Online Betting Louisiana Launching Tomorrow
Online sports betting in Louisiana was first scheduled to arrive at the start of the current NFL season. Then, the playoffs. Then Super Bowl LVI. It’s fair to say the rollout hasn’t exactly gone smoothly so far.
That being said, it appears there is now light at the end of the tunnel. With Louisiana bettors screaming for action and the pressure truly on, sports betting is finally ready to launch on January 28.
With that being said, here’s what we know so far.
Is online sports betting legal in the state of Louisiana?
Absolutely. All told, 55 of the state’s 64 parishes voted to legalize sports betting in November 2020, with official legislation being passed in June 2021.
With the Louisiana Gaming Control Board making 20 sports betting licenses available, a number of big-name operators have since been approved in the state.
The likes of Caesars LA Sportsbook, DraftKings, FanDuel, WynnBet Louisiana and BetMGM Sportsbook Louisiana have all been granted a license and are going live on Friday. The official launch delay was caused by a number of reasons, but perhaps the most difficult revolves around the nine parishes that rejected online sports betting.
Why were Louisiana sports betting sites being delayed?
As players must be physically located in a legal parish to wager at a Louisiana betting site, regulators had to strengthen their geofencing software.
Given the close proximity of the parishes, this safety measure became more complicated to implement than it was on a national or state level.
Furthermore, with many brands applying for a Louisiana license and each license permitting multiple skins, some of LA's online sportsbooks are still being reviewed. This ensures that their markets are suitable for the Louisiana audience and that sportsbook promos are compliant with regulations.
On top of that, the recent approval of daily fantasy sports betting sites has given lawmakers another set of applications to review. So far, only DraftKings Louisiana has been granted a DFS license in LA.
Where can I currently place a sports bet in the state of Louisiana?
At the time of writing, Louisiana sports betting can only be legally conducted at one of the nine licensed retail sportsbooks in the state.
That being said, the LA betting sites that have been given the green light to operate are open for pre-registration ahead of tomorrow's official go-live date.
While bettors will not be able to place a wager with these LA online sportsbooks until they launch on Friday, they can already register for an account. Doing so will put them on the mailing list, so they’ll be notified when their site goes live and receive a special offer.
