Louisiana sports betting bill set for full Senate debate after approval

Sports betting may be legalised in Louisiana’s casinos and racetracks, after legislature approved a bill, which will now be debated by the full Louisiana Senate.

Louisiana sports betting bill set for full Senate debate after approval

Senate bill 153, by Senator Danny Martiny, advanced with a 3-1 vote.

The bill would legalise betting on college and professional sports at Louisiana’s 15 riverboat casinos, the land-based casino in New Orleans and four racetracks.

Martiny said: “Sports betting is not the solution to all our fiscal problems, but I know if we don’t do it, we will lose money. If nothing else, it stops some of the bleeding from people going to Mississippi and Arkansas.”

Senator Karen Carter Peterson wants to see a portion of any new gambling revenue go towards the state’s compulsive gambling fund.

Peterson said she isn’t anti-gambling, but she did vote against the proposed bill after revealing she has a gambling addiction.

She said: “Compulsive gambling is a huge problem in this state. I hope people don’t have to go through the pain I have with this.”

Topics
OnlineLand-BasedLegal & RegulatorySports BettingIndustry
Stay updated with GI
Follow Gambling Insider for independent news, analysis and industry expertise.
Nathan Joyes
Journalist

Nathan Joyes is a journalist who served as a Staff Writer at Gambling Insider from October 2018 to October 2019. During his time with the publication, he reported on key developments across the global gambling and iGaming sectors, covering news, regulatory updates and industry trends for both the Gambling Insider website and associated print titles.

Visit Profile

Gambling Insider delivers the latest industry news, in-depth features, and operator reviews that you can trust. Our team combines rigorous editorial standards with decades of specialized expertise to ensure accuracy and fairness. We are committed to delivering clear, impartial, and dependable coverage across the global gambling sector.

More News