Sports are so often about breaking records and passing torches. To that end, because the passage and implementation of PASPA were for so long deemed the most impactful event in the history of American sports betting, it makes a kind of ironic sense that PASPA’s Supreme Court overturn now holds that lofty distinction. Indeed, the elimination of PASPA is the most watershed moment in the history of US sports betting, as it has allowed an incredible, mostly-underground industry to leap back into the public eye and occupy the public consciousness.

In 1979, the Seminole tribe opened the first reservation-based commercial gambling beginning a trend that would be followed by other reservations. Gradually, lotteries and some types of parimutuel betting were legalized in other areas of the country. In the 1990s, riverboat casinos were legalized in Louisiana, Illinois, and other states. State laws govern whether gambling is legal. If it is permitted, the state also determines which types of gambling are allowed and under which terms and restrictions. Casinos are permitted in certain jurisdictions in the Bayou State. And Louisiana, like Missouri and Illinois, also allows gambling on riverboats. More than 25 years after contorting themselves to legalize casinos and video poker under a state Constitution that commanded “Gambling shall be defined by and suppressed by the legislature,” the. Louisiana has laws regulating everything from riverboat casinos to horse racing. In addition, for over 20 years, the state-operated lottery has raised revenue for the state, primarily for public education in Louisiana. State law dictates how lottery revenue is distributed. Because gambling and lotteries are complicated areas of the law, it’s. Martiny was the point man of Senate Bill 266 that would have allowed sports betting to be legal in potentially 16 locations including casinos and riverboats throughout the state.

PASPA was relegated to the trash-heap of history on May 14, 2018, and within just six months, seven states rolled out their own sports betting industries to go along with the established market in Nevada. These states – Delaware, New Jersey, Mississippi, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and New Mexico – account for the historic first wave of sports betting states. The first half of 2019 brought about the second wave of sports betting legislation. Over two dozen states had at least one sports betting bill introduced in a legislative chamber and several went on to passing a bill into law. Those states include Montana, Indiana, Iowa, Illinois, North Carolina, Tennessee, and New Hampshire.

There are now 18 states in total that have legalized sports wagering. Most industry analysts and political insiders believe that within just a few short years, nearly 80 percent of all US states will have some form of legal, state-sanctioned sports betting product on offer for their residents and visitors. The rate of sports wagering adoption – and the public polling popularity that the pastime enjoys – is truly staggering. Sports betting, after generations of being pushed the fringes of society, is finally finding its rightful home in the mainstream. And that means more jobs, more vibrant local economies, more choice, and – most important of all – more freedom for the tens of millions of honest, hardworking sports bettors in this great nation!

History Of Sports Betting In The USA Before The 20th Century

In the early 19th century, betting on horses was the most popular sport amongst gamblers. Though horse racing betting today involves pari-mutuel pools, horses played a role in developing the history of sports betting in the USA. It was with the establishment of professional baseball in 1876 that traditional sports betting came to the forefront. The National League was founded on February 2, 1876, followed by the American League in 1901. By 1877, however, the game started being influenced by gambling as years later, for example, it was discovered that the Louisville Grays were throwing games. During this time, the general attitude toward sports betting was laxer than throughout any other point in history, with the activity being viewed purely as a form of entertainment. There were even baseball pool cards which are similar to the parlay cards found in DE and other sportsbooks today. An article from the Washington Post in 1894 stated the following about Cap Anson, then-manager of the Chicago Colts:

“Uncle Anson has already started making wagers on the position the Chicago Colts will have in the race for the National League Pennant next year. He put up $100 a few days ago that his team would finish higher up in the race than the Pittsburgh Pirates.”

This goes to show how acceptable betting on sports was during the era, as in current times a manager would never be able to bet on his team. (Just ask Pete Rose!) It was not until 25 years later that the first major sports betting scandal occurred.

History Of Sports Betting In The USA During The 20th Century

After the turn of the century, sports betting was more popular than ever, but the Chicago Black Sox scandal brought its unfettered professional participation to a halt (and sullied the pastime in the eyes of many more puritanical citizens and lawmakers around the nation). Eight players on the Chicago White Sox were bribed into throwing the 1919 World Series, casting a dark shadow over sports betting that is still felt today. Regardless, as the history of sports betting in the USA during the 20th century shows, sports betting continued to grow among the general population, with even more sports coming into the fold. The 1920s are often referred to the “Golden Era” of sports, with collegiate football and basketball becoming popular sports betting options. During the Great Depression, football pool cards were in high demand due to the perception of quick, easy cash.

Though sports betting was prevalent, it is important to note that up until this point, sports betting was actually illegal. However, with no real sports betting laws and a lack of attention from law enforcement, the activity remained commonplace. It was in 1931 that Nevada legalized gambling, though other states remained more or less mum on the matter. Indeed, various New York crime families quickly filled this vacuum, offering numbers games and sports wagering services in states from coast to coast. The participation of the mob in sports betting led to the Interstate Wire Act of 1961 (which was also a gambit to protect state-run lotteries from “illegal” competition), which in-turn forced sports wagering to become a largely local thing in the regions where it was pushed underground. Nevada – particularly Las Vegas – began to be viewed as among the only legitimate places to bet on sports in the US.

Still, betting on sports was not big business in the state until the 1970s. It was during this time that congress lowered the 10% tax on sports bets that bookmakers were required to pay. Within a few years, more states moved toward legalizing sports betting. In 1976, Delaware began their sports lottery, and the Oregon Sports Action parlay game came in 1989. The Montana Lottery was created by voter referendum in 1986, with limited sports pools and fantasy sports betting options.

As more states started to consider legalizing sports betting, the more concerned congress grew. This prompted the government to find a legal means to stop the proliferation of sports betting across America. To achieve this, lawmakers wrote and enacted the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA). PASPA banned sports betting in the United States, except for in the four states that had already established legal sports betting operations, of which NV was the only one with real single-game wagering (as the other states were limited to glorified lottery tickets, sports-themed pull-tabs, and bingo-style games). Of all the moments throughout the history of sports betting in the USA, the passage of PASPA had the biggest impact on the overall betting landscape, and it would continue to limit public access to wagering until its Supreme Court overturn 25 years later (2018).

History Of Las Vegas Sports Betting

Las Vegas opened its first official sportsbook (called “turf clubs” at the time) and started accepting wagers in 1949 and have been doing so ever since. However, there was plenty of illegal sports betting going on in the city before then. Las Vegas is singlehandedly responsible for making sports betting so popular in America and the rest of the world. Another fact about the history of sports betting in the USA is the fact that the “juice” started in Vegas. When the first sportsbook opened in Sin City, there was an agreement with the casino that the book would pay 10% of their earnings to the casino. The sportsbooks way of making up for this money was to charge a “vigorish” on any bet that was placed, and that is why you have to pay juice to this day.

History Of Modern Sports Betting In The USA

When you fast forward to the 21st century, sports betting in the US looks dramatically different than it did in centuries prior. Sports bettors are able to bet on every sport imaginable, from football and basketball to tennis and golf and more. The point spread was introduced more than 50 years ago, but there are now a variety of straight and exotic wagers that bettors have become accustomed to. The advent of the Internet also changed how sports fans could wager, making betting on sports much more accessible. With Nevada being the only state offering single-game wagering, sports enthusiasts had very limited options when it came to safely placing bets. In the early 2000s, online sportsbooks began appearing all over the US market and became the norm for betting on sports. No matter where a bettor was located, they would be able to find Vegas-style sports betting action from the comfort of their home.

Just as the spread of sports betting signaled the US government to step in and stop expansion, the same incident occurred as online sports betting increased in popularity. In 2006, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA) was stealthily included as part of the larger SAFE Port Act. The SAFE Port Act was concerned with port security, making the UIGEA a completely unrelated law in the grand scheme. Signed into law on October 13, 2006, by then-President George W. Bush, the UIGEA is an act that prevents certain payment instruments from being used for online gambling transactions. The FDIC requires certain US financial institutions to monitor and restrict certain designated payment systems that include credit cards, checks, and wire transfers. Though the law does not make online sports betting illegal, nor does it punish bettors in any way, the UIGEA did cause many online sports betting sites to leave the US market.

Still, there are plenty of sports betting sites that safely serve USA sports bettors. All of the sites are based offshore, in locations like Costa Rica and Panama where remote gaming is legal. These sites are licensed and regulated to accept US players even without being physically located in the States. As they operate outside of US jurisdiction, they are free to post odds, accept wagers, and send payouts to America residents.

The United States And It’s Evolving History With Legal Sports Betting

Twenty-six of the 50 states have some form of legal sports betting market, including Washington DC. Some of these states have not yet launched their industries while others are operating through Tribal Gaming Compacts without going through further discussions with the government on the matter as they are classifying sports betting as Class III gaming which they are entitled to offer their patrons through their current compacts.

This means that over half of the United States has made the gambling on sporting events legal since PASPA was overturned in 2018. At this rate, it wouldn’t be unheard of if most of the country had legal sportsbook markets within the next five years, with a few exceptions of course, like the state of Utah, who have openly said they want no part of gambling businesses. The activity of sports betting is seeing history in the making in the United States every day with more and more states wanting to get in on the action.

The Future Of Sports Betting In The USA

Sports are so often about breaking records and passing torches. To that end, because the passage and implementation of PASPA was for so long deemed the most impactful event in the history of American sports betting, it makes a kind of ironic sense that PASPA’s Supreme Court overturn now holds that lofty distinction. Indeed, the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn PASPA was a watershed moment for the sports betting industry, as it has enabled a hobby that has largely been restricted to underground methods.

After PASPA was overturned on May 14, 2018, seven states legalized and launched sports betting within just the first six months. Two of those states—New Jersey and Pennsylvania—now have sports betting industries that handle several billion dollars a year in wagers. Dozens of states have now either legalized or introduced legislation for regulated sports betting. Even a global pandemic was unable to prevent more states from legalizing sports betting, as Virginia, Washington, and Oklahoma all paved the way for legal sports betting after the coronavirus pandemic hit the U.S. in February and March.

Most industry analysts and political insiders believe that within just a few short years, nearly 80 percent of all US states will have some form of legal, state-sanctioned sports betting product on offer for their residents and visitors. COVID-19 has placed an unimaginable strain on the U.S. and global economies, but one of the unintended side effects could be an even faster rate of sports betting adoption. Sports betting, in addition to high rates of voter approval, is an excellent industry for generating tax revenue. With the ongoing budgetary crisis faced by many states, legalizing sports betting is a fast and easy way to increase tax revenues to cover some of that shortfall.

How Will Sports Betting Look Years From Now?

Sports betting has changed immensely since its start in the dark shadows before becoming a legal industry. The beginnings of a real market occurred using newspapers and word of mouth by people in sports circles. This would lead to a face to face interaction where gamblers would fill out a betting slip and have the clerk take their bets. Of course, this still happens, even more now that states are legalizing sports betting throughout the nation, but the consensus is that the majority of handle from gambling on sporting events comes from mobile sportsbook applications.

Years from now, sports betting could turn into a business where 90% of it is done by phone or computer. Technology and modernization will continue to take over the industry. There will always be land-based sportsbooks but down the line, there may not be as many as there are now with the growth and popularity of alternative platforms to gamble on the games. Venues for sports wagering could turn into that random Redbox terminal seen around today but in comparison with how many are around right now so, there will still be plenty of venues to frequent. The history of sports betting continues making new slips to add to its book every day as new innovations are introduced.

How Long Have Legal Online Sports Betting Websites Been Around?

See Full List On En.wikipedia.org

Legal online sports betting websites have been operating for over two decades now. They became extremely popular in the late 1990s and early 2000s at the same time that the internet became a dominant part of our daily lives. While many of the domestic sites ceased operation in 2006, offshore online sportsbooks have continued to serve Americans since their inception over 20 years ago.

Why is Casino Gambling Legal In My State And Not Sports Betting?

The reason mainly stems from federal restrictions on sports betting. PASPA was first signed in 1992 and it banned any state from legalizing sports betting until it was repealed in 2018. Because the legislative process takes time, states are only just now slowly considering and enacting new provisions for this activity.

Why Was Nevada The Only State Able To Offer Legal Sports Betting?

Nevada opened the first legal sportsbook back in 1949. When PASPA was put into place in 1992, Nevada was essentially grandfathered into the law because it already had its own rules in place for sports betting. Other states like Montana, Oregon, and Delaware were also grandfathered into the law but only Nevada had traditional single-game wagering.

When Did Sports Betting Become Available To Other States?

States outside of Nevada first became able to legalize sports wagering after PASPA was repealed by the US Supreme Court in May of 2018. Since then 17 states have taken the initiative to pass a sports betting bill and sign it into law. Many other states considered the topic during their last legislative session but did not pass a bill. They are expected to do it again, especially now that neighboring states have an edge in their gambling industry.

When Will Legal Sports Betting Come To My State?

Because of the repeal of PASPA, legal sports betting can come to your state whenever the state lawmakers pass the legislation. In some states, it may just be more realistic than others. States like Utah have a state culture and view of sports betting that probably will not allow for a law to be passed any time soon. States like Tennessee, North Carolina, and Virginia have recently legalized sports betting and are having to wait for it to officially launch in the state. Voters have to approve the legislation, so if you vote you would know if your state is next.

If Sports Betting Is Not Regulated In My State, How Do I Place Bets?

Even if you live in a state where sports betting has yet to be legalized, you can still bet on sports online using any of our recommended online sportsbooks. These websites are all located outside of the jurisdiction of US law and are therefore only regulated by the countries in which they are located. These websites are completely legitimate, safe, legal to use for US residents.

Who Invented Sports Betting?

Sports betting lovers everywhere can give a nod to the Greeks’ when it comes to the history of wagering on sports and how it was invented over 2,000 years ago. It was the Greeks’ that created the Olympics and with that came gambling on the competitions that took place at the Olympic events. From there, betting on sports spread like wildfire to Rome where it would become a legal activity and then slowly around the globe. Now the United States, while doing it for quite some time in the shadows, has acknowledged sports betting and states have begun legalizing the industry as of 2018 after the repeal of PASPA.

Why Was Sports Betting Made Illegal To Begin With In The United States?

It started with horse racing in the early 1900s and moved onto other sports like baseball and football in the 1960s when the entire subject of gambling on sports was made illegal. It wasn’t because of problem gambling being an issue or addictive behaviors, although they are one in the same usually. It was due to the integrity of the event taking place. People believed that if money were to be wagered on horses or other sports that the jockeys and the athletes would throw races or games to fall in the direction of big bets. They’d be swayed by high rollers to do this and that threat was too much for the sports world to accept making sports betting an illegal pastime in most of the United States for years.

Louisiana has a handful of beautiful riverboat casinos, plenty of charitable
gambling to go around, and some pari-mutuel horse racing.

But Louisiana’s history with gambling has been a love/hate one, like when
they legalized the state lottery, outlawed it, then legalized it again.

But where does Louisiana stand along the many states considering regulated
online gambling?

Online Gambling and Louisiana Law

Is Online Gambling Legal in Louisiana?

Online gambling is illegal in Louisiana.

Here’s what the f
Louisiana Revised Statutes says about online gambling:

“Gambling has long been recognized as a crime in the state of Louisiana and
despite the enactment of many legalized gaming activities remains a crime.

Gambling by computer is the intentional conducting, or directly assisting in
the conducting as a business of any game, contest, lottery, or contrivance
whereby a person risks the loss of anything of value in order to realize a
profit when accessing the Internet, World Wide Web, or any part thereof by way
of any computer, computer system, computer network, computer software, or any
server.

Whoever commits the crime of gambling by computer shall be fined not more
than five hundred dollars, or imprisoned for not more than six months, or both.”

Can I Get Arrested for Gambling Online in Louisiana?

Since it’s illegal to gamble online in Louisiana, yes, you can get arrested
for it, but you probably won’t.

We couldn’t find any residents who’ve been arrested for gambling online.

The Louisiana law enforcement is more interested in taking down residents who
run illegal online casinos.

Our advice, of course, is to obey the law of the land, regardless of
jurisdiction. At the same time, we’re aware that some of our readers want
guidance about risk levels. We think that playing a hand of blackjack on the web
is one of the lowest-risk crimes you can imagine in Louisiana or elsewhere.

With this kind of business, it’s traditional for law enforcement to focus on
the providers rather than the customers. Online gambling of any kind is usually
low on law enforcement’s radar, although running an illicit gambling operation
presents considerable risk.

Is Louisiana Going to Legalize Online Gaming?

It’s unclear if Louisiana is going to legalize online gaming. The state has
been looking into state-regulated online gaming since 2013, but we’ve seen no
progress toward online gambling.

How do I choose a good and safe offshore gaming site?

If you’re in Louisiana and looking to play on the web, an offshore gambling
site is your most realistic option. As a bettor, the legal risks are minimal,
but the other risks are considerable. You need to worry about whether the site
is going to provide you with good customer service and reasonable payout times.

If you read the reviews on our site and keep the following in mind, you’ll
have a better time finding a place to play.

• Game Variety

The first thing you should do is check to see
if the site has the game you’re interested in playing. Also check out what other
games they have available, in case you occasionally want to switch up the games
you play.

It’s silly to sign up for an all-slots site if your goal is to place sports
bets and play blackjack.

• Tournaments

If tournaments are something you’re planning
on participating in, make sure the site you’re looking at offers good ones. Look
at the tournaments page for information like prizes, frequency, and rules.

• Bonus Terms and Conditions

Nobody likes reading the fine
print, but you might want to when it comes to bonus terms. Almost every site you
look at will have a sign-up bonus, but read the fine print to learn about the
conditions you have to meet in order to get the bonus. One condition you might
have to meet is how much you have to wager.

• Read Reviews

Reading reviews might be the most important
research you do before signing up for a site. Focus on member reviews, not a
forum or website reviews. Member reviews tell you all you need to know about a
site, including what to expect, what they liked, and what they didn’t like.

We think the reviews on our site are as even-handed and comprehensive as any
you’ll find on the internet. Read them, and let us know if you agree.

• Customer Complaints

Do a search for the name of the site
you’re considering and the word complaint, and you might find some members who
have filed complaints about the site. Reading these can alert you to common
problems people have with the site.

• Deposit Options

See what forms of deposit the site
accepts. You want to make sure there’s a form you’re familiar with.

• Cash Out Options

It’s also important to see how you can
get your money back out when you win. Not every deposit option is available as a
withdrawal option. It’s always a good idea to find out before you make a deposit
to make sure a good option is available.

• Contact Customer Service

Chat with customer service to get
a feel for their professionalism. You also want to keep in mind how long it
takes them to get back to you. If you become a member and have a real issue, you
don’t want to wait a week for a response.

• Restricted States

Some sites have restrictions on who they
can offer their games to. Make sure the site you’re considering can legally
offer their gaming to your state.

• Licensing Jurisdiction

Look into the site’s licensing
jurisdiction to find out what restrictions the site has to follow. Some areas
have stricter restrictions than others.

• Longevity of Business

See how long a site has been in
business. A site that has been in business for five years will have both more
information and a more reliable reputation than a site that has been in business
for five months.

Are Daily Fantasy Sports Legal in Louisiana?

No, daily fantasy sports are not legal in Louisiana.

But it’s not because of a lack of resident interest. Several attempts have
been made in the past to legalize daily fantasy sports; one attempt was as
recent as 2016.

Here’s some information from the
ESPN website about the history of daily
fantasy sports in Louisiana:

“In 1991, then-Attorney General William J. Guste, Jr. concluded that a 1-900
number fantasy football contests constituted illegal gambling, but nothing in
the 1991 memo touched on DFS-specific issues. The Louisiana legislature
considered a DFS bill during the 2016 session.”

More Gambling Laws in Louisiana

• Casino Games: Legal
• Sports and Race Betting: Pari-Mutuel Only
• Lottery: Legal
• Bingo: Charitable Only
• Social Gambling: Illegal

The Louisiana Revised Statutes defines gambling as the following:

“(a) Gambling is the intentional conducting, or directly assisting in the
conducting, as a business, of any game, contest, lottery, or contrivance whereby
a person risks the loss of anything of value in order to realize a profit.

(b) Whoever commits the crime of gambling shall be fined not more than five
hundred dollars, or imprisoned for not more than six months, or both.”

Casino Games: Legal

All your favorite casino games can be found in Louisiana casinos, including
poker, blackjack, roulette, craps, and slot machines.

Louisiana has a mixture of tribal casinos, land-based casinos, and riverboat
casinos.

Here’s what the Louisiana State Legislature says about gaming activities on
rivers and waterways:

“The development of a historic riverboat industry is important to the economy
of the state of Louisiana in that it will assist in the continuing growth of the
tourism industry and thus will benefit the general welfare of our citizens and
create new jobs. It is the intent of this Chapter to utilize Louisiana
resources, goods, and services in the operation and construction of riverboats
to the extent allowable by law, as defined in this Chapter.

An integral part of riverboat operation and profitability is the offering of
regulated gaming, among other activities.”

Sports and Race Betting: Pari-Mutuel Only

Louisiana allows pari-mutuel betting on horse racing.

Here’s what the Louisiana State Legislature says about pari-mutuel wagering:

“The commission shall make rules governing, permitting, and regulating the
wagering on horse races under the form of mutuel wagering by patrons, known as
pari-mutuel wagering. Only those persons receiving a license from the
commission may conduct this type of wagering, and shall restrict this form of
wagering to a space within the race meeting grounds. All other forms of
wagering on the result of horse races are illegal, and all wagering on horse
races outside the enclosure where horse races have been licensed by the
commission is illegal.”

Here’s what the
Louisiana State Legislature says about other track wagering:

“The commission may make rules regulating pari-mutuel wagering known as other
track wagering.

With the consent of the commission, an association may accept wagers at its
facility for the entire racing card scheduled on horse racing events of
regional, national, and international interest conducted at another track
outside of this state, and transmitted either by simulcast or other means of
video transmission, pursuant to a contract with the association or other entity
conducting the event.”

Greyhound racing is outlawed in Louisiana.

Lottery: Legal

Louisiana has a state-regulated lottery.

Here’s some information about the state lottery from the
Louisiana Lottery website:

“Louisiana Lottery Corporation began in 1991 after the 1990 state Legislature
proposed a state lottery (ACT 1045) as a way to generate revenue without
increasing taxes. Due to the Lottery’s unique operations, the Legislature
recognized a corporate structure would suit it best.

Voters also liked the idea and passed a constitutional amendment in 1990
creating the LLC by a 7 to 3 margin.

In 2011, the Lottery celebrated the 20th Anniversary of the sale of its first
scratch-off on Sept. 6, 1991.

In 2003, voters passed another constitutional amendment to dedicate Lottery
proceeds to the Minimum Foundation Program that funds public education in
Louisiana.”

As for where the money from the Louisiana Lottery goes, prize winners get
53%, the state treasury gets 35%, the lottery retailers get 5.5%, and 6% goes to
lottery operations.

Louisiana Lottery games include:

• Scratch Offs
• Mega Millions
• Powerball
• Lotto
• Easy 5
• Pick 4
• Pick 3

Bingo: Charitable Only

Charitable organizations may hold charitable games, including bingo, raffles,
pull tabs, and more.

The Louisiana Charitable Raffles, Bingo and Keno Licensing Law define a
charitable organization as:

“a nonprofit board, association, corporation, or other organization domiciled
in this state and qualified with the United States Internal Revenue Service for
an exemption from federal income tax”

Here are the approved games for charitable organizations according to the
Louisiana Charitable Raffles, Bingo and Keno Licensing Law:

“(1) The game of chance commonly known as raffle or raffles played by drawing
for prizes or the allotment of prizes by chance, by the selling of shares,
tickets, or rights to participate in such game or games, and by conducting the
game or games accordingly.

(2) The game of chance commonly known as bingo or keno played for prizes with
cards bearing numbers or other designations, five or more in one line, the
holder covering numbers, as objects, similarly numbered, are drawn from a
receptacle, and the game being won by the person who first covers a previously
designated arrangement of numbers on such a card.

(3) The game of chance commonly known as pull-tabs played for prizes with
cards or tickets and as defined in R.S. 4:725 or played as electronic pull-tabs
as provided in R.S. 4:733.

Time Runs Out On Louisiana Sports Betting For 2019

(4) Electronic video bingo as provided for in R.S. 4:724 and as defined by
rules of the office.

(5) Fund-raising events generally known as 'Las Vegas Nights' or 'Casino
Nights' as provided for in R.S. 4:729 as defined by rules of the office.”

Some general restrictions on charitable gaming in Louisiana include the
following:

“No licensee shall hold, operate, or conduct any game of chance under this
Chapter more often than on fifteen days in any one calendar month.

The total amount of prizes which may be awarded in any one session by a
licensee shall not exceed four thousand five hundred dollars in cash or other
thing or things of value.”

Social Gambling: Illegal

No Louisiana laws touch on “social gambling,” but based on the laws that are
written on gambling, social gambling is illegal. Gambling is only authorized in
licensed casinos and businesses licensed to offer slot machines.

But it’s not uncommon to find small-stakes home games, which the law
enforcement seems to tolerate in Louisiana.

Gambling Venues in Louisiana

Louisiana casinos offer about every casino game you could want, from craps to
slot machines and everything in between. Here are 10 of the casinos located
throughout Louisiana, including some land-based, riverboats, and tribal casinos.

1) Coushatta Casino Resort

777 Coushatta Dr

Kinder, LA 70648

Phone number: (800) 584-7263

2) Golden Nugget Lake Charles

2550 Golden Nugget Boulevard

Lake Charles, LA 70601

Phone number: (337) 508-777

3) Paragon Casino Resort

711 Paragon Place

Marksville, LA 71351

Phone number: (318) 253-1946

4) L’Auberge du Lac Resort

777 Ave L’Auberge

Lake Charles, LA 70601

Phone number: (866) 580-7444

5) Delta Downs

2717 Delta Downs Dr

Vinton, LA 70668

Phone number: (800) 589-7441

6) Isle of Capri Casino Hotel Lake Charles

100 Westlake Ave

Westlake, LA 70669

Phone number: (610) 241-1618

7) Treasure Chest Casino

5050 William Blvd

Kenner, LA 70065

Phone number: (504) 443-8000

8) Cypress Bayou Casino Hotel

832 Martin Luther King Rd

Charenton, LA 70523

Phone number: (337) 923-7284

9) Choctaw Pines Casino

149 Chahta Trails

Dry Pong, LA 71423

Phone number: (318) 648-7773

10) Boomtown Bossier City

300 Riverside Dr

Bossier City, LA 71111

Phone number: (318) 746-0711

History of Gambling in Louisiana

Governor Louis Billouart de Kerrierec opens the first government run casino.

New Orleans, Louisiana is now exempt from the ban on gambling.

Governor Murphy Foster closes down the Louisiana State Lottery.

Pari-mutuel betting on horse racing at fairgrounds is legalized.

The Louisiana State Lottery is legalized again. 15 riverboat casinos are approved. The first land based casino is approved also.

The state negotiates compacts with three Native American tribes to allows to allow them to open casinos on their tribal land.

Racetracks are now permitted to have slot machines. Gambling by computer is added to the laws in the gambling statues.

The committee is researching the possibility of bringing internet gambling to Louisiana.

Additional Resources

The Future & Your Views

Louisiana offers a variety of gambling options, and aside from their ban of
internet gambling, they’ve been a progressive state in the gambling department.

When Did Gambling Become Legal In Louisiana

We don’t know if you’ll see many changes coming to Louisiana’s gaming soon,
but Louisiana gambling sites are definitely being considered.