Sports Betting in Louisiana
Louisiana is one of the most diverse parts of the United States, and a super famous party destination for Americans. As such, it should come as no surprise that the Bayou State allows casino gambling and lets residents freely partake in retail and online sports betting.
Louisiana, as most familiar with this Deep South state know, has deep gambling roots. Back in the 18th and 19th centuries, it was a major card gambling hotbed, with settlers bringing poker’s predecessor, Poque, to New Orleans.
In 1968, Louisiana legalized pari-mutuel wagering. Charitable raffles were made possible via the Louisiana Charitable Gaming Act eighteen years later. In 1987, the State Lottery was established.
Riverboat casinos came in 1991, land-based commercial ones followed in 1992, and tribal gaming has been active here since June 1994. Sports betting was made legal in Louisiana in October 2021, initially only in its retail form. The online kind debuted three months later, and now, Louisiana posts a monthly wagering handle that ranges between $200 million to $400 million.
The Louisiana Gaming Control Board (LGCB) oversees virtually all of the state’s gambling industry. It is too responsible for approving online operators, who, to get a license, have to partner with a gambling establishment/racetrack. That is a scheme that many other US states implement.
LA, at the time of writing, had eight online sportsbooks and sixteen retail ones. Per data from the LGCB, a stunning 90%+ of state betting revenues are generated by licensed apps. Residents who are unhappy with what these have to offer are not afraid to dive into using offshore sportsbooks, sites based and regulated in other countries.
Without question, LA-licensed online bookies remain the premier choice for most gamblers in the state, as they offer much better consumer protection and proper legal dispute recourse.
Key Highlights of the Louisiana Sports Betting Scene
- Online Sports Betting: As highlighted, January 2022 was the launch date of the LA Internet betting scene. It posted an impressive first-year handle of $1.8 billion.
- In-Person Sports Betting: Retail wagering was allowed three months before online bookies debuted, and even though lottery-operated wagering kiosks were planned at bars and truck stops, these never went live.
- Daily Fantasy Sports: DFS is largely legal in Louisiana. Some rural parishes do not permit fantasy sports, but most of the state's population centers have no issue with them, and operators like DraftKings and FanDuel offer these skill-based contests there freely.
- College Sports Betting: This is permitted statewide. Wagering on in-state teams is allowed, but making prop bets on college games is not.
- Legal Gambling Age: It is 21 for most types of gambling, including sports betting. The limit for making wagers on horse races is 18. Though funny enough, no one under the age of 21 is allowed at a Louisiana race track.
Louisiana’s Sports Betting Journey
Louisiana's path to betting legalization has been called pragmatic legislation. They say this because the road to making it possible for Louisianans to bet on sports within state borders was far smoother than what happened in nearby states, which saw fierce debates on this front.
When the US Supreme Court essentially removed the nationwide ban on state-sponsored sports wagering in May 2018, Louisiana lawmakers began, almost immediately, eyeing legalizing this industry.
In November 2020, looking for help to plug budget holes, a statewide ballot measure was issued, where voters in fifty-five parishes (out of sixty-four) approved betting on sports. Hence, in June 2021, Gov. John Bel Edwards signed three bills that made sports wagering possible at physical locales and online.
Retail wagering debuted in October 2021 at racetracks, riverboat gaming venues, and the state’s sole land-based casino. Online betting launched in January 2022. The Louisiana Gaming Control Board allows a maximum of two skins per retail operator, meaning the online brands can only be run by a physical gambling venue.
Louisiana faced some challenges early on in setting the foundation of this industry, primarily in the geofencing field. But the LGCB has since stabilized this market quite well, and it is one whose creation got bipartisan support.
What’s Next for Sports Betting in Louisiana?
The LA betting landscape met top market predictions in the first few years following its establishment, and here are four predictions of what awaits it going forward:
- Further Tax Tweaks
Despite the online betting operator tax jumping from 15% to 21.5% in 2025, expectations are that, given this domain’s good performance, further tax adjustments will not hamper operator profitability much. Thus, many predict this will happen, as New York and other successful betting regions have much higher rates than LA, and they are prospering despite them.
- A Push for Whole State Legislation
As mentioned above, there are nine parishes that are holding out and have not yet authorized sports betting, something they can only do via voter referendums. Given the state’s need for more tax revenues, it is not unreasonable to expect renewed legislative efforts for new local referendums in these areas, as a means to maximize the state’s gambling money-generating potential.
- Responsible Gambling Enhancements
As the market’s total handle grows, something that will quite obviously occur, public concerns over problem gambling will inevitably grow with it. That is something that is a trend not only in the US but globally, and this will likely lead to stricter measures regarding betting advertisements, attempting to shield younger demographics from getting exposed to this pastime too early, and the LGCB adopting novel responsible betting protocols.
- More Retail Locations Shutting Down
In 2023, more than 90% of all sports bets in Louisiana were placed at online sportsbooks on mobile platforms. Physical establishments offering sports wagering have not improved their performance in the past two years. Actually, the retail handle keeps dropping, as online wagers keep increasing. The number of brick-and-mortar betting locales dropped to sixteen from nineteen in mid-2025, and it will not be much of a shocker if this number significantly lowers in the years that follow, as online bookies dominate LA.
Popular Teams in Louisiana
Louisiana turns tailgates into festivals, and it has a sports fandom that has gotten heavily influenced by college sports, even though the state has several teams competing in top pro leagues. Overall, the top three attention-grabbing teams in Louisiana are:
- New Orleans Saints (NFL): No big shocker here. The Saints regularly pack the Caesars Superdome, which they have called home since 1975, where more than seventy thousand fans cheer New Orleans’ NFL franchise during most home games. The Saints’ greatest achievement is their 2009 Super Bowl win, and they have an NFC championship and nine division titles to their name.
- LSU Tigers (College Sports): Another football team makes the list. The Tigers are LA’s NCAA football pride, competing in the Southeastern Conference. This Louisiana State University team has claimed four national titles, and it has four unclaimed ones. The Tigers have been active in one form or another going back to 1893, and they have heated rivalries with the Alabama Crimson Tide program, the Ole Miss Rebels, and the Arkansas Razorbacks, to name a few.
- New Orleans Pelicans (NBA): Though not one of the most successful NBA franchises, the Pelicans still have their native fans, who give them ample support at Smoothie King Center. The Pelicans were originally the Charlotte Hornets, who got relocated to the Big Easy in 2002, and their biggest achievement in the NBA is one Southwest Division title won in 2008.
The Most Popular Sports in Louisiana
Louisiana’s unique nature is responsible for fishing being such a massive recreational activity here. However, given that fishing is not something many would consider an actual sport, here are five contest types that do classify as this, and which Louisianans seem to love most:
- American Football
No surprise here. Football is the number one sport in the United States, and it is also the dominant sport in Louisiana. Though the Saints do loads to fuel football passion in LA, the Tigers too do their part, as their major rivalries get locals super excited.
- Basketball
Same as with football, while the Pelicans hold the pro front down, LSU, with help from Tulane University, is the college mainstay in Louisiana, helping urban areas embrace basketball.
- Baseball
While baseball is not something that is synonymous with Louisiana, the sport is culturally important here. Yes, there is no Louisiana MLB team, but the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette have made one College World Series appearance. Moreover, baseball is important to LA because it is a major community sport in smaller towns.
- Softball
Baseball’s sister sport, softball, is also an LA favorite, evidenced by most universities in Louisiana having softball teams, with LSU’s one being competitive on a national level, which has boosted spectator interest.
- Soccer
Footie action is present at various levels in Louisiana. The state has no MLS franchise, but it has two pro teams. These are the Jesters, which compete in the National Premier Soccer League, and Krewe FC playing in the USL League Two. USL NOLA is also working on launching a pro team in New Orleans, and youth leagues/school participation are impressive here.
Common Types of Bonuses for Players from Louisiana
Louisiana's competitive regulated ecosystem has a rep for delivering quality promos, with reports claiming they totaled dozens of millions of dollars in 2025 alone. These are super similar to what is provided in other states, and let us look at the three most common types below:
- First Bet Insurance
This is a promotion that lets new users place their first wager up to a certain amount with a safety net active for this bet. If it loses, the operator refunds the stake made in site credits. Yet, if it wins, the user collects his winnings as normal.
- Bet and Get
What we have here is a super popular offer, presented by most US-regulated sportsbooks, often as a welcome bonus. It asks for a qualifying wager to provide a larger bonus amount, which gets supplied regardless of the outcome of the original bet.
- Deposit Match
This is an offer traditionally tied to a first deposit. In such a scenario, it is referred to as a welcome match, but if this deal is available for existing users, it bears the name reload. It is a promo where a site matches a user’s deposit using a distinct percentage, let us say 100%, up to a distinct amount, such as $250. No matter how much someone puts in their balance, the maximum this deal can yield is $250, and winnings get subjected to a playthrough requirement, or rollover.
Banking Options and Payment Rules for Louisiana Players
Online sportsbooks in Louisiana accept credit cards primarily for depositing only, something which is not possible in many other US regions. They too allow the use of payment options such as debit cards, ACH/e-Check, online banking, wire transfers, e-wallets such as PayPal and Venmo, and prepaid options like Play+, Cash at Casino Cage, and PlayNearMe.
Account funding through any of these choices should be instant, but each operator can have its own processing times/rules.
Verification is required for withdrawing, and there is a closed-loop rule in Louisiana as well. Being forced to get a payout through the same method used for depositing is too common at offshore sites, but identity verification and submitting personal documents can be avoided at crypto-accepting platforms.
Cryptocurrencies are not allowed for gambling in Louisiana. Though they are the speed king, with e-wallets supplying the fastest payout times from the fiat option group. Withdrawals through them can take anywhere from a few minutes to a couple of days. For cards, wire transfers, and e-Checks, this process can drag out to five or more business days.
Note that there is a flat 3% state withholding on winnings, and a standard federal rate of 24% applies to amounts over $5,000.
Choosing the Right Online Sports Betting Site in Louisiana: A Simple Guide
With eight solid legal options, Louisianans do not have many worries when it comes to accessing trusted online sportsbooks. All eight regulated platforms that offer remote betting in LA are very trustworthy and super well-known national brands.
Of course, while they are all reputable, they differ in terms of the banking options they supply, the rules that govern their payout procedures, software used, odds quality, market depth, and so on. All these aspects play a role in defining a bettor’s experience. That is something that also holds for offshore sites.
Accordingly, when selecting a platform to call home, everyone should carefully review a number of things. Aside from everything mentioned above, the offered bonuses are usually a major attraction. It is not only the quantity of promos supplied, but also their variety, and especially, their conditions that determine their allure. The latter is the chief factor in determining if a deal is worth snagging.
Good support is too crucial. It is inevitable that issues will eventually arise, and it is reassuring if a platform is known for doing its best in solving user problems.
Responsible gambling commitment is another telling sign of how much a site cares about its customers. The LGCB enforces a problem gambling program and has a self-exclusion mechanism present at its licensed sportsbooks. But offshore sites vary dramatically in terms of how seriously they try to keep users safe from themselves. That can usually get checked by scanning the profile options.
Conclusion: Sports Betting in Louisiana – Fully Legal & Expanding
Louisiana’s sports betting landscape is developing quite nicely. The retail section may not have boomed as predicted by some, but the online section clearly has.
Even though not all LA parishes have allowed betting on sports, the state has imposed a recent tax hike on operators and banned college player props, this market is still regularly posting higher numbers than ever.
For those state bettors who do not like what Louisiana-regulated Internet bookies have to offer, there is a quite large number of international sportsbooks that accept US gamblers, Louisiana ones included.
These hubs have various perks not found at LA betting sites/apps, such as different bonuses, crypto support, extra community/platform features, and more. Though given that their operators and regulators are in other countries, they handle disputes in front of that territory’s courts, not US ones.
Louisiana bettors should first explore legal LA options, as they deliver a higher degree of consumer protection. But there are offshore sites that are very credible too.
Whatever choice one makes, remember – Gamble Responsibly, at All Times!
Written by ShellyS
Senior Content Writer
Expert On: Casino Banking reviews Gambling Regulations US Sports Betting
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