Louisiana Gambling Laws: Complete Guide to Legal Gambling in 2026

TL;DR: Louisiana Gambling Laws in 2026

• Casino gambling is legal at 21+ with 20 commercial and tribal casinos operating statewide, plus thousands of video poker locations
• Sports betting is legal both retail and online in 55 of 64 parishes, requiring age 21+
• Online casino gambling remains illegal — only sports betting is permitted online
• Lottery tickets available at 18+ through the Louisiana Lottery Corporation
• Parish-by-parish voting means gambling availability varies significantly by location

Understanding Louisiana Gambling Laws

Louisiana gambling laws permit more forms of legal gambling than most Southern states, making it a regional destination for casino entertainment. The Louisiana Gaming Control Board oversees most gambling activities, while the state operates under a unique system where individual parishes (Louisiana's equivalent of counties) vote on whether to allow specific types of gambling within their borders.

This parish-option system dates back to the 1990s when Louisiana expanded gambling beyond horse racing and the lottery. Today, Louisiana gambling laws 2026 reflect decades of gradual expansion, most recently adding legal sports betting that launched in 2021-2022.

The regulatory framework involves multiple state agencies: the Louisiana Gaming Control Board handles casinos and sports betting, the Louisiana State Racing Commission oversees horse racing and off-track betting, the Louisiana Lottery Corporation manages lottery operations, and the Louisiana Office of Alcohol and Tobacco Control regulates video poker establishments.

Louisiana Casino Gambling: What's Legal

Casino gambling is fully legal in Louisiana for anyone 21 years of age or older. Louisiana operates one of the largest legal casino markets in the country, with three distinct categories of casino operations.

Commercial Casinos

Louisiana authorizes 15 riverboat casinos operating on designated waterways throughout the state. While originally required to conduct gambling cruises, a 1998 law change allowed these boats to remain dockside permanently. In 2018, legislation further permitted riverboat casinos to move onto land adjacent to their original berths, and several have since constructed land-based facilities.

The state's sole land-based commercial casino is Harrah's New Orleans (now Caesars New Orleans), which operates under a unique license granted in 1993 for a single land-based casino in Orleans Parish. This casino pays among the highest gaming taxes in the country.

Tribal Casinos

Four federally recognized tribes operate casinos in Louisiana under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) and tribal-state compacts:

• Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana — operates Coushatta Casino Resort in Kinder
• Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana — operates Cypress Bayou Casino in Charenton
• Tunica-Biloxi Tribe — operates Paragon Casino Resort in Marksville
• Jena Band of Choctaw Indians — operates Jena Choctaw Pines Casino

Tribal casinos are regulated primarily by the National Indian Gaming Commission and tribal gaming commissions, though they must comply with minimum state standards outlined in their compacts.

Racinos

Louisiana's four horse racing tracks operate slot machines and video poker as racinos, combining pari-mutuel wagering with electronic gaming:

• Fair Grounds Race Course (New Orleans)
• Delta Downs Racetrack (Vinton)
• Evangeline Downs (Opelousas)
• Louisiana Downs (Bossier City)

Louisiana Sports Betting Laws Explained

Sports betting became legal in Louisiana through a 2020 ballot initiative where voters in 55 of 64 parishes approved retail sports betting. Retail sportsbooks launched in October 2021, followed by mobile/online sports betting in January 2022.

Where Sports Betting Is Legal

Sports betting is only legal in the 55 parishes where voters approved it. The nine parishes that rejected sports betting are:

• Caldwell, Catahoula, Franklin, Jackson, LaSalle, Sabine, Union, West Carroll, and Winn

Placing a bet while physically located in a non-participating parish is illegal, even using a mobile app. Geolocation technology enforces these parish boundaries.

Legal Requirements

To legally place a sports bet in Louisiana:

• You must be 21 years of age or older
• You must be physically located in a participating parish
• You must use a licensed operator (retail location or approved mobile app)

Licensed Sportsbook Operators

The Louisiana Gaming Control Board has licensed numerous retail and mobile sportsbook operators. Major mobile platforms operating legally include brands affiliated with the state's licensed casinos. The complete list of licensed operators is maintained by the Louisiana Gaming Control Board at their official website: https://lgcb.louisiana.gov/

What You Can Bet On

Louisiana permits betting on:

• Professional sports (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, etc.)
• College sports (including Louisiana teams)
• International sporting events
• Olympic events

Louisiana prohibits betting on:

• High school sports
• Youth athletics
• Events where the outcome is predetermined

Online Gambling in Louisiana: Current Legal Status

Online gambling in Louisiana is limited exclusively to sports betting — and only in the 55 parishes that approved it. Online casino games, online poker, and other internet gambling remain illegal under Louisiana law.

Online Sports Betting

Mobile sports betting apps are legal when:

• Operated by a Louisiana Gaming Control Board licensee
• Used within a parish that approved sports betting
• Used by someone 21 or older with a verified account

The state uses geolocation verification to ensure bettors are within legal boundaries.

Online Casino Games

Online casino gambling — including slots, blackjack, roulette, and other casino games — is not legal in Louisiana. No Louisiana regulatory body has authority to license online casino operators, and accessing offshore online casinos from Louisiana violates state law.

Louisiana Revised Statutes 14:90.3 specifically prohibits computer gambling, defining it as 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 when accessing the Internet."

Daily Fantasy Sports

Daily fantasy sports (DFS) operate in a legal gray area in Louisiana. While not explicitly authorized by statute, major DFS operators like DraftKings and FanDuel have offered contests in Louisiana. The Louisiana Gaming Control Board does not currently regulate DFS platforms, and their legal status remains ambiguous.

Video Poker in Louisiana

Louisiana has one of the most extensive video poker networks in the country, with thousands of machines in bars, restaurants, truck stops, and other licensed establishments across the state.

How It Works

Video poker devices are regulated by the Louisiana Gaming Control Board through the Video Gaming Division. Establishments must obtain a state license and meet local zoning requirements. Each parish that permits video poker sets its own limits on the number of devices per establishment (typically 3-50 machines).

Parish-by-Parish Approval

Not all parishes allow video poker. Voters in each parish have the option to approve or reject video poker gaming, and these elections occur periodically. The Louisiana Gaming Control Board maintains current information about which parishes authorize video poker operations.

Age Requirements

The legal age for video poker in Louisiana is 21 years old, consistent with casino gambling age requirements.

Louisiana Lottery: Rules and Age Requirements

The Louisiana Lottery Corporation has operated since 1991, offering scratch-off tickets, draw games, and multi-state lottery games.

Legal Age

The minimum age to purchase lottery tickets in Louisiana is 18 years old — three years younger than the casino and sports betting age.

Games Available

The Louisiana Lottery offers:

• Scratch-off (instant) tickets
• Lotto (state drawing)
• Easy 5 (state drawing)
• Pick 3, Pick 4, Pick 5 (daily drawings)
• Powerball (multi-state)
• Mega Millions (multi-state)

Online lottery ticket sales are not authorized in Louisiana. All lottery purchases must be made in person at licensed retailers.

Full game rules and odds are published by the Louisiana Lottery Corporation at: https://louisianalottery.com/ (Note: While this is the official lottery site, it uses a .com domain as the official state-operated lottery website)

Horse Racing and Pari-Mutuel Betting

Louisiana has a long tradition of horse racing, and pari-mutuel wagering is legal at licensed tracks and off-track betting facilities.

Legal Age

The minimum age for pari-mutuel wagering is 18 years old.

Racing Commission Oversight

The Louisiana State Racing Commission regulates all horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering in the state. The Commission licenses tracks, approves racing schedules, enforces rules of racing, and oversees off-track betting facilities.

Information about licensed facilities and racing schedules is available through the Louisiana State Racing Commission: https://horseracing.louisiana.gov/

Advance Deposit Wagering

Louisiana permits advance deposit wagering (ADW), which allows bettors to fund accounts and place pari-mutuel wagers remotely through licensed platforms. This is the one form of legal online betting (besides sports betting) available in Louisiana, though it is limited to horse and greyhound racing.

Legal Gambling Age in Louisiana: Complete Breakdown

Louisiana has a split age system depending on the type of gambling:

| Gambling Type | Minimum Age |

|--------------|-------------|

| Casino gambling | 21 |

| Sports betting | 21 |

| Video poker | 21 |

| Lottery | 18 |

| Horse racing/pari-mutuel | 18 |

| Bingo (charitable) | 18 |

The age 21 requirement for casinos, sports betting, and video poker aligns with Louisiana's drinking age, as most gambling establishments serve alcohol.

Charitable and Social Gambling in Louisiana

Louisiana permits certain forms of charitable gambling under the Bingo Licensing Law, administered by the Office of Charitable Gaming within the Louisiana Department of Revenue.

Charitable Bingo and Raffles

Qualified nonprofit organizations may conduct bingo games, raffles, and other games of chance after obtaining appropriate licenses. Organizations must:

• Be a bona fide charitable, religious, fraternal, or veterans organization
• Have been in existence for at least two years
• Obtain a license from the Office of Charitable Gaming
• Use proceeds for charitable purposes

Licensing information is available through the Louisiana Department of Revenue: https://revenue.louisiana.gov/

Social Gambling

Louisiana law does not contain a clear social gambling exemption. Technically, operating or participating in private poker games for money could violate gambling statutes, though enforcement typically focuses on commercial operations rather than home games among friends.

Recent Changes to Louisiana Gambling Laws

Several significant legal changes have shaped Louisiana's gambling landscape in recent years:

2021-2022: Sports Betting Launch

Following voter approval in November 2020, Louisiana launched retail sports betting in October 2021 and mobile sports betting in January 2022. The Louisiana Gaming Control Board established regulations, licensing requirements, and approved operators throughout 2021.

2018: Riverboat-to-Land Transition

Act 542 of 2018 authorized riverboat casinos to relocate to land-based facilities within 1,200 feet of their original berths. This change allowed casinos to modernize their facilities and eliminate the operational challenges of waterborne structures.

Ongoing Consideration: iGaming

As of 2026, Louisiana has not legalized online casino gambling (iGaming). Bills proposing iGaming have been introduced in the Louisiana Legislature but have not passed. Any future legalization would likely require both legislative action and parish-by-parish voter approval, consistent with Louisiana's local-option approach.

Offshore Gambling: Legal Risks

Accessing offshore gambling sites from Louisiana is illegal and carries significant risks that Louisiana residents should understand.

Legal Consequences

Louisiana Revised Statutes 14:90.3 makes computer gambling illegal, which includes accessing offshore online casinos or unlicensed sports betting sites. While prosecutions of individual bettors are rare, using offshore sites means:

• No legal recourse if the site refuses to pay winnings
• No responsible gaming protections required by Louisiana law
• Potential criminal liability under state law
• No guarantee that games are fair or properly audited

Why People Use Offshore Sites

Some Louisiana residents turn to offshore sites because online casino gambling isn't legal in the state. However, these sites operate without any regulatory oversight, and players have no protection if something goes wrong.

What Licensed Options Exist

For those who want to gamble legally in Louisiana, options include:

• 20 licensed casinos (riverboat, land-based, and tribal)
• Legal mobile sports betting in 55 parishes
• Video poker at thousands of licensed establishments
• Louisiana Lottery retailers
• Horse racing tracks and off-track betting facilities
• Advance deposit wagering for horse racing

Louisiana Gambling Regulatory Bodies

Multiple state agencies regulate gambling in Louisiana:

Louisiana Gaming Control Board

The primary regulatory body for casino gambling, sports betting, and video poker. The Board:

• Issues and renews gambling licenses
• Enforces gaming laws and regulations
• Investigates complaints
• Audits gaming operations

Official website: https://lgcb.louisiana.gov/

Louisiana State Racing Commission

Regulates horse racing, pari-mutuel wagering, and advance deposit wagering.

Official website: https://horseracing.louisiana.gov/

Louisiana Lottery Corporation

Operates the state lottery as a public corporation.

Official information: https://www.doa.la.gov/ (Department of Administration, which oversees the Lottery Corporation)

Office of Charitable Gaming

Within the Louisiana Department of Revenue, regulates charitable bingo and raffles.

Official website: https://revenue.louisiana.gov/

Problem Gambling Resources in Louisiana

Louisiana law requires gambling operators to promote responsible gaming and fund problem gambling services.

Louisiana Problem Gamblers Helpline

The state maintains a 24/7 helpline for those experiencing gambling problems:

1-877-770-STOP (7867)

Self-Exclusion Program

Louisiana offers a voluntary self-exclusion program through the Louisiana Gaming Control Board. Individuals can ban themselves from all licensed gaming establishments for one year, five years, or life. Violating self-exclusion can result in arrest for trespassing and forfeiture of any winnings.

Information about self-exclusion is available at: https://lgcb.louisiana.gov/

Frequently Asked Questions

*(See FAQs section below)*

Important Legal Disclaimer

This guide provides educational information about Louisiana gambling laws for general informational purposes only. This is not legal advice. Gambling laws change frequently, and local parish ordinances may impose additional restrictions. For specific legal questions, consult a licensed attorney in Louisiana. For regulatory questions, contact the Louisiana Gaming Control Board directly.

Sources

• Louisiana Gaming Control Board: https://lgcb.louisiana.gov/
• Louisiana State Racing Commission: https://horseracing.louisiana.gov/
• Louisiana Department of Revenue: https://revenue.louisiana.gov/
• Louisiana State Legislature (Louisiana Revised Statutes): https://legis.la.gov/
• Louisiana Department of Administration: https://www.doa.la.gov/

*If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the Louisiana Problem Gamblers Helpline at 1-877-770-STOP (7867). Help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Visit the National Council on Problem Gambling at www.ncpgambling.org for additional resources.*