Last updated: Nov. 18, 2021
Two brand-new sportsbooks opened in Lake Charles: L’Auberge Casino added a retail outlet for Barstool Sportsbook while Golden Nugget opened a DraftKings retail sportsbook.
Louisiana regulators hope to launch mobile sports betting by the conclusion of the 2021-22 NFL season. Until then, retail sports betting remains the lone legal option.
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: Yes
Sports betting revenue: N/A
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Yes. Sports betting is now legal in Louisiana. Louisianans can visit the Betfred Sportsbook in Marksville to place physical wagers, and will soon be able to visit more legal retail and online sportsbooks in the Pelican State.
Louisiana has taken a decidedly different approach to legalizing 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.
Heavy hitters FanDuel and Caesars have launched their respective mobile apps, allowing bettors to register early and claim sign-up bonuses as they await legal mobile wagering. The state's first retail sportsbook — Betfred Sports at Paragon Casino Resort — debuted on Oct. 6, 2021.
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:
May 14, 2018: SCOTUS (The Supreme Court of the United States) strikes down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). This sets the stage for legal sports betting in the United States and allows individual states to set their own rules and regulations.
Nov. 3, 2020: Voters in 55 of Louisiana’s 64 parishes agree to welcome sports betting into their communities.
May 2021: HB 697 and SB 247 move through the Senate. These bills outline sports betting tax rates — 10% and 15% on in-person and online bets, respectively — and the number of licenses (20) that will be made available.
June 22, 2021: Gov. John Bel Edwards signs SB 142 and SB 247 into law. Edwards had signed a third piece of sports betting legislation, HB 697, on June 7.
Sept. 30, 2021: WynnBET gained market access in Louisiana, which marked the 17th U.S. jurisdiction in which its platform has secured a footprint.
Oct. 6, 2021: Louisiana sports betting is live as Paragon Casino Resort launches a Betfred Sportsbook — the first retail sportsbook in the state.
Oct. 31, 2021: Caesars Sportsbook goes live at Harrah's New Orleans and Horseshoe Bossier City Casino. The two retail locations are the first to offer legal sports betting at a Louisiana commercial casino.
Nov. 8, 2021: DraftKings announces plans for a new retail sportsbook at Golden Nugget Casino Lake Charles, pending regulatory approvals.
Nov. 11, 2021: A ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the opening of the DraftKings Sportsbook at Golden Nugget Casino Lake Charles, while the Penn National Gaming run Sportsbook at L’Auberge opened its doors, too.
Nov. 16, 2021: Louisiana Gaming Control Board Chairman Ronnie Johns reiterates the state's focus on getting all 20 retail sportsbooks up and running in Louisiana. With eight locations operational and five licenses to be handed out in the coming weeks, LA will soon be left with seven properties that have yet to submit applications. Online and mobile sports betting will be next on the agenda.
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 live in Louisiana, as the first retail sportsbook has opened its doors to the public. Adults 21 and over are 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 is available to adults 21 and over.
Retail sportsbooksLouisiana is home to seven retail sportsbooks. Additional commercial locations 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 are subject to a 25% federal tax. But that’s not all — the state of Louisiana takes a cut of your earnings as well. Make sure to earmark 5% of your winnings for state tax purposes.
Louisiana projects to be a highly competitive sport 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: Online 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. FanDuel and Caesars are currently offering early registration bonuses to LA bettors.
Louisiana sportsbooks 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.
Thirteen of Louisiana's 20 brick-and-mortar casinos have filed applications to manage sports betting. It is widely expected that the remaining seven casinos will apply before the looming Jan. 1 deadline.
The Paragon Casino Resort — owned by the state's Tunica-Biloxi Tribe — accepted the state's first legal retail wager. However, the Louisiana Gaming Control Board doesn't have regulatory control over tribal establishments.
Louisiana's sports betting earnings will be documented here:
|
Year |
Total handle |
Revenue |
Hold percentage |
|
2021 |
- |
- |
- |
|
Month |
2022 |
2021 |
|
January |
- |
- |
|
February |
- |
- |
|
March |
- |
- |
|
April |
- |
- |
|
May |
- |
- |
|
June |
- |
- |
|
July |
- |
- |
|
August |
- |
- |
|
September |
- |
- |
|
October |
- |
- |
|
November |
- |
- |
|
December |
- |
- |
|
Total |
- |
TBD |
Mobile sports betting is expected to arrive in Louisiana by January 2022. In preparation, several online operators have made pre-launch sign-up bonuses available to LA residents.
|
Online sportsbook operator |
Mobile app |
Odds provider |
Online casino |
Retail partner |
Launch date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Betfred Sports | Yes |
Playtech |
No |
Paragon Casino Resort |
2022 (est.) |
| Caesars | Yes |
Caesars |
No |
Harrah’s New Orleans |
2022 (est.) |
| DraftKings | Yes |
SBTech |
No |
Golden Nugget Casino Lake Charles |
2022 (est.) |
| FanDuel | Yes |
Flutter |
No |
TBD |
2022 (est.) |
Sportsbooks are opening at a rapid pace throughout Southwest Louisiana, marking the state’s largest gaming expansion in decades.
|
Sportsbook |
Venue |
Address |
Phone number |
Odds provider |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
The Draft Room |
Paragon Casino Resort | 711 Paragon Pl, Marksville, LA 71351 | 800-946-1946 | Bet.Works |
|
Caesars Sportsbook |
Harrah’s New Orleans | 228 Poydras St., New Orleans, LA 70130 | 504-533-6000 | Caesars |
|
Caesars Sportsbook |
Horseshoe Bossier City | 711 Horseshoe Blvd, Bossier City, LA 71111 | 800-895-0711 | Caesars |
|
DraftKings Sportsbook |
Golden Nugget Casino Lake Charles | 2550 Golden Nugget Blvd, Lake Charles, LA 70601 | 337-508-7777 | SBTech |
|
The Sportsbook (Penn National Gaming) |
Boomtown Casino | 4132 Peters Rd, Harvey, LA 70058, | 504-366-7711 | Kambi |
|
The Sportsbook (Penn National Gaming) |
L’Auberge Casino & Hotel Baton Rouge | 777 L’Auberge Ave, Baton Rouge, LA 70820 | 225-215-7777 | Kambi |
|
The Sportsbook at L'Auberge (Penn National Gaming) |
L’Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles | 777 Ave L'Auberge, Lake Charles, LA 70601 | 337-395-7777 | Kambi |
Currently, the list of events you're unable to bet on is long. Louisiana bettors will not be permitted to legally place online wagers on any sporting event until state regulators establish rules and officially award sports betting licenses to interested operators.
Even after the dust settles and online 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.
Now that sports betting has arrived 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 isn't the first U.S. jurisdiction to legalize and regulate sports betting. The following states also offer online and/or retail sports gambling: Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Mississippi, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
Offshore sportsbooks may be tempting for those anxiously awaiting legal online 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. The first retail sportsbook opened on Oct. 6, 2021, but online options are not yet available.
Louisiana bettors can visit a retail sportsbook to place a wager. Louisianans will have plenty of options to bet remotely when online sports betting is legalized.
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 online 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 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.
You can visit one of several retail sportsbook in person to place a sports bet.
Yes, 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.
As Louisiana has just recently launched legal sports betting, they have yet to report any sports betting revenue.
We expect New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Shreveport to lead the way now that sports betting has launched in Louisiana.
