Louisiana Statewide Rule

Louisiana Sports Betting Requires Parish Approval

Some RestrictionsApplies statewide across Louisiana (2026)

Key Facts

Parishes with legal sports wagering: 55 of 64 (approved Nov. 3, 2020 referendum)
Minimum wagering age: 21 years old
Online/mobile tax rate: 21.5% of net proceeds (since Aug. 1, 2025)
Retail tax rate: 10% of net proceeds
Regulator: Louisiana Gaming Control Board
Operative law effective date: July 1, 2021 (Act 440 of 2021)
Max civil penalty per violation: $100,000

Last verified: August 21, 2026

Summary

Louisiana sports wagering is legal only in the 55 of 64 parishes that approved it in the November 3, 2020 statewide referendum. Under La. R.S. 27:608(A), a player placing a wager with a licensed operator must be 21 or older, physically located in an approving parish, and hold a wagering account for any online or mobile bet. The Louisiana Gaming Control Board licenses and polices every operator statewide.

A.(1) To place a sports wager with an operator, a player shall meet all of the following:
(a) Be twenty-one years of age or older.
(b) Be physically located in a parish that has approved a proposition authorizing sports wagering.
(c) Have a wagering account established with the operator, if the player is attempting to place the sports wager through a website or mobile application.
(d) Not be prohibited from wagering with the operator by law, rule, policy of the operator, or self-exclusion, or pursuant to R.S. 27:27.1.
(2) In order to accept a sports wager from a player, an operator shall confirm that the player meets all of the following criteria:
(a) Is twenty-one years of age or older.
(b) Is physically located in a parish that has approved a proposition authorizing sports wagering.
(c) Has an existing sports wagering account with the operator, if the wager is being placed through a website or mobile application.
(d) Is not prohibited from wagering with the operator by law, rule, policy of the operator, or self-exclusion, or pursuant to R.S. 27:27.1.

View official code

Full Breakdown

S. 24, putting a single proposition on the ballot in every one of the state's 64 parishes at the November 3, 2020 election: 'PROPOSITION TO AUTHORIZE SPORTS WAGERING ACTIVITIES. ' A majority yes vote made sports wagering permissible in that parish once licensing laws took effect; a majority no vote made it unlawful there, full stop. Voters approved the proposition in 55 of the 64 parishes; the other nine, mostly rural parishes in north and central Louisiana, rejected it and remain closed to both retail and mobile sports wagering.

S. 27:601-611), effective July 1, 2021 under Act 440 of the 2021 Regular Session. S. 27:608(A) makes parish approval a standing condition of every wager, not a one-time gate: both the player and the operator must confirm the bettor is physically located in an approving parish at the moment of the wager, which is why mobile apps run geolocation checks on every bet attempt. The Gaming Control Board holds all licensing, investigative, and enforcement authority over operators, platform providers, and kiosks; operators may not take bets on injuries, disciplinary rulings, or replay reviews, and must report suspicious wagering patterns to the board.

5% for mobile/online wagers and 10% for retail wagers placed at a licensed casino or racetrack, rates set by Act 298 of the 2025 Regular Session effective August 1, 2025 (raised from 15%/10%). S. 27 in the 2026 Regular Session.

Violations & Penalties

Sports wagering is carved out of Louisiana's general gambling crime, R.S. 14:90, only when conducted in compliance with Chapter 10 of Title 27, so a wager placed by a bettor in a non-approving parish, or through an unlicensed operator, isn't exempt and can be prosecuted as ordinary illegal gambling. Licensed operators who violate the Sports Wagering Act or Gaming Control Board rules face civil penalties of up to $100,000 per violation, and payment is a condition of keeping their permit.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I place a sports bet from a Louisiana parish that voted no in 2020?

No. La. R.S. 27:608(A) requires both the bettor and the operator to confirm the player is physically located in a parish that approved the 2020 proposition before any wager, in-person or mobile, can be accepted. Nine of the state's 64 parishes rejected the measure and remain closed to sports wagering entirely; crossing into an approving parish to place the bet is the only workaround.

How old do I have to be to bet on sports in Louisiana?

You must be 21 or older. R.S. 27:608(A)(1)(a) sets 21 as the minimum age to place a sports wager with a licensed operator, and operators must independently confirm a bettor's age before accepting any bet, whether placed in person at a casino sportsbook or through a mobile app.

Does mobile sports betting work everywhere I travel in Louisiana?

No: mobile apps run geolocation checks against the list of approving parishes every time you try to place a wager, not just at signup. If you drive into one of the nine non-approving parishes, the app will block you from wagering until you're back inside an approved parish, even with an active account.

Can a parish that rejected sports betting in 2020 vote again?

Not automatically. R.S. 18:1300.24 only authorized the single 2020 statewide vote. But the legislature can pass a new law calling a parish-specific election, which is exactly what it did for Sabine Parish under R.S. 18:1300.27 in the 2026 Regular Session, giving that parish's voters another chance to approve it.

Sources

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