Many people in the state of Louisiana seem quite optimistic that legal sports betting will launch in time for this year’s NFL season.
The reason they feel that way is that state regulators approved emergency rules to speed up the process. These rules went into effect after being adopted during a Gaming Control Board meeting last Thursday.
Louisiana Gaming Board Makes Big Decision
This past Thursday, the Louisiana gaming board passed emergency sports betting rules that went into effect yesterday. The emergency sports betting rules are good for 180 days although it has to be noted that the board did not make the rules public to either stakeholders or the public at large.
They did however say that they did reach out for input from stakeholders during the process. There are 64 parishes in Louisiana and 55 of them voted to legalize mobile sports betting back on the November 2020 ballot.
Governor John Bel Edwards signed legislation back on June 23rd which got the ball rolling. The two bills signed by Edwards SB 247 and SB 142 got us to where we are now, which is the emergency rules that will hopefully see the legal sports betting market launch in Louisiana in time for this year’s NFL season which kicks off on September 9th.
- SB 247 establishes the structure for sports wagering.
- SB 142 outlines the allocation of state funds generated from sports betting.
Is a Launch in Time for NFL Season Realistic?
The fact that the Louisiana Gaming Control Board (LGCB) did not make the rules public to stakeholders should not be swept under the rug. While it’s good that they asked for their input, any launch date without that information is very optimistic.
Ultimately, the LGCB has initiated the process, but stakeholder engagement is pivotal. Without a clear understanding of the rules, planning remains challenging, and some stakeholders may opt out due to rule-related concerns.
The LGCB has a 180-day window to establish permanent rules, extendable for another 180 days if needed. Thus, the push to launch before football season primarily centers on profit optimization rather than immediate precision. Once these changes are implemented, individuals in Louisiana and beyond, currently devoid of mobile sports betting, can turn to OddsTrader for their betting needs.
OddsTrader currently offers betting odds comparison in Illinois, Colorado, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Indiana, Michigan, Virginia, Iowa, and West Virginia.
Casinos Eagerly Await LGCB Action
There are 20 land-based and riverboat casinos in the state and they will be waiting in anticipation that the LGCB will move swiftly.
There is a lucrative potential market in Louisiana for so many different reasons so it is in the LGCB’s best interest to move as quickly as possible. The most important thing to note here is that while a launch date is still not clear, the emergency rules are a big step.
In essence, with these rules in place, LGCB can give provisional licenses which means even if a potential stakeholder does not have a physical sportsbook built, they would be able to go live with a mobile application. Anything that gets Louisiana closer to a legal sports betting launch date has to be seen as a positive.
