Casinos On Louisiana

• Map Of Casinos In Louisiana
• Casinos On Louisiana

Legal sports betting is on the way to Louisiana, thanks to a November 2020 public vote. Residents approved Louisiana sports betting in 55 of 64 parishes, and legal sportsbooks could launch in the state in 2021 or 2022.

The specifics of the state's new sports betting industry still have to be determined. Louisiana lawmakers will spend 2021 deciding on taxation, regulation, and the status of statewide online sports betting in Louisiana.

Other ways to gamble legally in the Pelican State include gaming at more than 20 land-based casinos, as well as the Louisiana Lottery. Daily Fantasy Sports are legalized, but awaiting regulations from Louisiana lawmakers and gaming agencies before they can launch.

Legal Forms Of Gambling In Louisiana

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Louisiana Online Sports Betting

A sports betting legalization bill went to a public vote in Louisiana in November 2020. The state conducted the process as a parish-by-parish vote, and 55 of the states 64 parishes approved sports wagering.

Major metropolitan areas like New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Lafayette all approved sports betting. The language of the bill allows for all parishes that voted yes to offer retail sports betting at casinos and racetracks.

On-site mobile sports betting also got the green light, but statewide online wagering wasn't included in the bill. If Louisiana does decide to offer full-scale online sports betting, bettors could wager on mobile apps from anywhere within the state.

Lousiana lawmakers expect to make a decision on mobile sports betting, as well as determine taxation and regulation of the new industry, during 2021.

Without legalization of statewide online sports betting, Louisiana sports betting would be limited to retail wagering at the state's casinos and racetracks.

Online Gambling In Louisiana – The Rundown

Online Horse Race Betting

Louisiana hosts four racetracks, with pari-mutuel wagering and off-track betting (OTB) permitted in the Pelican State. Horse race betting was formally legalized in 1940, as the Louisiana State Racing Commission was created to oversee the state's horse racing industry.

Several mobile apps offer online horse race betting in the US. The biggest three companies offering online horse race betting (TVG, TwinSpires, and BetAmerica) all offer legal wagering in Louisana.

Mobile horse race wagering currently stands as the only form of legal online gambling in Louisiana.

Sweepstakes Casinos

State-regulated online casino gaming isn't on the horizon for Louisiana just yet. Players in the Pelican State can access sweepstakes casino sites, however, which offer the opportunity to play classic casino games and win cash prizes.

The biggest sweepstakes casino site in the US, Chumba Casino, offers casino gaming under the sweepstakes gaming model. Legally designated as a sweepstakes gaming platform, Chumba Casino offers both play money and sweepstakes games o separate sides of the site.

The play money games use a currency called 'Gold Coins', which are available for purchase. Gold Coins package purchases come with a gift, in the form of 'Sweeps Coins.'

Sweeps Coins function as currency for the sweepstakes games at Chumba Casino. Sweeps Coins carry no cash value, and can't be directly purchased.

The Sweeps Coins won in the sweepstakes casino games can be redeemed for cash prizes, however. Sweeps Coins can also be acquired for free via mail-in and social media offers.

Sweepstakes Poker

Global Poker operates as a sister site to Chumba Casino. Both platforms are owned by VGW Holdings and use the same sweepstakes gaming model.

Like Chumba Casino, Global Poker offers play money games using the Gold Coins currency, and sweepstakes games using Sweeps Coins. The Sweeps Coins poker games run around the clock, and Global Poker draws some of the highest traffic of any online poker site in the US.

Global Poker offers multi-table tournaments, Jackpot Sit & Gos, traditional sit & gos, and ring games on the sweepstakes side of the platform. These games don't use cash as currency, but the Sweeps Coins won in these games can be redeemed for cash prizes.

Like Chumba Casino, Global Poker legally operates in 49 US states, including Louisiana.

Daily Fantasy Sports

Louisiana's complicated relationship with Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) presents an unusual landscape for DFS operators.

DFS legalization went to a public vote in 2018, with 47 of Louisiana's 64 parishes approving the DFS bill. Much like the 2020 sports betting legislation, however, state lawmakers must decide on regulation and taxation of the state's DFS industry before products can launch.

That legal process has stalled since the 2018 vote. Pro-DFS lawmakers like Rep. John Stefanski hope to have the necessary regulations decided for DFS to launch in Louisiana soon.

Online Casinos

Louisiana hosts 28 casinos and racinos across the state, but regulated legal online casinos aren't part of the state's lineup of gambling options as of yet.

Recent trends in Louisiana's stance on online gambling could point to positive signs for the future of online casinos, however. DFS was legalized in 2018, and sports betting was approved in 2020.

Both DFS and sports betting were greenlighted via a public vote. If online casinos could get through the legislature and on the ballot, Louisiana residents could very well vote yes on mobile casino gaming.

Online Lottery

The Louisiana Lottery Corporation operates as the state's lottery and started offering games in 1991. The lottery offers in-state instant win and drawing games, and also participates I multi-state lotteries like Mega Millions and Powerball.

Online lottery purchases aren't currently legal in Louisiana, however. Any kind of retailer offering online lottery purchases in the Pelican State is doing so illegally.

Louisiana Mobile Sports Betting Guide

On-Site Mobile Sports Betting

Louisiana's sports betting bill authorizes casinos in the 55 parishes that voted yes on the bill to offer sports wagering. Casinos and racetracks located in those 55 parishes, which cover most of the state, can launch retail sportsbooks as soon as regulations are hammered out by the Louisiana legislature.

The language of the bill permits on-site mobile wagering at properties that operate a retail sportsbook. For example, if Harrah's New Orleans casino launches a retail sportsbook, the casino could also offer a mobile app that allows wagering from anywhere on the Harrah's New Orleans property.

Statewide Mobile Sports Betting

If statewide mobile sports betting is approved by Louisiana lawmakers, bettors could potentially wager online from anywhere within the state. Depending on the specifics of mobile sports betting regulations, online wagering could be limited to the 55 parishes that approved sports betting in the November 2020 vote.

New Jersey and Pennsylvania, two of the biggest sports betting markets in the US, produce more than 80 percent of overall wagers from mobile sports betting. Louisiana would likely realize a similar trend if online wagering is legalized.

Statewide online sports betting would allow for wagering on mobile apps for both Apple iOS and Android devices. Most online sportsbooks also allow for wagering directly through their websites, with no app download required.

If mobile sports betting launches in Louisiana here are some of the legal sportsbooks we anticipate will debut in the state:

Online Gambling In Louisiana: A Brief History

Online horse race betting currently stands as the only legalized form of real-money mobile gambling in Louisiana. Sweepstakes casinos and poker platforms (like Chumba Casino and Global Poker) also operate legally in Louisiana, but these sites don't fall under the definition of real-money gambling.

DFS legalization went to a public vote in 2018, with 47 of 64 parishes voting yes on the measure. For DFS platforms to launch in Louisiana, however, taxation and regulations must be determined by state lawmakers and the Louisiana Gaming Control Board.

That process has taken more than two years, and as the fall sports season of 2020 dawned DFS companies like FanDuel and DraftKings still await approval to offer games in Louisiana. When DFS platforms do finally get the green light, players located in one of the 47 parishes that voted yes on DFS legalization will enjoy access.

Sports Betting – Will Louisiana Approve Online Wagering?

Sports betting is definitely on its way to Louisiana players, as a November 2020 ballot measure passed in 55 of the state's 64 parishes. The measure approved retail sports betting at casinos and racetracks located within the 55 parishes that voted yes on the bill.

The language of the bill also allows for on-site mobile sports betting. On-site mobile apps allow for wagering anywhere on the property that runs a retail sportsbook.

Statewide mobile wagering wasn't explicitly outlined in the 2020 sports betting bill but could be added by Louisiana lawmakers before the industry goes live. If approved, bettors could place wagers on mobile apps from anywhere with the 55 parishes that approved sports betting.

The jurisdiction of statewide online sports betting could also extend to anywhere within the state, depending on the regulations decided on by lawmakers and the Louisiana Gaming Control Board.

Live Gambling In Louisiana

Live casino gambling traces roots back to the early 1700s, with the legality of casino gaming going back and forth for more than 200 years. The current era of retail casino gaming in Louisiana began in earnest in the early 1990s.

State lawmakers approved licenses for 15 commercial casinos in 1993. That same year, Native American tribes also began negotiating with the state with the aim of opening tribal casinos.

Nearly three decades later, Louisiana's live casino industry has evolved to include more than 20 commercial and tribal casinos. The state's horse racetracks are also permitted to offer casino games.

Most of Louisiana's casinos operate as riverboat properties. Only one commercial casino, Harrah's New Orleans, is permitted by law to operate as a land-based facility.

Map Of Casinos In Louisiana

In addition to casino gaming, other forms of legal gambling in Louisiana include pari-mutuel horse race betting at the state's four racetracks. The Louisiana Lottery represents another legal gambling option.

Louisiana Gambling Facts

Louisiana Casino Industry Overview

Louisiana hosts more than 20 commercial and tribal casinos. By state law, only one commercial casino, Harrah's New Orleans, is permitted to operate as a land-based casino. All other commercial casinos in Louisiana operate as riverboat casinos.

Tribal casinos started appearing on the Louisiana landscape in the early 1990s. The Pelican State is home to four Native American-owned casino properties.

Louisiana Casinos And Locations

Among the state's riverboat casinos, the St. Charles market stands as the highest revenue-earning area in the state. Louisiana's two most popular riverboat casinos (L'Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles and Golden Nugget Lake Charles) each brought in upward of $300 million in revenue in 2019.

Aside from Harrah's New Orleans, Louisiana's four tribal casinos operate legally as land-based casinos. These tribal properties include Coushatta Casino Resort (Kinder), Cypress Bayou Casino (St. Mary), Jena Choctaw Pines Casino (Dry Prong), and Paragon Casino Resort (Marksville).

The Lake Charles trio of riverboat casinos realized just under a 3% increase in year-to-year revenue from 2018 to 2019. Combined revenue among the three came in at just under $746 million in adjusted gross revenues.

Harrah's New Orleans, which holds the state's lone license to operate as a land-based casino, brought in just over $288.5 million in revenue for the fiscal year 2017-2018. That figure represented a 2.5% increase over FY 2016-17.

Louisiana's Casino Brands

Many of the biggest names in the US casino industry own and operate properties in Louisiana. The state's most popular casino, L'Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles, is owned by Gaming and Leisure Properties and operated by Penn National Gaming.

Landry's, Inc. owns Golden Nugget Lake Charles, the second-highest-grossing casino in the state. Harrah's New Orleans is owned by Vici Properties and operated by Caesars Entertainment. Boyd Gaming also owns multiple casinos in the Louisiana market.

Other Ways To Gamble In Louisiana

Louisiana Lottery

The Louisiana Lottery Corporation operates the state lottery, which offers instant win and drawing games. Online lottery isn't legal in Louisiana, and the only way to purchase lottery tickets is through retail locations across the state.

Louisiana also participates in the two biggest multi-state lotteries in the US, Powerball and Mega Millions.

Horse Racing

Louisiana plays host to four racetracks, including Harrah's Louisiana Downs, Evangeline Downs, Fair Grounds Race Course, and Delta Downs.

All four of Louisiana's horse race tracks operate as racinos, offering live horse race betting, off-track betting, and casino games.

More Resources On Louisiana Gambling

Louisiana Legal Gambling FAQ

No. Daily Fantasy Sports and possibly sports betting (if online sports betting is approved by lawmakers) are the only legal forms of real-money online gambling in the state.

Sweepstakes casinos (like Chumba Casino and Luckyland Slots) and sweepstakes poker sites (Global Poker) are legal, however. These platforms present casino games and poker as sweepstakes games.

Not yet. Sports betting was legalized in 55 parishes via public vote in November 2020. The sports betting bill that passed outlines the legalization of retail sports betting and on-site mobile sports betting.

Louisiana lawmakers are expected to spend 2021 discussing whether to allow full-scale statewide online sports betting in Louisiana.

21 or over. To place any kind of legal sports bet, you must be 21 or older. This minimum age applies to in-person, on-site mobile, and statewide mobile sports bets.

Casino website design. If online sports betting is approved, Louisiana will likely use the same model for mobile sports betting used by other states.

New Jersey, Colorado, Pennsylvania, West Virgina, and several other states use a model that allows casinos to operate online wagering with a licensed sports betting partner.

Some of the most popular online sportsbooks in other states include FanDuel Sportsbook, DraftKings Sportsbook, BetMGM, FOX Bet, PointsBet, and BetRivers. In most states, these brands operate under the license of land-based casinos.

Not yet. If online sports betting is legalized, however, DraftKings stands a good chance of entering the Louisiana market.

Casinos On Louisiana

Yes. Louisiana plays home to more than 20 casinos. This lineup includes four tribal casinos, one land-based casino, and around 20 riverboat casinos.

The state's four horse race tracks also operate as racinos, offering casino gaming and live horse racing at the same venue.

The Louisiana Gaming Control Board oversees all commercial casino operations in Louisiana. This includes all upcoming sports betting products, including mobile apps.

State lawmakers approved retail casinos in 1991. Louisiana law permits one land-based casino license (Harrah's New Orleans), while all other casinos must operate as riverboat casinos.

Louisiana's Native American tribes began construction on casinos in 1993, with the 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act paving the way.

No. If online sports betting gets the green light from Louisiana lawmakers, you'll only have to be located within state borders at the time of a wager to play at regulated online sportsbooks.

Legal online sportsbooks use geolocation technology to determine a user's location when placing a bet. You have to be located in Louisiana when making a wager, but you don't have to be a resident.

Yes, if you're playing at a state-regulated online casino or sportsbook. Approved online sportsbooks in Louisiana will go through a thorough vetting process and background check from the Louisiana Gaming Control Board before they're approved for launch.

Playing at regulated online sportsbooks offers the same level of safety as playing on the casino floor at one of Louisiana's legal casinos. Offshore sportsbooks and illegal bookmakers might not offer the same level of safety, however.

• Year Louisiana Regulated Gambling: Lottery (1868-1893, 1990-present), Racing (1852-1868, 1971-present), Bingo (1987), Casinos (1991), Truck Stop/Tavern Video Poker (1991)
• Estimated Tax Revenue from Gambling: $670 million
• Estimated Gambling Revenue: $2.9 billion
• Louisiana Gambling Age: 18 for racing and charitable gambling, 21 for lotteries and casinos
• Smoking ban: Louisiana permits smoking in casinos. New Orleans bans smoking at Harrah's through city ordinance.
• Louisiana Online gambling: Horse racing

Louisiana gambling has the deepest roots of any other state in the South. It was home to the first racing industry in the region. It also hosted the most infamous lottery racket in history.

Modern day Louisiana gambling is still among the most friendly in the South. It hosts a lottery, horse racing, off-track betting, charitable gaming and full-scale Louisiana casinos. About half of the parishes legalized video poker at bars, taverns and truck stops. These types of sin have become a part of the state's history.

With a total of 21 Louisiana casinos, six of them being Native American casinos, there are plenty of locations to choose from. Depending on your location, you can check the Louisiana casinos map and find the nearest one.

Paying Gambling Taxes in Louisiana

Did you know that your gambling income is taxable? OnlineUnitedStatesCasinos has gathered everything you need to know about paying taxes on your gambling winnings straight from a Certified Public Accountant. For more information please visit our exclusive Gambling Taxes article.

November 2018 Update

After the midterm elections, Daily Fantasy Sports will be a reality in the state. Residents decided to approve an initiative to allow the contests. Out of the 64 parishes in the state, 47 were in favor of legalizing daily fantasy sports. Those who voted in approval will be able to offer the option.

Due to the state constitution prohibiting gambling, legislation implementing the initiative will state that participation in a fantasy sports contest will not be considered gambling.

Louisiana Casinos Map & Guide

• Harrah's
• Golden Nugget
• Boomtown
• Horseshoe Casino
• Paragon Casino

• Number of B&M Casinos: 21
• Number of Poker Rooms: 13
• Number of Indian Casinos: 6

Types of Louisiana Online Gambling Allowed

The only form of legal Louisiana online gambling is off-track betting. Horses are the only types of races permitted.

Daily fantasy sports are illegal in Louisiana. The state forbids games of any chance, as well as all forms of online gambling not specifically legalized by statute. Louisiana takes a hard line against illegal online gambling operators. Most offshore poker, casino, and sports betting sites do not even attempt to take action from Louisianans.

Types of Live Louisiana Gambling

• Slots: Yes
• Blackjack: Yes
• Poker: Yes
• Craps/Roulette: Yes
• Horses: Yes
• Lottery: Yes

There are many forms of live gambling in Louisiana. No other state in the South compares to it.

Horseracing is one of the original forms of gambling in Louisiana. There are several tracks in the state that offer live and simulcast racing. There is a state lottery that sells scratch-off and lotto tickets.

Charities are permitted to sell bingo cards, raffle tickets, and pools that involve games of chance. These must be operated by nonprofit organizations that register with the state.

There are plenty of legal Louisiana casinos that offer all of the popular games. There are three types of casinos in Louisiana. There are riverboat casinos, which comprises all but one commercial Louisiana casino. Harrah's New Orleans has a special arrangement that allows it to be on land. That is because it guarantees a minimum number of jobs. There are also Native American Louisiana casinos located on reservation land.

The most unusual form of live gambling in Louisiana is video poker. It is not legal everywhere. Local jurisdictions decide whether video poker should be permitted through referendums. As of February 2016, 31 of Louisiana's 64 parishes legalized video poker in one form or another. Some allow it in taverns while others expand that right to racetracks and/or truck stops.

Louisiana Gambling Laws

There is unusual minimum gambling ages in Louisiana. Minimum Louisiana gambling age for Bingo and racing players is 18 years to get into action. The state lottery requires players to be at least 21 years old. Louisiana casinos and convenience-style video poker also have a minimum gambling age of 21 years.

Louisiana gambling laws specifically prohibit all forms of internet gambling. Online gamblers face a fine of up to $500 for participating. Louisiana is one of just two states with explicit penalties for players. While gambling online is a misdemeanor, site operators of unlicensed poker, casino, and sports betting sites face felonies if convicted of the crime.

Louisiana casinos are required to be located on bodies of water. There are currently 15 Louisiana casino licenses for commercial operations. Five casinos in Shreveport. Four casinos in Lake Charles. There are three casinos in Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

Harrah's New Orleans is the exception to this rule. In exchange for this monopoly, Harrah's must employ at least 2,400 people. These positions are not required to be full time. Harrah's was required to pay a $100 million annual tax payment to the state. That was later lowered to $60 million.

The original agreement with the state did not permit Harrah's to have a hotel. This was repealed in 2001. Harrah's was also permitted to open a full-service restaurant at that time. These conditions were originally placed on the casino to prevent it from taking business away from other businesses in downtown New Orleans.

There are 31 parishes that permit video poker. Each local jurisdiction has the right to determine where these devices may be hosted or whether the games are outright illegal. The tax rate is 26% for games located in bars and restaurants. Racetracks get a discounted 22.5% tax rate. Truck stops must pay 32.5% in taxes. Local governments receive 20% of the taxes collected. Other funds go towards local law enforcement, problem gambling, and horsemen. Two-thirds of the taxes collected go to the general fund of the state.

List of Louisiana Casinos

There are four racetracks and 28 Louisiana casinos that currently operate within the state. There are 31 parishes where video poker is available in some capacity. There is also a state lottery and a wide range of charitable organizations that spread games of chance.

You can find all Louisiana casinos below, with details on their location, size, and website. For more detailed information on locating them, you can use our Louisiana casinos map to help guide you to the closest one.

• Louisiana Downs – Bossier City
• Evangeline Downs – Opelousas

• Delta Downs – Vinton
• Fairgrounds Race Course – New Orleans

History of Louisiana Gambling

The first form of organized gambling in Louisiana was a government-run casino in 1753. There were more places to gamble in Louisiana than nearly any other city in the early 1800's. The federal government had enough of the rampant gambling in the territory and banned casinos in 1812. The law exempted New Orleans. The legality of casinos bounced back and forth until 1866.

The first version of the Louisiana Lotterystarted in 1866. The state outlawed all other forms of gambling at that time. A private company operated the lottery. It paid the state $40,000 a year. This early form of the Louisiana Lottery accepted action across state lines. It held a near-100% market share in the country. Tickets and transactions were handled by mail. This was legal at the time but Congress deemed it unlawful on 1890. The lottery became so despised that the state legislature repealed it in 1893.

Horseracing was legalized in 1929. The first track was at the New Orleans Fair Grounds. It was the only place in the state where gambling was regulated at the time. A state lottery was created in 1991 through a constitutional referendum.

Casinos in Louisiana were legalized the same year as the lottery. Fifteen casino licenses were created where all but one, are required to be located on bodies of water. The other is in downtown New Orleans. Harrah's New Orleans agreed to several restrictions to bypass the water-based requirement. It must employ 2,400 people. It was not permitted a hotel in its early years. This Louisiana casino had trouble reopening after the destruction of New Orleans caused by Hurricane Katrina. The casino was not damaged as it is built several feet above the streets and in an area not flooded due to its elevation. It was difficult to find the required number of employees.

Harrah's New Orleans has another issue affecting its operation these days. The New Orleans City Council banned smoking at Harrah's in 2015. This did not affect the other casinos in the metro area. Harrah's saw an immediate drop in business of 20-25%.

Four Native American tribes negotiated gaming pacts with the state under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. There are six Native American casinos in Louisiana located on reservation lands.

Video poker started to appear in truck stops and bars in the 1980's. The games were a problem and the state decided to legalize them in 1991 to generate tax revenue. This was met with opposition from conservative groups. The state permitted each parish to determine the legality of video poker in 1996. Voters approved video poker in 31 of the 66 parishes.

Louisiana Casinos & Gambling FAQ

Yes, there are currently 21 casinos in Louisiana.

The minimum Louisiana gambling age is 18 years for racing and charitable gambling, and 21 years for lotteries and casinos.

Slots, video poker, live poker, blackjack, craps, roulette, Three Card Poker, Four Card Poker, Ultimate Texas Hold'em, Pai Gow Poker and baccarat are among the casino games available in the state.

No. There is one land-based casino in New Orleans and six reservation casinos.

Harrah's agreed to keep 2,400 employees on the payroll in exchange for dropping the requirement of being on the Mississippi River. It also pays a $60 million per year licensing tax that does not apply to other casinos.

There is no statewide smoking ban in Louisiana. New Orleans passed a city ordinance banning smoking in all indoor areas, including casinos. Harrah's is the only casino in the city limits.

Yes. It sells scratch-off and lotto tickets.

Yes. This includes live races, race books, and mobile betting.

State law expressly forbids online gambling. State residents can be fined up to $500, although no player has ever been convicted. Off-track racing is exempted.

Daily fantasy sports sites like DraftKings and FanDuel are illegal in the state.