’s not because of a lack of resident interest. Several attempts have
been made in the past to legalize daily fantasy sports; one attempt was as
recent as 2016.

Here’s some information from the

ESPN website about the history of daily
fantasy sports in Louisiana:

“In 1991, then-Attorney General William J. Guste, Jr. concluded that a 1-900
number fantasy football contests constituted illegal gambling, but nothing in
the 1991 memo touched on DFS-specific issues. The Louisiana legislature
considered a DFS bill during the 2016 session.”

More Gambling Laws in Louisiana

• Casino Games: Legal
• Sports and Race Betting: Pari-Mutuel Only
• Lottery: Legal
• Bingo: Charitable Only
• Social Gambling: Illegal

The Louisiana Revised Statutes defines gambling as the following:

“(a) Gambling is the intentional conducting, or directly assisting in the
conducting, as a business, of any game, contest, lottery, or contrivance whereby
a person risks the loss of anything of value in order to realize a profit.

(b) Whoever commits the crime of gambling shall be fined not more than five
hundred dollars, or imprisoned for not more than six months, or both.”

Casino Games: Legal

All your favorite casino games can be found in Louisiana casinos, including
poker, blackjack, roulette, craps, and slot machines.

Louisiana has a mixture of tribal casinos, land-based casinos, and riverboat
casinos.

Here’s what the Louisiana State Legislature says about gaming activities on
rivers and waterways:

“The development of a historic riverboat industry is important to the economy
of the state of Louisiana in that it will assist in the continuing growth of the
tourism industry and thus will benefit the general welfare of our citizens and
create new jobs. It is the intent of this Chapter to utilize Louisiana
resources, goods, and services in the operation and construction of riverboats
to the extent allowable by law, as defined in this Chapter.

An integral part of riverboat operation and profitability is the offering of
regulated gaming, among other activities.”

Sports and Race Betting: Pari-Mutuel Only

Louisiana allows pari-mutuel betting on horse racing.

Here’s what the Louisiana State Legislature says about pari-mutuel wagering:

“The commission shall make rules governing, permitting, and regulating the
wagering on horse races under the form of mutuel wagering by patrons, known as
pari-mutuel wagering. Only those persons receiving a license from the
commission may conduct this type of wagering, and shall restrict this form of
wagering to a space within the race meeting grounds. All other forms of
wagering on the result of horse races are illegal, and all wagering on horse
races outside the enclosure where horse races have been licensed by the
commission is illegal.”

Here’s what the
Louisiana State Legislature says about other track wagering:

“The commission may make rules regulating pari-mutuel wagering known as other
track wagering.

With the consent of the commission, an association may accept wagers at its
facility for the entire racing card scheduled on horse racing events of
regional, national, and international interest conducted at another track
outside of this state, and transmitted either by simulcast or other means of
video transmission, pursuant to a contract with the association or other entity
conducting the event.”

Greyhound racing is outlawed in Louisiana.

Lottery: Legal

Louisiana has a state-regulated lottery.

Here’s some information about the state lottery from the
Louisiana Lottery website:

“Louisiana Lottery Corporation began in 1991 after the 1990 state Legislature
proposed a state lottery (ACT 1045) as a way to generate revenue without
increasing taxes. Due to the Lottery’s unique operations, the Legislature
recognized a corporate structure would suit it best.

Voters also liked the idea and passed a constitutional amendment in 1990
creating the LLC by a 7 to 3 margin.

In 2011, the Lottery celebrated the 20th Anniversary of the sale of its first
scratch-off on Sept. 6, 1991.

In 2003, voters passed another constitutional amendment to dedicate Lottery
proceeds to the Minimum Foundation Program that funds public education in
Louisiana.”

As for where the money from the Louisiana Lottery goes, prize winners get
53%, the state treasury gets 35%, the lottery retailers get 5.5%, and 6% goes to
lottery operations.

Louisiana Lottery games include:

• Scratch Offs
• Mega Millions
• Powerball
• Lotto
• Easy 5
• Pick 4
• Pick 3

Bingo: Charitable Only

Charitable organizations may hold charitable games, including bingo, raffles,
pull tabs, and more.

The Louisiana Charitable Raffles, Bingo and Keno Licensing Law define a
charitable organization as:

“a nonprofit board, association, corporation, or other organization domiciled
in this state and qualified with the United States Internal Revenue Service for
an exemption from federal income tax”

Here are the approved games for charitable organizations according to the
Louisiana Charitable Raffles, Bingo and Keno Licensing Law:

“(1) The game of chance commonly known as raffle or raffles played by drawing
for prizes or the allotment of prizes by chance, by the selling of shares,
tickets, or rights to participate in such game or games, and by conducting the
game or games accordingly.

(2) The game of chance commonly known as bingo or keno played for prizes with
cards bearing numbers or other designations, five or more in one line, the
holder covering numbers, as objects, similarly numbered, are drawn from a
receptacle, and the game being won by the person who first covers a previously
designated arrangement of numbers on such a card.

(3) The game of chance commonly known as pull-tabs played for prizes with
cards or tickets and as defined in R.S. 4:725 or played as electronic pull-tabs
as provided in R.S. 4:733.

(4) Electronic video bingo as provided for in R.S. 4:724 and as defined by
rules of the office.

(5) Fund-raising events generally known as "Las Vegas Nights" or "Casino
Nights" as provided for in R.S. 4:729 as defined by rules of the office.”

Some general restrictions on charitable gaming in Louisiana include the
following:

“No licensee shall hold, operate, or conduct any game of chance under this
Chapter more often than on fifteen days in any one calendar month.

The total amount of prizes which may be awarded in any one session by a
licensee shall not exceed four thousand five hundred dollars in cash or other
thing or things of value.”

Social Gambling: Illegal

No Louisiana laws touch on “social gambling,” but based on the laws that are
written on gambling, social gambling is illegal. Gambling is only authorized in
licensed casinos and businesses licensed to offer slot machines.

But it’s not uncommon to find small-stakes home games, which the law
enforcement seems to tolerate in Louisiana.

Gambling Venues in Louisiana

Louisiana casinos offer about every casino game you could want, from craps to
slot machines and everything in between. Here are 10 of the casinos located
throughout Louisiana, including some land-based, riverboats, and tribal casinos.

History of Gambling in Louisiana

Additional Resources

• Louisiana Lottery Corporation
• 
  Louisiana Gaming Control Board

The Future & Your Views

Louisiana offers a variety of gambling options, and aside from their ban of
internet gambling, they’ve been a progressive state in the gambling department.

We don’t know if you’ll see many changes coming to Louisiana’s gaming soon,
but Louisiana gambling sites are definitely being considered.