Louisiana is certainly its own state!
From their Creole and Cajun cultures to the influence of African, Spanish, French and Native Americans, Louisiana is a true melting pot. In 2020, the voters of this great state decided they wanted to legalize sports betting.
Their two biggest cities are New Orleans and Baton Rouge with roughly 375,000 and 220,000 people respectively. The only two major professional sports teams in the state are the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans. There are a lot of college teams in the state and some with national brands.
LSU, Tulane, Louisiana Tech and Louisiana-Lafayette are probably the three most famous. But there is also Grambling State, Southern, UL Monroe, New Orleans and Northwestern State.
If there is one thing The Pelican State loves, it’s their own state. Home games for their sports teams are some of the craziest environments in the country. I’m sure the sportsbooks are just as wild when they’re rooting for their wagers.
Yes, gambling is legal in Louisiana. In November of 2020, voters of the state decided to vote yes for sports gambling to be legal in the state. In June of 2021, Governor John Bel Edwards signed Senate Bill 247 & 142 into law, making it official.
The first retail sportsbook was opened in October of 2021. Brick-and-mortar locations were the only places able to take sports bets until January 28th, 2022. Now mobile sportsbooks are operational within the state. Right now, there are seven mobile operators live in Louisiana and around 16 retail locations.
There are provisions in place for up to 40 operators in the state so there could be a lot more options coming.