Louisiana Online Casinos
Gambling in Louisiana has a long history, going all the way back before this was a US state. In a southern American region represented by religious, conservative and biased against gambling states, the laws on wagering here come as a breath of fresh air. All gambling enthusiasts from more than a couple of states consider them the best gambling laws in the region. However, the new trend of creating a state-based legal online casino in the USA hasn’t caught on yet. Actually, it’s one of the few states whose legislation explicitly says no to online gambling.
Best Louisiana Online Casino Sites
| Casino | Bonus | Website | Rating | Features | Deposit | ||
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| 1 |  | $2000 | Review |
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| 2 |  | $12250 | Review |
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| 3 |  | $12000 | Review |
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| 4 |  | $2500 | Review |
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| 5 |  | $1000 | Review |
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| 6 |  | $7777 | Review |
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| 7 |  | $3000 | Review |
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| 8 |  | $800 | Review |
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| 9 |  | $4000 | Review |
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| 10 |  | $5000 | Review |
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Contents
Louisiana Gambling Laws
The first known gambling establishment goes way back to the mid-1700s. The history of wagering in these lands has gone through plenty of ups and downs, experiencing almost every aspect of the phenomenon. Louisiana gambling laws went from permissive to interdicting and then liberal back again.
To the question of whether gambling is legal in New Orleans, players from different periods might have responded differently. 1812 found all gambling around state forbidden, except in New Orleans. 1895 came with a ban for the famous town as well. Although the official re-legalization of casinos happened only in 1986, this whole period was under the sign of illicit gambling, and New Orleans is infamous for this.
Truth be told, gambling in Louisiana casinos has often been associated with an underworld of crime, many scandals issuing around this subject, not only in the age of high criminality in the state but also in the more modern times. For instance, in 1995, a whole scandal erupted around a crime syndicate organizing illicit video poker tournaments. The year 2000 came with the imprisonment of a former governor who extorted large sums of money from companies trying to get licensed in the state’s gambling market.
In this context, the regulations became strict, trying to avert all the crime-related issues. Subsequently, this affected other aspects of this domain. For example, this is one of the few states where players who gamble online are specifically said to break the law.
However, the current field of betting is widely represented, with any player can enjoy slot games, horse racing wagering, table games betting, lotto tickets, raffles, and bingo.
Online Gambling
Louisiana casino laws have the renown of being some of the most liberal in the region. The LA state is one of the go-to places for residents in surrounding states, which are not keen on allowing their population to try their luck in wagering games. Also, the gambling laws are some of the strictest when it comes to breaking these rules. A hefty fine and the possibility of up to six months jail time at the first misdemeanour and already a felony the second time around.
Another aspect of these strict laws is that Louisiana explicitly forbids online gambling, unlike most US states. Online poker in Louisiana is not an option by any means. The phrase “computer gambling” appears in the law’s text, closing the door even on the renowned grey area where off-shore based betting sites usually made their entry.
On the other hand, Louisiana has always been a hub for activities at the edge of legality. The fact is that the state’s authorities haven’t got the means to pursue, verify, and collect evidence on the activity of gambling from the comfort of each citizen’s home. So, although in Louisiana, online casinos are strictly forbidden, there is no possibility for law representatives to know if anyone is actually playing on these websites. For this matter, there are many such online operators which accept Louisiana players.
Given all these subjects discussed before, if a Louisiana player is willing to place bets on a website based on off-shore websites, which you can find at Real Time Gaming casino list we prepared, extra measures of security must be taken. Only go on those websites you have absolute confidence in. The greatest way to find such an online casino, with the minimum amount of risk taken, is by checking the list of reviewed sites, where professionals verify in every detail all aspects of the online casino’s security, licensing, terms of withdrawal, equity in gameplay and so on. Bovada Casino is a nice example. Bovada is legal in Louisiana, and we’ve already reviewed this website.
Offline Options
Land-based Casinos
When it comes to playing in a casino in LA, all versions of brick-and-mortar venues are available:
- commercial casinos
- riverboats
- tribal casinos
- racinos
Historically, the hub for gambling was the thriving city of New Orleans. This is the centre of the state’s tourist attractions. The Mardi Gras festival is an occasion for people worldwide to gather and chase all sorts of entertainment, from the more mystic side to the simple party all-night-long type, going through a sensual or artistic aspect. In all this, gambling fits in like a glove. The only mandatory rule in a place that seems to have none is respecting the gambling age in New Orleans.
Another historical vestige, which offers time travel through different eras beyond their main functionality of gambling haven, is the riverboats. Sure, they have been recently allowed to function on land as well, seeing how they were long-time harboured. But some, such as the ones in Shreveport or Lake Charles, although with large properties surrounding them, still capitalize on their link with the romantic age of true riverboat gambling. After all, many tourists come here, especially for this type of experience.
Lottery
Even the lottery has had a troubling rollercoaster-like ride, like all the other Louisianna gambling aspects. It was set up in the mid-1800s, closed on corruption allegations and moved to Honduras in 1893, where it continued to sell tickets to US citizens. It came back stateside at the beginning of the 1990s, as instant scratch tickets and lotto draws. Afterwards, Louisiana joined the Powerball, and now it has become one of the biggest contributors to the state’s budget. For example, more than 2 billion USD went into a fund for repairing Katrina’s damage.
Racetracks
Of all the gambling places in Louisiana, there’s no way that anyone can miss the racetracks. The greyhound races are forbidden in LA, but the horse races are among the most famous in the country. Take Evangeline Downs, for example, the race with the highest number of horses in a race in the whole country. Or the Fair Grounds course, which is a known precursor preparation race for the Kentucky Derby. If the thrill of participating live isn’t possible, some off-track betting parlours are spread across the state.
You Might Also be Interested in:
Texas online casinos
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Is gambling legal in Louisiana?
Yes, fortunately for state’s residents and those, many are coming from neighbouring states to gamble in Louisiana. Of course that a great piece of this success is due to Louisiana gambling laws, which have allowed for a wide variety of options in this area, within state borders: casinos, racetracks, lottery, charitable gaming, to name a few.
Are there casinos in Louisiana?
Louisiana holds a complete array of casino versions, with numerous commercial and also tribal casinos. However, the salt and pepper, the gambling New Orleans casinos, former riverboats still hold the atmosphere of the romantic age they were at their peak. Long story short, for any casino enthusiast, there is a perfect choice. The only limit is about respecting the Louisiana gambling age. On the subject of online casinos, there is not that much to be said, except the laws are clear in this matter and ban it.
What is the legal gambling age in Louisiana?
The gambling age in Louisiana depends on the type of games to be played: bingo, lotto tickets and horse race betting are allowed since 18 years old while setting foot in a casino of any sort can be done after the threshold of 21 years.
Is online gambling Louisiana legal?
This is one of the states that has made it clear that any gambling made using a computer, online wagering is the definition of that, is banned. This means that online slots for real money are not a valid option unless the player takes the risk upon himself. Some operators offer for residents in Louisiana online casinos where games can be played. They consider that the state has no necessary means to control, to inflict punishment, every household in the state. Up to now, no arrest has been made for using online casinos, and it hardly seems likely that any will be made.
However, it should be stated again that playing on these websites implies taking a risk. A way to diminish the risks taken would be to join only trustworthy sites. Check the reviews other previous players give. Repetitive foul play always tends to show itself. Also, verify the online casino you’re willing to play, on the lists of reviewed websites, to find an unbiased opinion about some of its most important aspects.
Any future developments in this area?
There aren’t any new casinos in Louisiana anytime soon, but the end of 2018 brought some new regulations in this field. These latest modifications are allowing an increase in the number of slot machines supplied by the actual casinos. Surely, each must request the gaming authority and await confirmation, but it is progress nevertheless.
Also, another piece of interesting information: since 2018, the riverboats have been allowed to move onshore, thus creating prospects for the larger casino resort, with more gaming space and options. Also, some expectations on legalizing sports betting are rumoured, but nothing concrete just yet. The online part of the phenomenon is still left in the dark with the same explicit ban hanging overhead and not a chance of coming into the spotlight in the immediate future.