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Louisiana has long embraced wagering as part of its entertainment culture, from riverboat casinos to racetrack betting. That same appetite carried over when lawmakers approved Louisiana sports betting after the federal ban on wagering was lifted in 2018. Today, the answer to the question “is sports betting legal in Louisiana” is yes, with a regulated system that allows both retail sportsbooks and statewide mobile betting across most of the state’s parishes.
The market now includes multiple licensed sportsbook operators offering both in-person wagering and mobile apps, giving bettors a variety of legal options. This competitive structure has made Louisiana sports betting one of the more accessible markets in the South, but it is not the only option available to players. Some bettors also choose offshore sportsbooks, which operate outside the state’s regulatory framework and often provide additional betting markets and features for those who want to gamble Louisiana sports events in different ways.
At Online Sports Betting, we break down exactly how the market works and what bettors should know before placing a wager. Keep reading this guide to learn everything about the current laws, sportsbook options, and the latest legislation shaping gambling in Louisiana in 2026.
Louisiana quick facts
| Category | Louisiana |
|---|---|
| ⚖️ Sports betting laws | ✅ Legal and regulated since 2021 in approved parishes. |
| 👫 Population | 4.6M Active market led by New Orleans and Baton Rouge. |
| 👶 Minimum gambling age | 21 For all sports betting. |
| 🏙️ Retail sports betting | ✅ Available at licensed casinos and racetracks in approved parishes. |
| 🌐 Online sports betting | ✅ Legal in parishes that approved sports betting. |
| 📱 Mobile sports betting | ✅ Permitted within parish borders via approved apps. |
| 🐎 Online horse betting | ✅ Legal through licensed advance deposit wagering platforms. |
| 🏆 DFS | ✅ Legal and widely available including DraftKings and FanDuel. |
Is sports betting legal in Louisiana?
Yes. Sports betting is legal in Louisiana as of 2026. Lawmakers approved legalization in 2021, and the market officially launched with retail sportsbooks in late 2021 before statewide mobile betting went live in January 2022.
Louisiana took a unique approach to legalization by allowing each parish to vote on whether to permit sports wagering. In the end, 55 of the state’s 64 parishes approved betting, giving the majority of residents access to both retail sportsbooks and mobile betting apps. Wagers can only be placed when a bettor is physically located within one of the participating parishes.
In 2026, Louisiana offers one of the more competitive betting markets in the southern United States, with several licensed sportsbook apps operating alongside casino based retail sportsbooks. With multiple platforms available, many bettors want to know which ones offer the best experience. In the next sections, we break down the top sportsbooks available in Louisiana and what each one brings to the table.
Top offshore sports betting sites available in Louisiana
Louisiana offers a well-established regulated sports betting market, but licensed sportsbooks still operate under certain restrictions. For example, wagers on political events and entertainment outcomes are not permitted, and there are limits on some betting markets involving in state college teams such as LSU or Tulane. Because of these rules, some bettors look beyond local sportsbooks when they want access to a broader range of betting options.
Offshore sportsbooks provide an alternative by offering additional betting markets, including college sports props, political wagering, and other specialty events that may not appear on regulated apps. The platforms we recommend have been tested for reliability, security, and payment processing, giving Louisiana bettors more flexibility when choosing where to place their wagers. The table below highlights several offshore sportsbooks that are commonly used by bettors in Louisiana:
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Regulated online sportsbooks available in Louisiana
Louisiana legalized sports betting in 2021, allowing both online and in-person wagering through licensed sportsbooks. Mobile betting launched in early 2022, giving bettors the ability to place wagers from smartphones or computers as long as they are physically located within one of the parishes that approved sports betting.
Since launch, the state has developed a competitive market with several licensed operators offering mobile apps alongside retail sportsbooks at casinos and racetracks. This structure gives bettors access to a wide range of betting markets across major leagues and sporting events while operating under a regulated framework designed to ensure security and consumer protection.
Below is a look at the regulated online sportsbooks currently available to bettors in Louisiana.
| Sportsbook | Launched | Online betting available |
| DraftKings | Jan. 2022 | Yes |
| FanDuel | Jan. 2022 | Yes |
| BetMGM | Jan. 2022 | Yes |
| Caesars | Jan. 2022 | Yes |
| BetRivers | Jan. 2022 | Yes |
| Bet365 | Oct. 2023 | Yes |
| TheScore Bet | Jan. 2026 | Yes |
| Fanatics Sportsbook | Aug. 2024 | Yes |
What can't you bet on in Louisiana?
Louisiana offers a wide range of betting options through its regulated sportsbooks, but certain wagering markets are restricted under state law. These limitations are fairly common across U.S. betting markets and are designed to protect athletes, maintain the integrity of competitions, and keep betting activity within clearly defined regulatory boundaries.
Here are a few types of wagers that are currently not permitted at licensed Louisiana sportsbooks:
- College player props: Individual player prop bets on college athletes are not allowed. This restriction applies to all college sports nationwide, including major programs such as LSU, Tulane, and Louisiana–Lafayette.
- Online casino games: Louisiana has several land-based casinos, but statewide online casino gambling is not currently permitted. Traditional casino games such as blackjack, roulette, and slots can only be played at licensed casino venues.
- Non-sports events: Licensed Louisiana sportsbooks cannot offer betting markets on political elections, award shows, or entertainment outcomes. These events fall outside the state’s legal definition of sports wagering.
Some bettors who want access to these restricted markets explore offshore sportsbooks, which operate outside Louisiana’s regulatory framework and often provide a broader range of wagering options. If you are considering these alternatives, our sportsbook reviews above highlight several established platforms that are commonly used by bettors in the state.
Who can legally bet in Louisiana?
Louisiana’s regulated sports betting market allows both residents and visitors to place wagers, provided they follow the state’s legal requirements. While certain betting markets are restricted, the overall system is straightforward and gives bettors access to both mobile apps and retail sportsbooks across approved parishes.
Here are the key rules that determine who can legally bet in Louisiana:
- Legal age: The minimum legal age for sports betting in Louisiana is 21 years old. This requirement applies to all forms of wagering, including mobile betting apps and retail sportsbooks at casinos and racetracks.
- Mobile betting: Louisiana allows statewide mobile sports betting within the parishes that approved wagering. As long as geolocation confirms you are physically inside one of those parishes, you can place bets through licensed sportsbook apps from anywhere in the state.
- Remote registration: Bettors can create and verify sportsbook accounts entirely online without visiting a casino or sportsbook in person. This makes it easy to sign up and begin betting from a phone, tablet, or computer.
- Taxable winnings: Gambling winnings are considered taxable income. While Louisiana does not impose a separate tax specifically on sports betting winnings, bettors must still report their gambling income to the IRS when filing federal taxes.
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Louisiana sportsbooks & casinos
Casinos play a major role in Louisiana’s gambling industry, particularly the state’s well known riverboat casinos and land based resort properties. Sports betting is available at several of these venues through retail sportsbooks operated by major betting brands, giving bettors the option to place wagers in person while enjoying the broader casino experience.
The following casinos in Louisiana currently operate retail sportsbooks as of 2026:
- Boomtown Casino & Hotel New Orleans: A riverboat casino near New Orleans featuring a retail sportsbook previously operated under the ESPN BET brand and offering full sports wagering alongside casino gaming.
- Coushatta Casino Resort: Located in Kinder and operated by the Coushatta Tribe, this property offers retail sports betting through its in house Rez Sportsbook along with a large casino and resort complex.
- Golden Nugget Lake Charles: A major resort casino in Lake Charles that hosts a DraftKings retail sportsbook and provides betting on major professional and college sports.
- Harrah’s New Orleans (Caesars New Orleans): One of the state’s flagship casino properties, featuring a Caesars Sportsbook with full in person wagering options.
- Horseshoe Bossier City: A well known riverboat casino in northwest Louisiana that operates a Caesars Sportsbook alongside its gaming floor and hotel facilities.
- L’Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles: A large resort property in Lake Charles that features a retail sportsbook tied to Penn Entertainment’s sportsbook platform.
- L’Auberge Casino Hotel Baton Rouge: A Baton Rouge casino offering retail sports betting connected to Penn Entertainment’s sportsbook operations.
- Margaritaville Resort Casino: A riverfront casino in Bossier City that hosts a FanDuel retail sportsbook with in person wagering available for major sporting events.
- Sam’s Town Hotel & Casino Shreveport: A riverboat casino in Shreveport that offers a FanDuel retail sportsbook alongside its traditional casino gaming options.
Louisiana sports betting timeline
Louisiana took a long time to get there, with plenty of conflicts along the way. But finally, in 2021, the state decided to legalize sports betting. Let's take a look at how we got there.
2026 — Market Continues Operating Across Parish-Based System
Louisiana’s sports wagering framework remains tied to parish-level approval, creating a patchwork market across the state. Retail casinos and mobile operators continue serving approved areas.
2025 — Mobile Betting Remains Key Driver of Activity
Online sportsbooks continued to dominate betting activity in Louisiana, offering wider access compared to retail locations.
2024 — Retail and Mobile Betting Expand Across Approved Parishes
Licensed operators maintained both in-person and mobile wagering options in parishes that approved sports betting, reinforcing the state’s hybrid model.
2023 — Statewide Mobile Betting Gains Momentum
Following earlier legalization, Louisiana’s mobile betting market continued to grow, supported by multiple licensed operators.
Latest Louisiana Legal Betting Updates
Apr 10, 2026 08:09 AM
Four New Orleans men’s basketball players—James White, Dae Dae Hunter, Jamond Vincent, and Jah Short—are reportedly serving suspensions linked to potential gambling violations.
Betting on Louisiana teams
Louisiana is home to two major professional franchises that attract strong support from bettors across the state. Fans closely follow the New Orleans Saints in the NFL and the New Orleans Pelicans in the NBA, both based in New Orleans. At the college level, the LSU Tigers command enormous attention, particularly in football, where games in Baton Rouge often generate heavy betting interest. With these teams plus strong regional rivalries across the SEC, Louisiana sportsbooks see significant wagering activity throughout the year.
Football
Football dominates the betting landscape in Louisiana. The New Orleans Saints attract the most attention in the NFL, while LSU Tigers football drives enormous wagering interest during the college season. SEC matchups and rivalry games regularly produce some of the highest betting volumes of the year.
Basketball
Basketball betting is also popular thanks to the presence of the New Orleans Pelicans and strong interest in college programs like LSU. The NBA season offers regular wagering opportunities, while March Madness creates a surge in betting activity as sportsbooks release extensive markets for the NCAA tournament.
Baseball
Although Louisiana does not have a Major League Baseball franchise, the sport still generates steady betting action. Many local fans follow regional teams such as the Houston Astros or Texas Rangers, and the long MLB season provides nearly daily betting opportunities from spring through the postseason.
Combat sports
Combat sports such as UFC and boxing also attract regular betting interest in Louisiana. Major fight cards take place throughout the year, giving bettors the chance to wager on headline bouts as well as undercard fights, where informed bettors can sometimes find favorable odds.
Louisiana betting revenue statistics
Sports betting has quickly become an important source of tax revenue for Louisiana since the market launched in late 2021 and expanded with statewide mobile betting in 2022. The state’s strong sports culture, combined with a competitive sportsbook market, has helped drive steady growth in wagering activity and government revenue over the past several years.
Early figures showed rapid expansion, with Louisiana seeing a sharp rise in sports betting tax revenue during the first full years of operation. A national analysis by LendingTree found that the state’s sports betting tax revenue increased by roughly 29.5 percent between 2022 and 2023, climbing from about $34.2 million to $44.3 million.
By 2025, Louisiana’s sports betting market had matured into one of the larger regulated markets in the southern United States. Sportsbooks handled approximately $3.6 billion in wagers during the year, generating around $420 million in sportsbook revenue and roughly $60 million in state tax revenue. These figures reflect continued growth in both mobile and retail betting activity across the state.
Other betting types in Louisiana
Horse racing betting: Pari mutuel wagering on horse racing is legal in Louisiana and remains a long standing part of the state’s gambling culture. Bettors can place wagers at racetracks such as Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, as well as through off track betting locations and licensed online horse racing platforms.
Casino gaming: Louisiana has a large casino industry that includes riverboat casinos, land based resort casinos, and racetrack casinos across the state. These venues offer traditional casino games such as slot machines, blackjack, roulette, poker, and other table games similar to what you would find in major casino markets like Las Vegas.
Lottery: The Louisiana Lottery offers several draw games and instant ticket options for residents across the state. Players can purchase scratch tickets and participate in national jackpot games such as Powerball and Mega Millions through licensed lottery retailers.
Sports betting rules in other US states
We’ve written in-depth state guides far beyond just Louisiana. Here’s a complete directory of all 50 states, plus some specific cities too:
Responsible gaming in Louisiana
It is important to stay safe while gambling. If you detect a lack of control or other symptoms of problem gambling, check out some of these resources:
Local:
- The Louisiana Problem Gamblers Helpline (https://www.helpforgambling.org): Offers confidential support 24/7. Call 1-877-770-STOP to access resources and counseling services
- Gamblers Anonymous Louisiana (http://www.gamblersanonymous.org): Hosts peer-led meetings throughout the state, offering a safe space to share experiences and seek help.
- Louisiana Association on Compulsive Gambling (https://www.helpforgambling.org/): Offers free treatment for gambling problems to Louisiana residents.
National:
- Gamble Aware (https://www.gambleaware.org/): A non-profit organization providing resources and support for individuals struggling with gambling addiction.
- International Center for Responsible Gaming (https://www.icrg.org/): The International Center for Responsible Gaming (CRG) is a research institution dedicated to promoting safe gambling practices and addressing gambling-related issues.
- 24/7 Gambling Support Line (https://www.ncpgambling.org/help-treatment/about-the-national-problem-gambling-helpline/): A round-the-clock helpline offering immediate assistance and guidance for those experiencing gambling-related problems.
