Will Daily Fantasy Sports Betting Be Legal In Louisiana?
With the launch of legal online sports betting in Louisiana imminent, players are wondering: Will daily fantasy sports be legal in the state, too?
The good news for fans of the popular game is that the answer is a resounding “yes.” Not only will daily fantasy sports be legal in Louisiana, but they already are, and DFS sites should launch very soon.
The history of daily fantasy sports in Louisiana
In truth, it’s taken Louisiana longer than most states to get to this point, with voters first backing the legalization of DFS games in 2018.
Generally, U.S. sportsbooks and US daily fantasy sports sites have been split up into two separate categories legally. However, Louisiana struggled to make this distinction, and the process became bogged down into a legal quagmire.
With the issue bouncing back and forth, it wasn’t until 2020 that measures for DFS were passed as part of a broader sports betting bill. Now, some two years later, DraftKings Louisiana has become the first provider of legal DFS to obtain a license in the Pelican State.
Of course, the breakthrough will pave the way for other DFS operators to enter Louisiana. However, experts are predicting that there may still be issues. Chief among these will be the state’s $15,000 “investigation fee,” which may be cost-prohibitive to smaller organizations.
Which daily fantasy sports betting sites will operate in Louisiana?
As mentioned above, DraftKings will be the first DFS operator to officially launch in Louisiana—and where DraftKings is, FanDuel is sure to follow.
The two rivals go hand-in-hand, and with both brands obtaining a sports betting license, it’s only natural that their DFS services will also be available.
Although no launch date has been provided for either label, FanDuel Louisiana should go live around the same time as the first LA betting apps. Details here are still being ironed out, but lawmakers remain hopeful of having sports betting ready in time for Super Bowl LVI.
Beyond those two industry heavyweights, it becomes difficult to predict which other DFS sites may yet launch in Louisiana. Certainly, Monkey Knife Fight and FantasyDraft are among the better-known brands to be in with a chance, but neither has yet applied for a license.
It's interesting to see that Caesars Sportsbook Louisiana will likely join the market through SuperDraft brand.
What sign-up bonuses can I claim at DraftKings and FanDuel when they launch?
Just as the first wave of legal LA online sportsbooks will offer bonus bets to customers, DFS sites will also offer bonuses to new players.
At the time of writing, state-specific offers for both DraftKings and FanDuel have yet to be revealed. However, we can look at both brands’ general offers to get an idea of what might be available in LA.
Both DraftKings and FanDuel typically offer players a first deposit match bonus worth up to $500. These funds are issued as bet credits on either side, with players able to use their bonus to enter a number of exciting competitions.
