The time has finally come. Louisiana online sports betting went live on Friday at 8 a.m. CT as the first legal wagers began flowing in.
Six sportsbooks said earlier this week that they would launch Friday and each confirmed they’re live on Twitter.
- DraftKings (live)
- FanDuel (live)
- Caesars (live)
- BetMGM (live)
- BetRivers (live)
- Barstool Sportsbook (live)
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More operators should launch in the next few weeks, including BetFred, Golden Nugget and WynnBet.
The state will allow up to 41 total online operators, so many more sportsbooks will launch in the coming months and years. The barrier to entry is low, creating an ideal environment for bettors looking to access new types of products or find the best lines.
Not Every Parish Approved Betting
Louisiana is the first state to ask different jurisdictions (parishes, in this case) if they wanted to legalize sports betting, and most did — 55 of the 64 parishes got on board.
Those 55 include the most populous parts of the state like New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport and Lafayette.
The following nine parishes did NOT approve sports betting:
- Caldwell
- Catahoula
- Franklin
- Jackson
- LaSalle
- Sabine
- Union
- West Carroll
- Winn
There is some conflicting info out there about Jackson Parish, but according to Politico, the measure did not pass by the tightest of margins — 50.7% no to 49.3% yes.
Users in those nine parishes can create accounts, deposit and withdraw — they just can’t bet and will have to travel to a legal parish to place wagers. It’s all done by geolocation technology, so you simply need to be inside county lines of a legal parish.
Rules to Know
More than a dozen states have full-scale, competitive-market online betting like Louisiana will have, and The Pelican State got a lot right.
- Betting on Louisiana college team IS allowed. In several states, including New York and Illinois, bettors cannot wager on the college teams based in their state.
- You must be 21 years old to bet.
- Sportsbooks will pay a 15% tax on electronic bets and 10% on in-person bets. This is among the most favorable in the country, so you should expect lots of news sportsbooks to enter the market because the barrier to entry is low.
How We Got Here
February 2020: Louisiana Senator Cameron Henry introduced a sports betting bill in February of 2020.
May 2020: Though Louisiana had other sports betting bills in play, both the state senate and house approved Henry’s bill in May.
June 2020: Gov. John Bel Edwards signed the bill in June, creating a measure on the November 2020 ballot that asks all parishes to approve or deny sports betting.
November 2020: 55 of the 64 parishes in Louisiana approved sports betting on the ballot.
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June 2021: Edwards signed the bill into law, allowing regulations to begin creating the framework for online betting in the state.
Legislators began working on the rules and regulations for online betting shortly after that.
August 2021: Regulators approved emergency rules for sports betting to go into effect on Aug. 23 while working on permanent rules.
October 2021: Paragon Resort Casino in Marksville, partnering with sportsbook BetFred, launches the first retail book in Louisiana.
January 28, 2022: Online betting goes live with six operators — DraftKings, Barstool, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars and BetRivers.