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.”