State of Play in Louisiana
Sports Betting in Louisiana
Both retail and online sports betting are legal in Louisiana. Online sportsbooks got the green light to launch in Louisiana in Janaury 2022.
With online wagering live, players can legally place bets on approved sports betting sites, as long as they’re physically located within one of the 55 parishes that allow mobile wagering.
Daily fantasy sports sites are also legal in some parishes in the state. Other online gambling formats, like poker and casino games, aren’t yet legal in the Pelican State.
Sportsbooks in Louisiana
Q&A
- Can I bet on college sports in Louisiana? Yes, betting on college sports is legal in the state of Louisiana. New Orleans is home to a couple of professional sports franchises, but the LSU Tigers are expected to be one of the biggest betting markets in the state.
- Does DraftKings offer fantasy games in Louisiana? Yes. DraftKings announced in July 2021 that it would begin accepting residents of Louisiana on its popular DFS site. DraftKings was waiting until all of the legal proceedings in the state were sorted out before officially opening its DFS options up to residents.
- Are there any mobile betting apps in Louisiana? Yes. Louisiana has approved both retail and mobile sports betting, and mobile sports betting apps launched in January 2022. You can wager on sports online from anywhere within the 55 parishes that voted yes on sports betting in the November 2020 election.
- Is FanDuel offering an online casino app in Louisiana? No. FanDuel is a company that offers both sports betting and online casino gambling, but Louisiana has not yet approved that form of iGaming. FanDuel could easily add online casino gaming to its platform when that becomes an option.
- Is the Barstool Sportsbook app available In Louisiana? Yes. Barstool was among the first Louisiana online sportsbooks to launch in January 2022.
Methodology
Louisiana Online Betting
Louisiana players enjoy access to both online and retail sports betting, as well as daily fantasy sports. Online sports betting launched in the Pelican State in January 2022.
The November 2020 ballot in Louisiana tasked voters with approving legal sports betting. The public voted “yes” in 55 of the state’s 64 parishes, and those 55 parishes can now offer retail and online sports betting.
Louisiana has not yet explored legalizing online casino gambling or online poker, but the state could be on a path to do so in the near future. Getting DFS and online sports betting sites up and running has been the top priority, but that could lead to even more expansion.
Not only are online sites be offered in Louisiana, but mobile apps are available as well. This make sit extremely easy to bet in the state, but only if bettors are located in one of the 55 parishes that approved sports betting.
Read on for answers to Louisiana sports betting FAQs, an overview of the best Louisiana sports betting sites, and more.
Which Louisiana Sports Betting Sites Are Live?
Sports betting in Louisiana is finally live, but it was quite the process to get to this point. Many lawmakers in the state made it clear that they wanted to approve sports betting, but Louisiana state law leaves the decision up to the voters.
On November 4, 2020, voters in the state approved sports betting, putting pressure on lawmakers to get laws passed for the industry to take off. On June 22, 2021, Governor John Bel Edwards signed the final two pieces of legislation needed to legalize this new industry.
All three pieces of legislation were needed for legalizing sports betting in the state, and each bill had a specific purpose. There will be a total of 20 sports betting licenses available in the state, and the Louisiana Gaming Control Board will be issuing these licenses.
Louisiana sports betting law did allow for betting on college sporting events, including those that take place within the state. This is important for a state with a strong college football program and only two professional sports franchises.
The one thing that is unique about Louisiana sports betting is that it is legal in 55 of the 64 parishes in the state. Louisiana will be the first state in the U.S. to offer online sports betting but restrict it to only certain parts of the state.
Best Louisiana Online Sports Betting Apps
Online sports betting in Louisiana is now live, launching early in 2022. Both retail and online sports betting are approved in the Pelican State, but some operators have stayed away due to some of the laws that have been implemented.
The fact that online sports betting is not available statewide complicates things for operators, as the sites will have to ensure that geolocation services are working correctly. The top operators in the industry are still expected to launch in Louisiana, however.
Louisiana has approved remote registration, which should allow the online sportsbooks in the state to acquire customers quickly. The registration process can be completed online or through a mobile app once available in the state.
Here are the companies offering online sports betting in Louisiana:
Online Sportsbooks in Louisiana
- DraftKings Sportsbook
- FanDuel Sportsbook
- BetMGM Sportsbook
- Caesars Sportsbook
- BetRivers
- Barstool Sportsbook
- WynnBET
Top Louisiana Online Sportsbooks
- No. 1 U.S. sportsbook
- Live Betting
- Top-Rated App
- Global Sports Selection
- 15+ States
- Top-Rated App
- Best Legal Sports Betting Alternative
- Available in 40+ States
- Play For Cash Prizes
Louisiana Retail Sportsbooks
Louisiana retail sports betting is now available. Betfred Sportsbook was the first company to accept a legal sports wager, doing so at its retail location inside Paragon Casino in October 2021.
There are 20 casinos in Louisiana, and a majority of those have already applied for a sports betting license. It could take some time for all of these casinos to be approved, but it could also lead to massive retail sports betting market in the state.
Only those casinos in parishes that approved sports betting can apply for a license, and that geography includes most of the state’s retail casinos. Online wagering is expected to carry the sports betting market, but in-person wagering at the casinos will likely draw action as well.
Which Fantasy Sports Sites Are Legal In Louisiana?
Daily fantasy sports is now legal in the state of Louisiana, but it has been quite the battle to get to this point. The first time voters were able to express their opinions on this form of gaming came all the way back in 2018, but it wasn’t until 2021 that laws were passed to legalize the industry.
Similar to sports betting, only a portion of the state chose to legalize daily fantasy sports sites, which has created a dilemma for operators. DraftKings launched DFS in Louisiana in July 2021, and FanDuel followed suit in October 2021.
DFS revenue is taxed at a rate of 8% in Louisiana, and operators do have to pay a licensing fee before they can hold a legal license.
Louisiana Salary Cap DFS Sites
DraftKings and FanDuel are the two biggest names when it comes to the DFS industry in the US, and both offer games with a salary cap. Before other companies started to come along, salary cap DFS games were the only types you could find throughout the US.
Both DraftKings and FanDuel offer a mobile app and an online site, and registration in Louisiana can be done in both places. If these companies offer online sports betting, the app will allow customers to switch back and forth between the sportsbook and the DFS site.
Player Prop Fantasy Games
Many DFS sites offer player-prop fantasy games in the United States, but none of those sites are currently offered in Louisiana. Monkey Knife Fight and Yahoo are two of the biggest operators in this niche, but it’s unclear if they will apply for a DFS license in the state.
If these sites are ever approved for a DFS license, it wouldn’t be hard for residents of Louisiana to sign up for a site as long as they are in a parish that has approved this form of online gambling.
Best Ball Games
At some point, sites that offer Best Ball games are expected to launch in Louisiana, but it’s unclear when that will take place. Since Louisiana has some very strict DFS laws, it has kept operators from pursuing a DFS operating license.
Underdog is one company that specializes in this type of game, and it is a site that is extremely easy to sign up for. If Underdog ever becomes an option in the state of Louisiana, then the entire sign-up process can be completed in ten minutes or less.
Best ball games can last an entire season, or you can choose options for just one single game. This is another unique twist that has come to the DFS industry, but it is one that still isn’t quite available yet in the state of Louisiana.
Are Online Poker Sites Legal In Louisiana?
Online poker is still a slow-growing industry in the United States, and it is not yet an option in Louisiana. This industry is typically tied to online casino legislation, which hasn’t yet been seriously discussed in the state.
Poker is a legal game in Louisiana, but it can only be played at approved land-based facilities in the state. Legal online poker sites might not launch any time soon in the state.
Are Legal Online Casino Sites Available In Louisiana?
Louisiana has some very strict laws regarding online gambling of any form, and that doesn’t bode well for the chance to legalize online casinos in the state. This is a state with more than two dozen land-based casinos, and these properties are littered throughout Louisiana.
If online sports betting in Louisiana begins to take off, that might give those in favor of online casino gambling some momentum to get a bill up for discussion.
One positive for the prospect of online casino gambling is that there haven’t been any significant opponents speak out against this industry in Louisiana.
Top Louisiana Online Sportsbooks
- No. 1 U.S. sportsbook
- Live Betting
- Top-Rated App
- Global Sports Selection
- 15+ States
- Top-Rated App
Are Louisiana Online Betting Sites Fair?
If you have found an online gambling site in Louisiana that holds a license with the state, you will know that you are gambling at a fair site. These sites have to go through an extensive process to be granted a license, and each must operate under fair practices.
There could be a situation in which you don’t think the sites are operating fairly, and there is a process for filing a formal complaint to the state. Your first step should be to reach out to the customer service department with that site.
Don’t confuse losing money with the site operating unfairly either, as these sites will offer each customer the same odds or betting lines. Most of the online gambling sites in Louisiana will come with a proven track record as well.
Who Regulates Legal Online Sportsbooks In Louisiana?
The Louisiana Gaming Control Board has been in charge of the casino industry for years, and it has also been tasked with regulating the online sports betting industry. The Louisiana Gaming Board will review all of the license applications submitted and can then issue licenses.
Lawmakers in the state of Louisiana came up with the initial sports betting rules and regulations, but it will be this group that can make changes moving forward. If sports bettors have an issue with any online sportsbook, this would be the group that they would contact.
Why Should I Trust Legal Online Sportsbooks?
This was discussed earlier, but there are many reasons to trust a legal online sportsbook in the state of Louisiana. The fact that these online sportsbooks hold a license in Louisiana is the first and main reason to trust them.
All online sportsbooks risk losing their ability to operate if they do something illegal or unfair. There are specific rules for online sportsbooks in Louisiana, and all of those companies that hold a license will abide by these regulations.
How Do I Get Paid If I Win?
Payment is taken care of by the online gambling site, and there is no central “bank” or location that handles all of these requests. Each online casino or sportsbook will have a list of withdrawal options available, and customers can choose how they wish to receive their winnings.
Banking at an online gambling site used to be extremely difficult a few years ago, but that is no longer the case. Most online gambling sites continue to improve their banking options to make this process easier for the customer.
Since all of these sites are licensed with the state of Louisiana, the entire banking process is safe and secure.