Louisiana Gambling Code
From the bayous along the Gulf of Mexico to the city of New Orleans, there is no doubt that the state of Louisiana has more than a passing fancy with gambling. Although gambling culture is nowhere near as high profile as it is Nevada, there are many who think of New Orleans as the sin city of the south. Despite the fascination that residents of Louisiana residents have with gambling, many opt not to take part not because they don’t have an interest in it, but because they do not have a clear understanding of Louisiana gambling laws and they fear prosecution.
In accordance with federal laws that govern every US citizen, while it is highly illegal to facilitate illicit gambling for profit, it is specifically written into law that the mere gambler or bettor cannot be punished in relation to gambling. Although many states add their own legislation and regulations using this template, so long as one adheres to this general rule they will avoid any legal attention.
The mission here at LouisianaGamblingLaws is to help guide Louisiana residents through their intricate state law and policies surrounding gambling and attempt to steer them towards legal and safe means of betting and wagering on sports or games of chance. Even in a state as gambling-friendly as Louisiana, it’s always best to be educated.
The Legality of Gambling in Louisiana
The most important thing to understand about gambling in the state of Louisiana is that it will follow the example of federal law almost to the letter. While the act of “gambling” is indeed defined in state law, it is not necessarily the definition that many would think. In section 90, chapter A subsection 1 of state legislation, the act of “gambling” is defined as “the intentional conducting, or directly assisting in the conducting, as a business, of any game, contest, lottery, or contrivance whereby a person risks the loss of anything of value in order to realize a profit.”
Penalties for this crime are double tiered. For smaller operations and games found, the penalty for those found conducting it will be a $500 fine or up to six months in jail. While this is certainly nothing to leer at, business owners and conductors who operate games involving five or more people in accordance with section 90, chapter A subsection two of state law are susceptible to a legal fine of $20,000 and up to five years in prison. Obviously, this is a crime that should be avoided at all costs.
The key word in the law above is “conducting,” which for now serves just as well as understanding that “conducting” and merely participating in gambling are not the same thing. In fact, the only way that one can get in trouble for merely placing bets and wagers or participating in a game of chance for money is if they are doing so in a public place. In section 90.2 chapter A of state legislature the state bans the participation of any gambling events in public streets, parks, alleyways or anything of the like. This crime runs the risk of a $500 fine and up to six months in jail.
It should be noted that since Louisiana appears to be especially lenient on the act of gambling, they are much more likely to enforce what laws they do have. While those who opt to merely participate in gambling either in a private place or in a licensed casino are well within their rights to do so, it is crucial that they do not take part in what would be considered the “conducting” of gambling, lest they leave themselves open to large fines and jail sentences.
It should also be noted that Louisiana is one of the few states that specifically legislates online gambling, but they operate it by the same definition as land based gambling, and the penalties are the same. Just so long as a resident does not operate a gambling website or an internet café with express purpose of allowing clients to gamble, they will be acting within their legal rights.
Difference Between Gambling & Conducting Gambling
If one has an interest in betting and wagering in Louisiana, it’s crucial that they learn the difference between these two acts as the former is perfectly legal whereas the latter will almost assuredly land any offender in jail with a hefty citation to pay off.
Put in the simplest terms, if someone wants to place a bet on a future event or even on a game of chance, someone else must take that bet and/or operate the game. This second party is most likely guilty of conducting gambling.
The last condition that one must fill in order to bring the full vengeance of the law own upon them is to turn a profit off conducting gambling. This does not simply mean placing bets or wagers and coming out ahead at the end of the day, in accordance with federal definitions, profiting from gambling entails putting oneself in a position to make a profit off a gambling event whether they place bets or not.
Popular means of doing this include but are not limited to: charging admission or collecting “rake” (a small percentage of each pot given to the house as profit) from a private poker game, operating traditional casino games as the “house,” (by definition of the rules of these games, the house always has the best odds to win) or operating a sportsbook in which the operator assumes responsibility for paying out winners and collecting money from losing bets.
Since Louisiana has written Louisiana gambling laws regarding the internet, these laws apply not only to anyone who would attempt to conduct gambling within the state borders, but also to those who would attempt to do so via their own website or domain. This is why you won’t find any slots here at LouisianaGamblingLaws.com!
Betting Laws In Louisiana
Louisiana Sports Betting Laws
Sports betting in Louisiana is now legal, but that now comes heavily regulated by the federal government before the state even gets a chance to add their own input. According to the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act passed in 1992, it is illegal for any state to sanction a brick and mortar sports betting facility unless they are one of the four that was grandfathered an exception to the law. Unfortunately, Louisiana was not one of these states. Therefore, the only way to bet on sports on land in Louisiana is through associating with known criminal elements. Obviously, both for the personal safety or prospective gamblers and the insurance of their hard earned money, this is not a recommended course of action.
Luckily, legal online sportsbooks have filled a hole in this market and have allowed hundreds of thousands of Louisiana residents to drop a couple bucks on the Saints or the Pelicans any day of the year.
Louisiana Casino Gaming Laws
Before Las Vegas, there was Louisiana. Although there are not many reminders that the gambling capital of the world used to be near New Orleans before the days of sin in the desert, there are still plenty of sanctioned casinos scattered about. These facilities offer everything from slot machines to traditional table games, and with a relatively high volume for a state Louisiana’s size, they should not be too hard to come by, especially for those who live in or around New Orleans.
However, even a drive of just an hour or two can feel restrictive to a bona fide hobby one wishes to partake in a little bit every day. This is why many Louisiana residents who understand Louisiana gambling laws have turned to legal online casinos in hopes of delivering an exciting gambling experience right to their living rooms.=
Louisiana Poker Laws
When it comes to playing poker which is by far the most popular means of gambling, the state of Louisiana offers several options. Of course there are poker rooms and tables in all sanctioned casinos offering great cash tournaments as well as sit and go tables where players can opt for just a few hands for a quick profit.
Luckily, Louisiana also recognizes the sanctity of a home game. So long as no profit is collected, Saturday evening beers and cards can remain a sacred institution, and players are welcome to take advantage of legal online poker rooms as well.
Legal Gambling Age In Louisiana
Even though Louisiana is known as "Sportsman's Paradise", it is also incredibly friendly to gamblers with one key exception: they must be of age. The legal gambling age in the state is 21, and the importance of waiting until one is of age to participate in legal gambling cannot be stressed enough.
Those who choose to gamble underage face not only penalties from the state including steep fines, hefty community service (not the kind that college admission boards love) or even jail time, but guilty parties will also face punishments from whichever facility they are caught gambling with. They will almost certainly be banned, and any money they would otherwise be entitled to, including deposits and winnings will be forfeit.
|
General |
|---|
| 21 |
|
Lottery |
|---|
| 21 |
|
Casinos |
|---|
| 21 |
|
Poker |
|---|
| 21 |
|
Pari-Mutuel |
|---|
| 18 |
|
Bingo |
|---|
| 18 |
Places to Gamble in Louisiana
On-Land:
Legal, sanctioned gambling is alive and well in New Orleans. It’s true that no land based facilities allow sports betting, but with that little bit of bad news out of the way, Louisiana residents and tourists alike are free to visit any of the great number of casinos that the state has licensed for business. In addition to specific facilities with live dealers, slot machines and table games, if one even spend some time walking around in New Orleans it won’t take them long to realize that in the city any bar may host a video poker machine that allows users to play for real money.
While the great culture and history of New Orleans should never be underplayed, its status as one of the greatest parties in the world can often overshadow that. It seems that those in charge of attracting the most money possible from tourists have stood up and taken notice by allowing gambling just about anywhere in sight.
Online/Web-Based:
It may seem counter-intuitive to mention legal gambling sites when so much of this page has already been devoted to pointing out that it is illegal to conduct gambling via the internet. It is well established within state law that it is not illegal for a Louisiana resident to take part in gambling, but doing so with a legal and legitimate business can certainly provide a greater sense of security both for a user’s personal safety and their financial security. How then could this possibly be done over the internet, where illicit gambling domains are shut down every day? Easy. All of the legal gambling websites listed on this page were established and are maintained overseas, well outside of US and even federal jurisdiction.
While the prospect of gambling with a foreign entity may seem nerve racking at first, there is no cause for alarm, in fact, these websites operating legally overseas is actually a great advantage to players in Louisiana. In order to maintain operation in their native countries, these gambling sites for Louisiana residents must adhere to strict regulations regarding both fair play and efficient, fair and speedy payouts. Not only does the legality and legitimacy of these business assure that any money tied up in them will not be lost to a legal raid, but that the websites will play as fair or more so than any land based casino!
Best Legal Gambling Site For Louisiana Residents
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If you need to find the best Louisiana gambling site for you, you must analyze what it is you’re most interested in. Do you want the best, most complete sportsbook in the business? How about the most potentially profitable poker room in the world, or even the casino with the most cutting edge software both in design and performance? Luckily, with Bovada, you do not have to choose between these three incredible options. After legally serving Louisiana residents for over 20 years, Bovada has perfected the art of legal gambling.
The best part about being a member of Bovada is your ability to carry their product around in your pocket. Via your most powerful computer hidden away in your mobile device, you can access Bovada anywhere using their mobile site. You’ll never have to worry about an afternoon lost in the dentists’ office again – just an afternoon spent playing poker, slots, or betting on sports!
Quick Facts: Gambling Sites That Welcome Louisiana
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We here at LouisianaGamblingLaws.com are gamblers with an interest Louisiana gambling laws, not the other way around. While we stand by the accuracy of the information on this page, it cannot be considered a legal consult. Further questions should be directed towards a lawyer or the Louisiana legislature at www.legis.state.la.us.