Online Casinos in Louisiana
Are real-money online casinos legal in Louisiana, and what can you actually play in a state with 24 in-person casinos but no licensed iGaming?
Short Answer
No. There are no licensed online casinos in Louisiana.
Louisiana has not enacted an iGaming law, and the Louisiana Gaming Control Board licenses no online slot or table-game operators. Mobile sports betting launched January 28, 2022, and the casino industry runs through 15 riverboats, the land-based Harrah's New Orleans, 4 racinos, and 4 tribal properties. Sweepstakes sites are under active enforcement: the LGCB sent more than 40 cease-and-desist letters in June 2025, and in 2026 the legislature passed both HB 53 (gambling racketeering) and HB 883 (dual-currency ban), now awaiting Gov. Jeff Landry's action.
How It Happened
Voters approve sports betting in 55 of 64 parishes
On the same ballot as the presidential election, residents in 55 of Louisiana's 64 parishes approve sports wagering. Margins reach 76 percent in Orleans and Jefferson; nine northern parishes vote no, creating the geofence pattern that still defines the state's mobile market.
Mobile sports betting launches with six operators
At 8 a.m. CT, FanDuel, DraftKings, Caesars, BetMGM, Barstool, and BetRivers all go live, the first day of online wagering under the framework Gov. John Bel Edwards signed in SB 247.
Senate study committee hears iGaming testimony
Judiciary B and Revenue and Fiscal Affairs convene the joint hearing ordered by SR 149 (Talbot). The Cordish Companies and Light & Wonder give competing testimony on cannibalization risks, and the committee files no draft bill.
Landry vetoes SB 181 sweepstakes ban
Despite unanimous House and Senate passage, Gov. Landry kills the dual-currency ban, writing that the Gaming Control Board already polices online sweepstakes and that the bill's language is overly broad.
LGCB and AG send 40-plus cease-and-desist orders
Four days after the veto, LGCB Chairman Christopher Hebert and AG Liz Murrill jointly send letters to more than 40 sweepstakes and offshore operators. Murrill issues a formal opinion that dual-currency sweepstakes violate Louisiana gambling law.
Senate passes HB 53 racketeering bill
The Senate passes Rep. Bryan Fontenot's HB 53 by 27-9, adding gambling by computer, electronic sweepstakes devices, and five other gambling offenses to the state's racketeering statute. Penalties reach 50 years and a $1 million fine.
Online Casinos for Louisiana Players
Louisiana licenses no online casinos. This is a placeholder listing until our database is wired in. Sweepstakes sites are now under active state enforcement.
Casinos we play at. We earn a commission when you sign up through these.
Why There Are No Online Casinos
Louisiana built its casino industry around brick-and-mortar statutes: the 1991 Riverboat Economic Development and Gaming Control Act, which capped riverboat licenses at 15, and the 1992 law at La. R.S. 27:201 that licensed Harrah's New Orleans as the state's sole land-based casino. Gov. John Bel Edwards added mobile sports betting when he signed SB 247 in 2021, and online wagering went live January 28, 2022 across the 55 of 64 parishes that voted yes on the 2020 ballot. None of those laws authorize online slots, table games, or live dealer casinos.
Online expansion has stalled. In 2024 the Senate passed SR 149 (Talbot), ordering Judiciary B and Revenue and Fiscal Affairs to study iGaming; the committees met December 11, 2024 but produced no bill. Gov. Jeff Landry vetoed SB 181, the 2025 anti-sweepstakes bill, on June 13, 2025, calling it unnecessary, and four days later the Louisiana Gaming Control Board sent more than 40 cease-and-desist letters to sweepstakes and offshore operators. Attorney General Liz Murrill followed with a formal opinion that dual-currency sweepstakes violate state law. The 2026 session passed HB 53 (gambling racketeering, House 86-11, Senate 27-9) and HB 883 (dual-currency ban, House 99-0, Senate 35-0); both await Landry's signature or veto as of May 20, 2026. No bill authorizing real-money online casino play has been filed in 2026.
What You Can Play in Louisiana
The forms of gambling Louisiana residents can legally use right now.
Online Sports Betting
Legalized by SB 247 in 2021 and live since January 28, 2022. Six mobile sportsbooks launched on day one: FanDuel, DraftKings, Caesars, BetMGM, Barstool, and BetRivers. Geolocation locks wagering to the 55 parishes that approved the 2020 ballot. Regulated by the Louisiana Gaming Control Board, 21 and older.
Riverboat and Land-Based Casinos
Fifteen riverboat casinos operate under the 1991 Riverboat Economic Development and Gaming Control Act, and SB 316 in 2018 lets them move up to 1,200 feet onshore from their berths. Harrah's New Orleans is the state's only true land-based casino, licensed under a separate 1992 statute. All players must be 21.
Racinos and Pari-Mutuel Horse Racing
Four racetracks run slot floors alongside live racing: Delta Downs in Vinton, Evangeline Downs in Opelousas, Harrah's Louisiana Downs in Bossier City, and Fair Grounds in New Orleans. Pari-mutuel horse wagering is 18 and older, racino slot machines 21 and older.
Tribal Casinos
Four federally recognized tribes run casinos under IGRA compacts: Coushatta Casino Resort in Kinder, Paragon Casino Resort in Marksville (Tunica-Biloxi), Cypress Bayou Casino Hotel in Charenton (Chitimacha), and Jena Choctaw Pines Casino in Dry Prong.
Louisiana Lottery and Charitable Bingo
The Louisiana Lottery Corporation sells Powerball, Mega Millions, scratchers, and in-state draw games at retail only. iLottery bills HB 643 and SB 119 are pending in the 2026 session. Licensed nonprofit bingo halls operate statewide for players 18 and older.
Play Responsibly
You must be at least 21 to gamble at casinos, racinos, or online sportsbooks in Louisiana, and 18 for the lottery, horse racing, and bingo. If gambling stops being fun, call 1-800-GAMBLER for free, confidential help, or read our responsible gambling guide.
Louisiana Gambling FAQ
Are online casinos legal in Louisiana?+
No. Louisiana has not legalized real-money online casino games, and the Louisiana Gaming Control Board licenses no online slot or table-game operators. Sites advertising 'Louisiana online casino real money' run offshore without state oversight. HB 53, passed by both chambers in April 2026, would make running such a site racketeering with penalties up to 50 years and a $1 million fine.
Can I legally bet on sports online in Louisiana?+
Yes, if you are 21 and inside one of the 55 parishes that approved sports wagering on the November 2020 ballot. Mobile sportsbooks have been live since January 28, 2022. Six operators launched on day one, including FanDuel, DraftKings, Caesars, and BetMGM.
Are sweepstakes casinos legal in Louisiana?+
AG Liz Murrill's June 2025 opinion deems dual-currency sweepstakes illegal under existing state law, and the LGCB has sent more than 40 cease-and-desist letters. HB 883 and HB 53 passed both chambers in April 2026 and would explicitly ban the model and reclassify it as racketeering. Both await Gov. Landry's action.
How many casinos does Louisiana have?+
Twenty-four in total: 15 riverboat casinos, the land-based Harrah's New Orleans, 4 racinos, and 4 tribal casinos run by the Coushatta, Tunica-Biloxi, Chitimacha, and Jena Band of Choctaw tribes.
How old do you have to be to gamble in Louisiana?+
Twenty-one for casino games, slot machines, video poker, and sports wagering. Eighteen for the Louisiana Lottery, pari-mutuel horse racing, and charitable bingo.
Will Louisiana legalize online casinos?+
No iGaming-authorization bill has been filed in 2026. SR 149 ordered a study in 2024, but the committee produced no draft legislation. The current legislature's focus is enforcement, not expansion: HB 53 (racketeering) and HB 883 (dual-currency ban) both passed and await Gov. Landry's signature.