Safe & Legal Louisiana Sports Betting Sites

Throughout its long, storied history, Louisiana has been known as a premier gambling destination to bettors all over the country. However, while there is currently no legal Louisiana sports betting, it looks as though voters in the state may have an opportunity to change that this year.

On this website, we will only ever recommend players sign up for licensed bookmakers. As we are unable to provide a recommended legal Louisiana online sportsbook for your enjoyment, we have instead dedicated this guide to discussing the available gambling options, the laws, and the future prospects of the industry.

What Betting Options are Legal for Louisiana Residents

There may be no legal online sports betting in Louisiana, but this doesn’t mean locals in the Bayou state have nothing to bet on. In addition to a thriving land-based casino industry that offers slot games and table games, the state also allows for horse race betting and the lottery.

Is Daily Fantasy Legal in Louisiana?

Unfortunately, players in Louisiana are still unable to play daily fantasy sports (DFS). This is despite the fact that voters in 47 of the state’s 64 parishes approved of DFS games in a 2018 election. For the time being, locals will need to wait until legislators iron out some DFS regulatory details.

For the time being, both FanDuel and DraftKings are unable to offer legal Louisiana online gambling. As two reputable sports betting sites that have earned a loyal customer base around the country for years, it’s likely that once the measures are finally approved, both will be able to operate in Louisiana.

Are there Legal Offshore Sites for Louisiana Players

Louisiana is one of the few states in the country that have specific legislation making online gambling illegal. This is just another reason to avoid signing up for unlicensed offshore betting sites such as BetOnline and MyBookie. Without licensing, there is no guarantee of fairness and safety, and participation could get you in trouble with the law.

Casinos

Louisiana has more than 52 casinos and pari-mutuel betting establishments to enjoy at 30 cities throughout the state. New Orleans is home to some of the most popular of these casinos and offers players more than 3,000 slot machines and over 100 table games including poker and blackjack.

The state is also home to four federally-recognized Native American casinos. Louisiana gambling is perhaps most well-known for its riverboat casinos, which have become icons of New Orleans. It’s no wonder why, then, that some consider New Orleans to be the Las Vegas of the South.

Racetrack Betting

Of course, visitors are also able to wager on horse races at one of the state’s world-class racetracks. These include both the Delta Downs and Harrah’s Louisiana Downs, which in addition to taking bets for local and national horse races also host casino-style gambling facilities.

In fact, the Evangeline Downs racetrack was the first racino in the United States and paved the way for an exciting gambling mash-up that has been successfully replicated all over the country. The largest horse race in Louisiana is the $1 million Louisiana Derby at the Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans.

Card Rooms

A number of Louisiana’s casinos also host poker card rooms and are among the favorite places to play for some of the country’s top poker talent. The biggest poker event in Louisiana is without a doubt the annual World Series of Poker event at the Horseshoe Casino in Bossier City.

There are 12 poker rooms in Louisiana, all of which host tournaments of varying sizes. If it’s online poker at legal websites that you’re looking for in Louisiana, you are out of luck – the state’s lawmakers takes a hardline approach against all forms of online casino gambling.

Nearby States with Legal Sports Betting

Until there is legal online sports betting in Louisiana, players have no choice but to travel to a nearby legal sports betting state to wager on sports without breaking the law. Thankfully, because these states require sports betting operators to be licensed before taking bets, there are a number of trusted sportsbooks available.

Below, we’ve listed a number of neighboring states that bettors can place wagers at until Louisiana sports betting becomes a reality.

• Mississippi
• Arkansas
• New Mexico

What would Legal Sports Betting in Louisiana Look Like

After years of trying to pass a sports betting bill, Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards signed a law which will allow each parish to vote on whether it wants to offer sports betting. If the bill is successful, the Louisiana Gaming Control Board will be tasked with setting taxing, licensing, and regulation requirements.

For this reason, it’s hard to tell what legal sports betting in Louisiana will look like. Due to the inclusion of anti-online gambling language in Louisiana law, it’s unlikely that the state will offer players the chance to gamble on mobile gaming operators such as DraftKings and FanDuel.

The involvement of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board in setting the terms for new sports betting operators will help ensure Louisiana’s sportsbooks are safe and fair. It will also ensure that vulnerable players such as minors and problem gamblers are protected from predatory practices.

Once sports betting is legalized, players can look forward to being able to bet on their favorite major league and minor league teams at home and abroad. This means that bettors will be able to wager on New Orleans Saints games or the performances of their favorite New Orleans Pelicans players.

What are the Louisiana Gambling Laws

According to the Louisiana gambling laws, gambling is defined as wagering on an event “whereby a person risks the loss of anything of value in order to realize a profit.” This, of course, includes traditional casino table games, horse racing, and the lottery, all of which are legal in Louisiana.

Louisiana’s first horse racing tracks were legalized in the 1920s and have remained popular since then. It wasn’t until 1991 that the state licensed 15 riverboat casinos which could operate on a technicality due to their not being situated on dry land. The same year saw the creation of the state lottery.

Once the Supreme Court determined that states were able to offer legal sports betting in 2018, it opened the flood gates to approve of sports betting. Since then, Louisiana has been pushing to offer the bets. By the way things are looking, Louisiana sports betting will be a reality within the next few years.

Louisiana law expressly forbids gambling with a computer and the internet. For this reason, online casino games, online race betting, and online sports betting will probably not be legal for a long time. The legalization of daily fantasy sports is probably the closest thing locals will have to a Louisiana legal online sportsbook.

In order to bet on horse racing, players must be over 18 years old. For all other forms of gambling, including slot machines, table games, and the lottery, players must be over the age of 21. This is comparatively higher than most other states, which allow players to be 18 years old to buy lottery tickets.

What is the Future of Sports Betting in Louisiana?

If daily fantasy sports legalization is anything to go by, it’s highly likely that even if Louisiana sports betting is approved by parish voters, it may still take a while to create a sports betting industry. What seems to be certain, though, is that legal online sports betting in Louisiana is unlikely to be approved.

Permitting the creation of a Louisiana legal online sportsbook will require lawmakers to change the law surrounding online gambling which will be a big task, to say the least. Regardless, until sports betting of any description is allowed, Louisianans will need to travel to a neighbor legal sport betting state to wager on sports legally.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you still have more questions about gambling in Louisiana and whether there are options for legal sports betting in Louisiana? We highly recommend you keep reading to find out the answers to some frequently asked questions about Louisiana sports betting before you try to find alternative betting sources.