Louisiana – Online Casinos & Gambling Regulations

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Despite the current legislation still not allowing for legitimate and licensed online casino sites to operate or provide their services to Louisiana, residents are still able to access overseas establishments. Most of these casinos will be licensed by another region’s jurisdiction, which is outside the bounds of state law. Sites can therefore operate legitimately, where the responsibility of blocking their services lies squarely on the government. You will however need to be aware that accessing these sites will be done outside of the protection of the law. There are also increased risks with accessing sites in a gray-market region, as this increases the chances of stumbling upon rogue or black-market operations.

• Is the casino fully licensed?
• Do reviews verify the legitimacy of the site?
• Are my preferred currencies and payment methods available?
• Are cryptocurrencies supported?
• Will I be eligible for any promotions?

Above are some great questions to keep in mind and ask yourself whenever you decide to register an account at an online casino. Finding the answers to a lot of these questions might be tricky though, which is why you can instead rely on us here at GoodLuckMate. Check out our site for professional and unbiased articles and reviews, written by industry veterans.

Gambling Regulation

While many states currently have no legislation whatsoever that covers online gambling activities, Louisiana is actually one of the few that does. The law clearly criminalizes any such activities with a ‘three strikes and you are out’ procedure. This means that residents found gambling on the internet could end up with a felony for a third offense. The future does look bright though, as new sports betting legislation recently passed, allowing for legal sports betting. The decision was made during the November election of 2020 and it is hoped full implementation will be achieved in 2021.

Most of the updated gambling legislation in Louisiana has been made in opening up terrestrial activities, however, it is hoped that this will have a knock-on effect on the online front. It used to be that Louisiana was at the forefront of the betting world, during the early 19th century, offering up more establishments than the combined contribution of New York, Baltimore, Boston and Philadelphia. In the 1920s horse racing and pari-mutuel betting were legalized, while 1990 saw the introduction of the current state-run lottery. So, trends indicate that the state is usually willing towards opening up the market, it just remains to be seen when it comes to internet-based activities. 

Localized Online Casinos

Finding a site that is fully optimized for US-based players is a little bit of a mixed bag for most states, including Lousiana. As you will be reliant on finding legitimate overseas casinos, you may find certain functionalities limiting, such as payment options and promotional offers. As online casinos provide their services to people all over the world, they will often apply settings that can reach the broadest options possible. This includes providing English as a default language, as catering to major events like the Superbowl and Kentucky Derby. US dollars are also widely available, as they provide a good alternative to setting up individual currency options for every single nation.

Visiting one of the state’s terrestrial establishments will more than likely be the easiest way of finding a fully localized experience, as that is about as local as you can get. Although, if you are willing to spend a bit of time doing the research, then you will most likely find a site that will be able to cater to your needs.

Gambling with US Dollars

Most online casinos will provide US dollars as a currency option upon registration. The wide use of the currency makes it a very obvious choice for implementation. It also serves as an alternative for those people living in a country whose local currency is not supported. While it is therefore incredibly easy to find a site that lets you deposit with US dollars, it may not be so straightforward from your bank’s point of view. A lot of US banks have policies implemented that block transactions suspected of being made towards online gambling activities. It is therefore recommended that players seek alternative deposit methods, such as E-wallets and cryptocurrencies, which allow you to make payments without directly involving the bank.

Casinos in Louisiana

The Pelican State is home to 15 riverboat casinos, as well as 24 land-based establishments. Opening up the sports betting market is only going to increase traffic exponentially while allowing the state to benefit from increased tax revenues while providing individuals with legal coverage. The hope is that these benefits will make opening up the online sector that much more appealing.

It is clear that the residents of Louisiana like to gamble, based purely on its history and current establishments. It is therefore unclear as to why legislation is not moving forward with regards to internet-based play. We hope that lawmakers will look into the possibilities of opening up the market after they have fully implemented sports betting. Until then, residents will have to rely on the gray-market of overseas casinos to get their thrills.