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Written by: Filip Gromovic Reviewed by: Nashon Khamala
Just like in many other states in the nation, online casinos in Louisiana are all based offshore because there is yet to be a law to regulate the gaming house market here. Residents here continue to enjoy real money online casino games by registering with these offsite platforms. We will break down the status of gambling in LA, including what you can and cannot do. Casino promotions updated: 05/13/2025
If you are hoping to gamble legally with real money in LA, we have some bad news for you. Louisiana is not one of the states that have approved iGaming. The only forms of betting allowed here are mostly the traditional ones, including land-based tribal casinos and racetrack sports. All virtual forms are still prohibited, except mobile sports betting.There are lots of offshore online casinos scampering to attract Pelican State players with bonuses. Many of these sites are genuine and trustworthy, but you have to thoroughly vet them based on different criteria like security, size of bonuses, customer support and game selection.
The virtual wagering option available in LA is more than what you will find in states like Texas. Here, several forms of online gambling are acceptable, including sports betting, pari mutuel bets on horse racing, fantasy sports, and daily fantasy sports contests. However, for table games and slots, residents of this state must rely on offshore platforms. Although the state has yet to legalize virtual gaming houses, there is still no law stopping residents from satisfying their cravings elsewhere. Social casinos are also legally available, although they are played with virtual coins. Yet, they still present the possibility for players to win real money.
The legalization of DFS, sports betting and fantasy sports brings hope that real-money betting will also one day become legal in the state. However, punters in the state will have to wait longer because there is currently no legislation in that regard on the horizon. But there are plenty of riverboat casinos and tribal gaming houses where you can play with real cash. If mobile gambling ever becomes legal, there is likely going to be a boom because many offshore platforms will likely take licenses from existing brick-and-mortar wagering houses. For now, all we can do is wait and see.
It was a historic moment in 1968 when the passage of the law legalized Louisiana Charitable Raffles, Bingo and Keno Licensing.
Several decades later, the Louisiana Riverboat Economic Development and Gaming Control Act was passed in 1991, legalizing video poker machines, riverboat casinos and lottery.
The following year, the state signed its first tribal pact with the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe. This paved the way for the emergence of Paragon Casino Resort as the state’s first tribal gaming house in 1994.
By 1996, the Louisiana Gaming Control Board and the Louisiana Gaming Control Act came into existence. The first time the state commission considered the legalization of Internet gambling was in 2013.
By 2021, two virtual wagering legislations were passed. SB142 provided suggestions for how funds generated from legal online gambling should be distributed, while SB247 allowed LA’s casinos and racinos to apply for up to 20 licenses.
While online gambling LA options are limited, you will be surprised at the available betting options in LA and where you can find them. For example, businesses with liquor licenses are permitted to have up to three video machines. Truck stops can have even more video poker machines, but the exact number will depend on the amount of fuel they sell. Several restaurants are also allowed to operate video poker.
The only way to get a virtual experience of something close to what you will find in land-based houses is by going through social and sweepstakes. These websites offer Vegas-style iGames, and the most interesting part is that these games can be played for free. However, they usually have a two-coin system where the Sweeps Coins (SC) are used for wagering, just like the traditional betting houses. The major difference here is that SC cannot be purchased and can only be given as bonuses by the site, like coming as a bonus when you purchase gold coin packages.
There are 15 riverboats, 4 racinos, 4 tribal and 1 land-based house that offer betting services to LA residents. All of them have live table titles in their collection, except the racinos. However, it is not always easy to travel long distances to find them, which may explain why punters are eager to have the virtual alternative.
Pari mutuel wagering on horse racing is allowed on licensed racetracks. Punters place bets on the horses, and the winners share the loser’s bets after removing the house commission. Interestingly, betting on dog races is prohibited.
Wagering on sports became legal in LA in 2021. Since then, there has been a growing number of mobile platforms offering users the chance to bet on live or fantasy sports. For most players, it is usually about finding the platform with the best offer.
Just like in many other states, the lottery is legal in LA. However, the tickets must be purchased from duly licensed physical retail shops. The law forbids the purchase of tickets by fax, phone or mail.
Until the law views wagering in LA changes, your best bet is to stick with reputable offshore operators, and in most cases, you will be dealing with sweepstakes. If you are new to betting, you may find the available number of platforms dizzying. You may struggle with deciding which platform is right for you. We have tried dozens of virtual houses and here is a list of the best based on different factors. The first thing that you should never compromise is security. Beyond security, it is important to ensure that the platform you register with has the games you find entertaining.
Jackpota is a social website that anyone can freely join. New members are offered 150% extra coins. There are over 700 slot titles on the site, cut across classics, Megaways and Hold and Win. In addition to the free Gold Coins (GC) you will get on registration, more virtual currencies are up for grabs every day by simply logging into your account. Another way to earn free coins is by using your unique referral link. Jackpota has a page dedicated to player safety as well as customer support that is available around the clock. We found those really impressive.
If you are a fan of slot games, Red Stag will feed you different varieties of them to your heart’s content. From the classic 3-reel slots to video slots and progressive jackpots, there is a lot to take in. On their homepage, you will see the titles with the most payouts, a feature we believe will come in handy for those who are undecided on the next game to play. They also offer other Vegas-style titles, including blackjack, keno, scratch cards and video poker. With a massive welcome bonus of up to $2,500 and 500 free spins, it is no surprise that we consider this the best for virtual slots.
Spree offers what feels close to the in-house wagering experience with a slew of real dealer table titles, including baccarat, roulette and blackjack. They also offer all kinds of slot titles cut across different themes, and new games are added every week. Upon registration, 1 million GC and 2.5 Sweep Coins will be deposited in your account to get you started. In addition to that, there is a bonus for players on their first GC purchase. Spree offers daily promotions, tournaments and prize raffles that expand the ways their members can win.
Nolimit Coins is another sweepstakes platform where LA residents can have fun for free. There are over 400 titles on the website (mostly slots and fishing titles). However, where Nolimit really shines is the size of the bonuses they offer to their members. After registration and validating your account, 1.2K GC will be added to your bankroll, but that is not all. Twice every day, you will get the chance to spin the Lucky Wheel, where you can win amazing prizes. This is one of the online gambling sites Louisiana, where the size of the bonuses can guarantee you free play for life.
Punters chasing jackpots will be excited to find Café Casino. They have several jackpots, ranging from Epic to Daily to Hourly. The Epic often exceeds $28,000 in payout and can drop at any time, while the other two have a stipulated time at which they are paid out. They accept payments using cards or cryptocurrency, although with the latter, you will unlock bigger bonuses and faster payouts. New players can get up to $2,500 as a welcome bonus. While the jackpot is the biggest attraction here, they also have table and specialty titles, video poker and live dealers.
Every Louisiana online wagering platform will ask you to register before you can access its collection. This is a standard procedure that gives them a way to verify the identity of every platform user and ensure that bad actors don’t use bots to disrupt the system. It also gives the platform a means of communicating with its members. Here are the steps you must take to start playing.
When it comes to online gambling Louisiana, there are different game varieties available to players. Whether you are wagering on offshore casinos or sweeps, the collection will usually include slots, table titles, and in some cases, specialty titles like keno, plinko and scratch cards. However, not all of these games are popular. The options that are most popular among LA players include the following.
These are the most popular titles available. It is so popular that some websites have only slot titles. They come in different shapes and themes, from the 3×3 reels to Megaways with over 1,000 ways to win. Features you should pay attention to when picking a title include:
It is highly unlikely that you will not find blackjack on the roster of websites that offer table titles. It is played with cards and the goal is to have the highest card value below 21. Some platforms offer live versions, which are hosted by real human beings in remote locations.
It is also played with cards, and punters bet on which hand the value of the cards will be close to 9. This is another staple that you will find on betting sites that offer table titles. Live versions are also available on some sites.
This is another game of chance that has gained popularity among punters. Here, a ball is dropped on a spinning wheel partitioned into reels with numbers, and players bet on the number the ball will land on when the wheel stops spinning.
There is really no comparison between real money online casino Louisiana and the land-based versions. The former offers play flexibility that the latter can never match, and we predict a lot of people will move away from land-based establishments to mobile once it is legalized. This is partly because LA has only one major commercial wagering house, called Harrah’s New Orleans.
The property, which features poker rooms, over 100 table titles and more than 2,000 slot machines, is owned by Vici Properties and operated by Caesars Entertainment, which is based in Nevada. While the variety of iGames in their library is impressive, most punters will not always have the luxury of driving to the location.
The four tribal casinos or racinos in the state are operated by the Tunica-Biloxi Indian Tribe, the Coushatta Tribe, the Chitimacha and the Jena Band of Choctaw Indians. The National Indian Gaming Commission is in charge of regulating their operations.
The most popular form of land-based establishments here are the racinos or riverboat gaming clubs. As their names suggest, they are located in boats drifting close to the shore or anchored. The idea is to limit the physical locations where gambling houses are built while also creating new tourist attractions.
As of 2025, virtual wagering in LA is still prohibited. The only exceptions are sports and off-track betting. Activities that are regulated and licensable include video poker, fantasy sports contests, sports betting, slots-at-the-tracks gaming, riverboats and brick-and-mortar establishments.
The state doesn’t permit the playing of titles like slots, blackjack, poker, bingo and roulette on the Internet. The Louisiana Gaming Control Board, the Louisiana Attorney General’s Gaming Division and Louisiana State Police Gaming Enforcement Division regulate wagering on titles that have been legalized by the state.
Social websites are currently not regulated in the state, and you are going to find dozens of them with arms open to welcome LA players. They are able to overcome the regulatory setback by offering a system where players can enjoy all popular titles for free. They are sometimes used for charitable courses where people pay to play and all the money realized is used to fund a charitable program.
Sweepstakes are also a form of social sites because they also offer iGames for free, although virtual currency for playing can be purchased. Most of them will add a disclaimer telling players that making a purchase will not increase their chances of winning. However, unlike regular social sites, they often operate a two-coin system where the second coin, which cannot be purchased, can be used to gamble for real money. This model has allowed them to bypass the legal restrictions currently facing Internet wagering.
Compared to some states, LA has great legal options for punters, including sports betting, wagering on fantasy sports, lottery, private poker rooms and several racinos. Although real money online casinos are yet to be legalized in LA, several offshore sites are poaching residents of the state with attractive bonuses. Online gambling sites Louisiana are not regulated by the state, which means you must be extremely cautious while dealing with them.
Since offshore wagering sites are not regulated or licensed, US auditors don’t get to test and verify the games. Consequently, there is no way you can tell if a medium volatility slot is actually medium volatility or whether an RTP of 98% is not skewed further in favor of the house.
Another frequently reported issue with real money online sites is problems with payouts. We have seen cases where players were unable to get their win and, after several back-and-forth with customer care, decided to forfeit the prize. At other times, the payouts come through after several days of delay.
While most of the platforms use bonuses to attract new players, these bonuses and some tournaments offered by the platform are geo-locked, meaning you cannot participate unless you are in a particular country or region. Sadly, when such issues arise, the punter is at the losing end because there are often no legal means of seeking redress.
Therefore, while real money online casino Louisiana platforms provide residents with a way to experience the best of iGames, it is up to you to ensure that your fingers don’t get burned in the process. Some of the steps you must take include the following:
Gambling should always be for fun. However, some punters run into situations where they are overrun by their emotions and the compulsion to play, especially when real money is involved. In some cases, they lose total control, incurring financial losses and losing relationships too. If you find yourself in this condition, seek help as soon as possible.
Responsible betting starts with setting a budget for your wagering activities. Only bet with your disposable income, the money left after you have budgeted for your monthly necessities. Train yourself to have the discipline to stop playing once you exceed your budget. Also, it may be a good idea to set time limits on how many hours you can play in a day.
Legit platforms also offer tools that can make it easier for their members to stay in control of their gambling activities. One such tool is setting deposit limits on your account. You can also reach out to customer support to temporarily close your account until a time when you are in control again.
National Council on Problem Gambling Louisiana, Gamblers Anonymous, and Louisiana Association on Compulsive Gambling are all organizations that offer resources and support to players who have lost control.
The future of Internet wagering in LA is bright. In recent years, there has been a rise in the willingness to legalize virtual betting sites. The first step to achieving that goal will be the presentation of a bill to introduce a regulated market for mobile wagering. Sadly, nothing of such is in the pipeline.
Even if a bill like that should surface one day, it will still go to the ballot for the entire residents of the state to decide if that is what they want. Most of the laws existing in the state passed through the ballot. Therefore, anyone introducing such a bill must be confident of getting the vast majority of residents in the state to vote in their favor.
While the debate is ongoing, more Internet casinos (both real money and social) will likely emerge in the coming years, offering more betting titles to LA residents. One thing is for sure: it may take a while for lawmakers to get the number of people they need to push online betting through the ballot. This is arguably the main reason why we are unlikely to see the legalization of online casino platforms any time soon.
Filip Gromovic is a senior slots reviewer here at FreeSlots99 with over five years of experience evaluating the latest drops in the world of iGaming.
Being a slot fan himself, Filip approaches slot ratings just the way we like it – professionally, but also from a player’s standpoint.
That enables him to give his unbiased take on the slot’s features, gameplay and design, while only recommending top-tier releases to our readers.
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Having served FreeSlots99 for more than 5 years as a senior content editor and reviewer, Nashon Khamala has extensive knowledge in game slots and iGaming.
His membership in the Editorial Freelancers Association helps him deliver content that reaches both editorial excellence standards and an engaging information level.
By using his expertise in slots games combined with player-focused analysis, Nashon delivers a professional evaluation of slot features and player experiences in his reviews.
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