Louisiana lawmakers easily passed an online and sports betting regulation bill Thursday that could bring the state’s first legal sportsbooks as early as this fall.
The Louisiana House passed the bill 78-15 with widespread bipartisan support. The Senate passed the same bill 31-6 last month.
The bill features full online wagering, no in-state college betting ban, and the potential for as many as 40 online sportsbooks.
The House adopted several minor technical amendments before Thursday’s vote that will require Senate concurrence, but the regulation bill is still set to join the companion taxation bill already awaiting the signature of Gov. John Bel Edwards, which should also be a formality. Edwards has largely supported legal sports betting and a possible veto would face more than enough votes to be overridden.
This should allow regulators to begin preparing for a sportsbook launch as early as this fall. Significant licensing and regulatory work remains, but stakeholders are hoping for a 2021 go-live date for online and retail sportsbooks in football-crazy Louisiana.
