Louisiana has taken a decidedly different approach to legalize sports betting. The Pelican State is the first U.S. state to allow its parishes (similar to counties) to decide the fate of sports betting in each of their communities.
With Louisiana’s sports betting law now in place, regulators hope to launch retail and mobile sports betting by the conclusion of the 2021-22 NFL season.
Bookmark this page to keep up to date with the latest Louisiana sports betting news.
Population: 4.6 million
Legal age for sports betting: 21
Online sports betting: Coming soon
Retail sportsbooks: Coming soon
Sports betting revenue: N/A
Yes. Sports betting is now legal in Louisiana. There are no legal options for sports bettors yet, but Louisianans will soon be able to visit both legal retail and online sportsbooks in the Pelican State.
Expect to see up to 20 brick-and-mortar sportsbooks and 41 online sportsbooks in Louisiana.
Interact with our U.S. legal tracker for updates on each state's path to legalized sports betting.
Louisiana sports betting was officially legalized on June 22, 2021, when Gov. John Bel Edwards signed the state’s two final pieces of sports betting legislation into law.
Here’s a summary of Louisiana’s sports betting journey to date.
Louisiana’s sports betting laws have been established, and the Pelican State is on its way to offering fully online wagering. In November 2020, voters in 55 of Louisiana’s 64 parishes decided to allow sports betting within their borders. Gov. John Bel Edwards signed HB 697, SB 142, and SB 247 into law in June 2021.
The stage is now set for up to 41 online sportsbooks to enter the Louisiana market. Each of the state’s 15 riverboats, four racetracks, and one land-based casino — Harrah’s New Orleans — will be granted a retail location and two online skins. In addition, the Louisiana Lottery will receive a license and be permitted to partner with an online operator.
Sports betting is not yet live in Louisiana, but as soon as lawmakers hand out sports betting licenses and sportsbooks open their doors, adults 21 and over will be permitted to place legal sports bets in the Pelican State.
Here's a quick breakdown of everything you'll need to know before you place your first LA sports bet.
Legal ageLouisiana sports betting will be available to adults 21 and over when legalized.
Retail sportsbooksRetail sportsbooks will be located in Louisiana state-operated casinos and racinos. Twenty such facilities will be eligible to apply for a license to offer in-person betting.
Mobile bettingLouisianans will be able to place mobile bets from anywhere within the 55 parishes that have approved legalized sports betting. The Louisiana Gaming Control Board will regulate mobile betting.
Remote registrationLouisiana sports bettors are expected to be able to register with online sportsbooks from anywhere in the 55 parishes that have approved sports betting.
Within state bordersWhen sports betting goes live in Louisiana, players will be required to not only have both feet on the ground in Louisiana but the 55 parishes that have voted in favor of sports gambling.
Retail sportsbooks will be found exclusively in these parishes, while online sportsbooks will use geofencing to confirm that sports bettors aren’t wandering into unregulated territory.
Taxable winningsLike all gambling income in the United States, sports bet winnings in the Pelican State will be subject to a 25% federal tax. But that’s not all — the state of Louisiana will take a cut of your earnings as well. Make sure to earmark 5% of your winnings for state tax purposes.
We may be months away from legal, regulated sports betting in Louisiana, but sports bettors in the south aren’t entirely devoid of options.
Louisiana sports bettors can venture into a pair of southern states that have legalized retail sports betting. While neither Arkansas nor Mississippi allows mobile sports betting from anywhere in their respective states, sports betting is permitted on-site at licensed casinos.
Louisiana projects to be a highly competitive sports betting market — and this is great news for sports bettors. As sportsbooks compete for your business, you’ll be offered plenty of sign-up bonuses as you prepare to place your first sports wagers in the Pelican State.
The main drawback here is simple: Sports betting has yet to launch in Louisiana. Hopefully, this changes later in 2021.
Louisiana sports bettors will soon have the option of placing a bet at home or visiting a brick-and-mortar location to get in on the action in person. With remote registration likely to be in the cards, betting on sports in the Pelican State will be as convenient as it is enjoyable.
Time will tell how quickly Louisiana's sportsbook licenses will be awarded, but up to 41 online sportsbooks could be available in the not too distant future.
While checking out some of the sportsbook reviews that filter in, bettors will also be advised to carefully evaluate betting lines, promotions, and the customer support of each online platform. Perusing terms and conditions pages should be a part of the selection process as well.
Sportsbooks in other states have made online registration a breeze. Louisiana sports bettors should expect to simply enter some personal information via a mobile device or computer, verify their location, and confirm their identity with a driver’s license or SSN.
The Louisiana sports betting market is shaping up to be one of the most competitive in the United States. As online providers battle it out, they should offer attractive bonuses to convince bettors to choose their betting platforms.
Look out for popular bonuses like risk-free bets, no-deposit bonuses, and deposit matches.
Louisiana sports books should allow you to fund your account in a variety of ways. Popular methods include PayPal, bank transfers, credit/debit, PayNearMe, and more.
Be sure to keep an eye on any relevant terms and conditions to avoid unexpected transaction fees.
All of the types of wagers you’d find in other states should be available in the Pelican State as well. These include moneylines, Over/Unders (totals), point spreads, parlays, prop bets, and futures.
Once the most advantageous betting line has been identified, it’ll be time to place your first Louisiana sports bet. Take your time, shop around, and ensure you’re 100% comfortable before confirming your wager.
When accessing your bankroll, expect Louisiana’s sportsbooks to take a bit longer to process your withdrawals. Deposits may show up in your account immediately, but it may take a day or two when funds are traveling in the other direction.
Reading the odds American odds are the go-to option for sportsbooks in the U.S. These odds are displayed by listing a minus sign (-) or plus sign (+) to identify favorites and underdogs, respectively.
The number next to a favorite will show you the amount you’ll need to wager to win $100. For example, -130 odds tell you that a $130 bet will earn you $100.
Underdogs are riskier bets — but the payouts are much more substantial. The number listed next to the plus sign represents the amount you stand to win when placing a $100 wager. For example, +220 odds indicate a winning $100 bet would net you $220 in profit.
If you’d like to view odds as fractions or decimals, check out our odds converter.
Currently, the list of events you're unable to bet on is long. Louisiana bettors will not be permitted to legally place wagers on any sporting event until state regulators establish rules and officially award sports betting licenses to the state’s 20 casinos.
Even after the dust settles and sportsbooks are operating in Louisiana, events like esports may still be off-limits for bettors.
PoliticsLouisiana gamblers are not permitted to gamble on any political event.
Entertainment award ceremoniesLouisianans are not expected to be able to bet on celebrity and pop-culture events, such as the Oscars and Academy Awards.
EsportsUnsurprisingly, betting on esports is illegal in Louisiana. This is unlikely to change until sports betting rules and regulations have been established, and even then, it’s no guarantee.
Louisianans will be able to bet on any college game in the nation. While many other states have deemed in-state college teams off-limits, Louisiana will put no such limitations in place. Unfortunately, there does appear to be a ban on individual prop bets on collegiate athletes.
When sports betting arrives in the Pelican State, fans will be tempted to back their home team squads with their bankroll. The truth is, this could be a costly mistake.
Don’t let your hometown pride cloud your judgment, and always be sure to do your due diligence before betting on any team in any league.
Check out our how to bet guides for basic tips and advanced strategies.
The Pelican State has a rich gambling history that dates back to the 18th century. Today, you can find 15 riverboat casinos, four racetracks, and one land-based casino in Louisiana.
Online options are another story. By and large, online gambling is off-limits in Louisiana. Failing to adhere to the state’s ban on online gambling can lead to some severe penalties, so it’s best to stay away from unregulated offshore websites.
CasinoEach of Louisiana’s casinos offers classic games such as blackjack, roulette, and craps. You can also find slots, pai gow, and live poker at many of these locations.
As mentioned, there are no online casinos in Louisiana. The only alternative is sweepstakes casinos. These websites operate under U.S. sweepstakes laws and do not require a purchase to play.
PokerYou can find live poker at a number of casinos in Louisiana. There are nearly a dozen poker rooms in the state. Additionally, video poker can be found at numerous bars and truck stops across the state.
Online poker is strictly forbidden in Louisiana. Avoid any website claiming to be legal in the Pelican State.
Global Poker, a sweepstakes website, is the only option for online poker players in Louisiana.
Horse racingLouisiana is home to four racetracks and 17 off-track betting (OTB) locations. Bettors can wager on live races or enjoy a simulcast and bet on local or national races.
Horse racing is the exception when it comes to online betting in the Pelican State. Bettors are free to use websites like TVG and TwinSpires to place wagers from home or OTB sites.
Daily Fantasy SportsDaily Fantasy Sports was legalized in 47 of Louisiana’s 64 parishes in 2018. DraftKings received the first DFS license in July 2021.
Problem gambling exists in every state. Fortunately, there are plenty of resources available to Louisianans who feel they’re in over their heads. The Louisiana Association on Compulsive Gambling aims to educate, prevent, and treat problem gambling via a series of helplines and recovery centers.
Individuals may also voluntarily exclude themselves from all betting activity by joining a self-exclusion program. In the future, sportsbooks will provide players with tools to limit their betting activity. The option to set deposit, wager and loss limits will allow players to bet responsibly.
Louisiana won’t be the first U.S. jurisdiction to legalize and regulate sports betting. The following states have preceded the Pelican State: Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
Offshore sportsbooks may be tempting for those anxiously awaiting legal sports betting in Louisiana. These websites are illegal, however, and you'll have no legal recourse should you have trouble accessing your bankroll from these accounts. It's strongly recommended you avoid these sportsbooks.
Yes, sports betting is legal in 55 of 64 parishes in Louisiana. However, state regulators have yet to hand out sports betting licenses, so there is no way to place a legal bet.
Sports gambling will be coming soon to Louisiana. When it does, bettors will be able to visit a retail sportsbook or place a bet online with a legal sports betting website or app.
Louisiana state regulators are currently working on this, but we anticipate all of the popular types of sports bets will be made available. In addition, bets on in-state college teams look to be on the table as well.
You won’t find a single legal online sportsbook in Louisiana today. When sports betting goes live, however, we could see up to 41 online sportsbooks in the Bayou State.
Yes, but you can only place wagers on horse races when betting online in Louisiana.
Yes. Louisiana sportsbooks will set their odds based on a sportsbook located in Las Vegas.
You must be 21 to gamble in Louisiana. However, you may place a pari-mutuel horse race bet if you are 18 years old.
No, Bet365 does not have a license to operate in Louisiana.
There is no legal way to place a sports bet in Louisiana at this time. This could change in the fall of 2021.
Not at the moment. But once sports betting is live in Louisiana, bettors will be able to place wagers on all professional and college teams based in Louisiana.
No. Louisiana’s sports betting law states that players must be physically located within the borders of one of the 55 parishes that have legalized sports gambling. This means that anyone living in or visiting these areas will be permitted to gamble on sports online.
Louisiana hasn’t generated any sports revenue as of yet.
It’s not possible to place a sports bet in Louisiana. Soon, however, bettors will be able to place sports bets on mobile apps, computers, or in-person at a casino.
We expect New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Shreveport to lead the way once sports betting launches in Louisiana.
