Gambling in the southeastern state of Louisiana is straightforward: land-based gambling for those 21 and older is lawful, while online gambling in the United States is expressly prohibited. However, things appear to be slowly shifting, so it’s important to keep a watch out for what will occur next.
Our Reviews of Online Gambling in Louisiana
Louisiana, a southeastern state named after King Louis XIV of France, is renowned for being the home of the Jazz Capital of the World, New Orleans. Historically, it was also renowned for the large number of pelicans that inhabited its Gulf coast, hence its moniker, the Pelican State. Louisiana is a relatively liberal state when it comes to land-based gambling, with 24 casinos (including riverboat and tribal casinos) and 25 video poker machines dispersed throughout entertainment venues. The state of Louisiana has also legalized horse racing, off-track horse racing, the state lottery, daily fantasy sports, and gambling for charitable purposes. Nonetheless, Louisiana is one of the very few U.S. states whose laws expressly prohibit online gambling, meaning that no online casinos may operate within the state and residents and visitors are prohibited from participating in any form of online casino gambling at Louisiana or offshore-based internet casinos.
Legal Status Of Louisiana’s Land-Based Casinos And Online Gambling
wagering in Louisiana is not straightforward, but residents and visitors of the Pelican State will be pleased to know that they have a variety of options to choose from…except for online wagering. Louisiana’s land-based gambling options include horse racing, off-track betting, a state lottery, charitable gambling, and 24 full-fledged casinos with all of your beloved casino games, including roulette, poker, baccarat, blackjack, slots, craps, and many others. These casinos are predominantly located on riverboats or tribal property, the rights to which were established by the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act in 1988. The only casino that does not fit under these categories is the Harrah’s New Orleans Hotel and Casino, which is permitted to operate on non-tribal land by the state. In addition, 25 video poker machines are located throughout the state in bars, restaurants, and transportation stops.
In regards to gambling, this makes Louisiana one of the most “liberal” jurisdictions in the South. Indeed, this continues the state’s lengthy history of gambling, which began well before 1803 when it joined the union. In the past, Louisiana’s gambling industry dwarfed those of many other states, including New York and Massachusetts. Despite the fact that the state’s laws have changed numerous times since then and casinos have at times been wholly outlawed, many continue to operate. The first permanent alteration to Louisiana law occurred in the 1920s, when pari-mutuel wagering and horse racing were legalized. The subsequent referendum occurred in 1990, when the state lottery was established. By 1991, the state had authorized the operation of 15 riverboat casinos, and the rest, as they say, is history.
The Pelican State is one of the few in the United States that expressly prohibits online casino wagering. Nonetheless, Louisiana passed a bill allowing residents to participate in Daily Fantasy Sports online in 2018 – a law that should be in effect by the time the 2019 football season begins. (2020). The Louisiana House of Representatives voted 71-to-24 this year (2020) to legalize sports wagering in a number of Louisiana parishes, though it will be some time before residents and visitors can do so legally and securely. Despite the fact that the state appears to be moving in the right direction, those who wish to play legally at a Louisiana online casino will have to wait a bit longer to determine whether things will continue to advance to the point where they can enjoy their preferred casino games online.
Present-day Gambling on Land in Louisiana
The top five brick-and-mortar casinos that you should be aware of.
Other Casino County Information
This casino features 1,500 slot machines, video poker, numerous table games, and extraordinary promotions. In general, Harrah’s New Orleans is a smoke-free casino; however, there are three smoking and gambling courtyards where over 125 slot machines are located.
The 30,000-square-foot Margaritaville Resort Casino Bossier City was voted the luckiest casino in Louisiana. It features 1,200 of the trendiest slot machines and 50 table games, including roulette, blackjack, and craps.
Golden Nugget Hotel and Casino Lake Charles This Vegas-style casino features 1,650 slot machines, 84 table games, and seven poker tables with live action. In addition, the casino has received numerous awards, such as the 2018 Strictly Slots Best of Slots award and the 2019 Casino Player Best of Gaming award.
Coushatta Casino Kinder As the largest casino resort in Louisiana, the tribally-operated Coushatta Casino offers the largest selection of slot machines and more than 65 table games, including roulette, blackjack, craps, dice, Pai Gow, mini-baccarat, Let It Ride, and three-card poker. Additionally, the casino offers off-track wagering, live bingo, and fantastic promotions.
Horseshoe Bossier City Hotel and Casino Bossier City This luxurious property offers a wide variety of casino activities that are sure to pique anyone’s interest. There are 68 table games, including blackjack, roulette, four-card poker, three-card poker, Let It Ride, High Card Flush, and Mississippi Stud, in addition to 1,500 slot machines (370 of which are multi-denominational). In the Horseshoe’s Asian room, players can test their fortunes at mini-baccarat and Dragon Bonus Baccarat.
Louisiana Online Gambling Legislation
In Louisiana, land-based wagering is thriving, but online gambling is an entirely different kettle of fish. Indeed, it is expressly illegal to play online games in the Pelican State, and the penalties for doing so are severe. Daily Fantasy Sports and off-track horse racing are the only forms of internet-based gambling available to Louisianians at the time of writing. Citizens and visitors of the Pelican State are prohibited from participating in online poker, roulette, baccarat, blackjack, craps, and other games at both Louisiana-based and offshore-based casinos.
In addition, the state leaves no room for interpretation in its definition of online wagering. In 90.3 of the Louisiana State Law, it was stated explicitly: “Gambling by computer is 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 when accessing the Internet, World Wide Web, or any portion thereof by means of any computer, computer system, computer network, computer software, or any server.”
The punishment for being discovered online gaming is also quite severe. If discovered, you could face a $500 fine, up to six months in jail, or both. However, if you are convicted of this offense three times or more, the state will label you as a felon. Nevertheless, the state appears to be on the correct track toward changing its stance on gambling, and in 2018 a bill to legalize online casinos and online casino gaming was introduced. In the interim, social wagering is permitted and will not get you in trouble; however, you cannot gamble for real money. However, for the time being, we do not recommend playing at any online casinos in Louisiana, including those that appear to welcome Louisiana players. This is investigated in more detail below.
What do I need to understand about Online Casinos in Louisiana?
Louisiana is one of the few states whose laws expressly prohibit online wagering.
The state of Louisiana has 24 casinos, riverboat casinos, and casinos operated by Native American tribes, despite the illegality of online casino wagering.
The authorized gambling age in Louisiana, including participation in the state lottery, is 21.
As of this year, Louisianians are permitted to participate in Daily Fantasy Sports and will shortly be able to engage in sports betting.
Even as recently as 2018, bills to legalize online casinos in the state of Louisiana were introduced, but this remains unlawful.
What Offshore Casino Gambling Regulations Mean For Louisiana Players
As discussed previously, Louisiana’s wagering laws prohibit residents and visitors from playing online casino games. Obviously, the fact that it is unlawful does not prevent people from engaging in the activity, but this often leads to another issue: the use of offshore casinos. Offshore casinos are online casinos registered in a jurisdiction other than your own. This is typically done for tax purposes or because a particular state or country’s law requires it. These may be located in the United States or in other countries, such as Malta, Gibraltar, or Curacao. When searching for information on whether you can play online from the state of Louisiana, you are likely to encounter sites stating that you can do so at these offshore-registered casinos, with some even claiming that it is completely safe and legal. This is not the case, as the state of Louisiana prohibits all forms of online wagering, with the exception of Daily Fantasy Sport and off-track horse racing. In addition, participating at offshore-registered casinos can present numerous additional complications. To begin with, it may be especially difficult to locate a site that accepts players from Louisiana, as many prefer to stay on the right side of the law. Second, even if you discover a site that accepts you, depositing and withdrawing funds may not be as simple as you’d expect. Thirdly, the laws of other jurisdictions may differ from what you are accustomed to, putting you, your money, your data, and your legal rights at risk. In fact, if you have a dispute with an offshore online casino, the state may not be able to assist you at all – and that’s on top of getting in trouble with the law in Louisiana. We do not recommend playing at offshore casinos while in Louisiana or any other state for the aforementioned reasons, but primarily because it is prohibited in the Pelican State.
Online Gambling for Louisiana
Louisiana is one of the few states whose laws explicitly prohibit residents and visitors from wagering real money at online casinos. This means that all casino games, including roulette, poker, video poker, baccarat, blackjack, craps, and their live counterparts, are prohibited. However, as of this year, participants in Louisiana can participate in Daily Fantasy Sports online. Those unfamiliar with Daily Fantasy Sports should know that, similar to other fantasy sports, players use logic to assemble fictitious teams of athletes from various sports organizations. The Pelican State has 24 casinos and 25 video poker machines in bars, taverns, restaurants, and truck stops for those who have a gambling addiction.
Payment Options At Louisiana Online Casinos
Since Louisiana law prohibits risking “the loss of anything of value in order to realize a profit,” it is safe to assume that Louisianians cannot use any form of payment or currency for online wagering. If you are located outside the Pelican State and in a jurisdiction where online casinos are legal, we recommend reading the Terms and Conditions of the online casino of your choice to ensure that the accepted payment methods and currencies meet your requirements and preferences.
Gambling in Louisiana FAQs
Is online gambling permissible in Louisiana?
No, it is not the case. In fact, Louisiana is one of a very limited number of U.S. states whose laws expressly prohibit such conduct. This means that both residents and visitors of the state are prohibited from participating in games of chance or skill, including roulette, poker, baccarat, blackjack, craps, and their live versions, among others. Those found doing so may be subject to a fine of up to $500 or up to six months in prison, or both; those caught three times or more may be labeled ‘felons’. Daily Fantasy Sport and off-track horse racing are the only forms of online gambling that are lawful in the Pelican State.
Can I participate at an online casino from my smartphone or tablet in Louisiana?
Because Louisiana law prohibits the risk of losing money through “any computer, computer system, computer network, computer software, or any server” (90.3 of Louisiana State Law), the law can easily be extended to include mobile casino gaming on a smartphone or tablet. Consequently, the answer to this query is negative.
What casino games can I play at online casinos in Louisiana?
None, as online wagering for money or anything of value is prohibited in Louisiana. At the time of writing, the only permissible online games available to Louisianians are Daily Fantasy Sports and off-track horse racing. Social casinos also offer a multitude of games to Louisiana players.
Can dollars be used to play online casino games?
No, due to the illegality of Louisiana online casinos and the practice of playing at any online casino, including those registered in offshore jurisdictions, you should not play online with any currency. If, however, you are in a jurisdiction that allows you to play at online casinos for real money, you should review the website’s terms and conditions to ensure that the payment methods and currencies accepted suit your requirements and preferences.
Are these online casinos in Louisiana regulated?
All of the online casinos listed on this site are regulated, secure, and protect your rights, funds, personal information, and personal data. Nevertheless, because online gambling is prohibited in the state of Louisiana, we do not list any online casinos on this page.
Am I eligible for an online casino incentive at a casino in Louisiana?
No, not really. Since online gambling is entirely prohibited in Louisiana, there are no bonuses available for redemption. In fact, it is essential to remember that violators of this law face fines of up to $500, imprisonment of up to six months, or both.
How do I begin gambling for real money at an online casino in Louisiana?
There is no legal method to do so, although social gambling is permitted. If you wish to engage in social gambling in Louisiana (i.e., play casino games for free), you have access to a number of websites that offer free online slots and other casino games. Just remember not to wager any money, as doing so would be illegal.
What are the most prevalent online casino payment methods in Louisiana?
We have no information regarding whether Louisianians prefer debit or credit cards, eWallets, or direct bank transfers. This is because online gambling is prohibited in Louisiana.
In Louisiana, am I required to pay taxes on my gambling winnings?
Yes, you do. If you are a resident of Louisiana, your gambling proceeds will be taxed at the same rate as your Louisiana income. For gamblers visiting the Pelican State, the rules are slightly different. The proceeds may still be considered Louisiana income (or, as the Louisiana Department of Revenue puts it, “income from Louisiana sources”). In order to disclose your winnings, you may be required to file Form IT-540B, Nonresident and Part-year Resident Return. If you overestimate, you will be refunded the difference. To find out if you are required to fill out such a form, you should contact a representative of the land-based casino where you won.
Play At A Real Money Casino In Louisiana And Take Home A Fortune!
In conclusion, there you have it! That is essentially all there is to know about wagering in Louisiana. Always adhere to the laws of the jurisdiction you’re in, play responsibly, and never risk more than you can afford to lose when wagering.