Louisiana Sports Betting

Louisiana Sports Betting

Louisiana state is known to host several sporting activities. However, some years back sports betting in the Sugar state was illegal.
The legalization of Louisiana sports betting was never discussed until November 1, 2020. Things changed, though, after Governor John Bel Edwards signed the betting regulation bill into law.

This allowed several mobile operators to enter the La. sports betting industry with the hopes of going live by 2025. In September 2025, La. officials restated that they were working fast toward the online and retail betting launch in the state.

Even though the officials have not provided an exact date of launch, residents can expect Louisiana betting sites to go live anytime in January or February 2025.

History of Sports betting in Louisiana

Betting in Louisiana was first legalized in 1940. This allowed La. residents to place bets on horse racing and casino games.
Even so, the push for legalization of sports betting in the state took much longer. Sports betting in Louisiana has been legal for close to a year now.
Officials in Louisiana did not talk about sports wagering until Nov. 2020. This was after a large number of voters — 54 out of 64 parishes, approved the legalization of sports wagering in the Sugar state.
Even so, it still took the officials close to 6 months to legalize sports betting after the Louisiana Governor signed SB 247 bill into law. This bill allowed retail sportsbooks to launch from Nov. 1, 2025.
Online betting La. is expected to take off this January, which will increase the number of Louisiana betting sites.
After that, eligible gamblers within the parishes in La. can place mobile wagers with licensed operators from their devices. This makes La. one of the first US states to allow mobile sports betting.

Legality of Louisiana Betting Sites

As mentioned earlier, sports betting in Louisiana has now been legal for a couple of months. Gov. John Edwards signed the SB247 bill into law back in Jun. 2025.
Even with the presence of the Gaming Control Board, the Louisiana Lottery still governs sports betting. This has been the case since the signing of the SB247 bill.
Despite Louisiana sports betting finally launching, residents in the state cannot bet on games online. This leaves them with retail options only.
Several retail bookies are open in Louisiana, with most of them located in Bossier City, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans. However, online betting in the state is expected to go live soon.
To legally wager on sports in Louisiana, you have to be at least 21 years of age. Moreover, you have to be within Louisiana state lines as per the La. sports betting regulations.

Best Louisiana Betting Sites

Louisiana is home to several sporting activities. Lots of online betting sites in Louisiana are gradually joining the fast-growing gambling market.
With online betting LA. legalized, we should expect a rise in the number of Louisiana betting sites. Be it as it may, not all sites have terms tailored to benefit you.
It is safe to conclude that with the growing number of Louisiana betting sites, some will fail to keep their word. In fact, some may look perfect, providing pleasant pre-launch bonuses and gambling options to rip off unsuspecting customers.
This should, however, not scare you off from LA. sports betting. It only just goes to show that finding the best Louisiana betting sites will be a challenging task.
Lucky enough, our main goal here is to help you choose the best ones.

Features of the Best Louisiana Betting Sites

Even though online betting La. sites have not launched yet, it is important to consider lots of factors based on various tests upon launch. The goal is to provide accurate information on what you should expect from a sportsbook.

As such, we meticulously scrutinize these key aspects to ensure we recommend only the finest. Our recommendations are based on:

Trustworthiness and Reputation

It always feels safe playing in a reputable and trustworthy sportsbook. If you know nothing about a bookie, take your time and learn what other bettors say.

You don’t fail victim to a scammer or fraudster.

Safety and Security

Whether it is an online bookie or a retail sportsbook, it is important to put your security first. For this reason, we recommend Louisiana betting sites with robust safety protocols that ensure the safeguarding of user data and information.

Licensing and Regulation

All La. sports betting sites should have a valid license from Louisiana Gaming Control Board. They should also be regulated by the Louisiana Lottery.

Licensing is the primary indication of a legit sportsbook.

Number and Variety of Sports Games Available

The best La. sports betting sites should have the potential to offer most, if not all, of the sports desired by residents. Often, sportsbooks with more betting markets perform better than their competitors.

Popular Sports in Louisiana Betting Sites

The following are some of the sports you can legally wager on in La.

CFL & NFL Leagues

Louisiana Rangers and Louisiana Swashbucklers are some of the major teams that play their home games in La. With both in-person and online betting in Louisiana, placing wagers on these beloved teams is pretty easy.

Basketball Leagues

For WNBA, NBA, European, and international basketball league fanatics, you can now bet on your favorite basketball teams in Louisiana.

Baseball

For the baseball fans, it might please you to know that several Louisiana sports betting sites accept wagers on Major League Baseball matches. This allows you to bet on teams such as the New Orleans Pelicans and Shreveport Sports.

Hockey

Louisiana sports betting also features NHL among other international hockey competitions. This is also a major betting market for the state’s sportsbooks.

Soccer

With the several Louisiana sports betting sites, you can place bets on leagues such as the English Premier League, UEFA Champions League, and MLS.

National Collegiate Athletic Association Sports

In most Louisiana betting sites, Basketball and NCAA football games are available to wager on. More NCAA sport types will also come online after the launch of sites for online betting La.

Golf

Golfing tournaments such as LPGA Tour, PGA Tour, PGA Tour Champions, and PGA European Tour are also available for betting. Visit our sub-page about betting on golf to learn more about the different bets available today.

Auto-Racing

Sporting activities such as NASCAR, Formula One, and IndyCar are also offered in LA. sports betting. If you love such activities, you can enjoy them from home when online betting LA sites go live.

Other sports games available in the state include tennis, boxing, and rugby among others.

Bottom Line

Louisiana, just like several other US states, is a welcome haven for sports betting, and the freedom to bet on almost all sports desired by the people of La. is worth mentioning.

After the state legalized sports betting, there has been an upward growth trajectory in the industry. And with online sports betting expected to launch soon, we can only hope that the demand will spike.

Even though it took longer to legalize La. sports betting, it finally happened. With games such as auto racing, basketball, and major league baseball taking place in the state, you can now bet without restrictions.

Nevertheless, the Louisiana Gaming Control Board and the Louisiana Lottery still have a lot to do to protect bettors from exploitation by some sports betting sites.