Louisiana has always been a gambling state. They’ve got riverboat casinos, racetracks, and even legal sports betting now. But when it comes to online casinos in Louisiana? The rules are different. Real-money sites aren’t legal yet, which leaves a lot of players trying to figure out what’s actually allowed.
The good news is that you’ve got options. Social and sweepstakes casinos give players a legal way to enjoy slots, table games, and more (with the added bonus of being able to redeem winnings for real cash prizes).
In this guide, we’ll cover how online gambling works in Louisiana today and point you to the best Louisiana online casinos you can play at right now.
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Louisiana Online Gambling: A Quick Overview
Believe it or not, Louisiana is one of the most progressive states in the South when it comes to online gambling laws.
Sports betting, DFS contests, and pari-mutuel wagering on horse racing are all legal here today. So you can already bet and win real money on your phone from pretty much anywhere in the state.
But real-money online casinos? Those still aren’t allowed. The Louisiana Gaming Control Board hasn’t licensed any operators yet, though there’s been some talk of expanding into iGaming down the road.
For now, the main alternatives are social casinos and sweepstakes casinos. But before we get into all that, here’s a quick summary of all of the state’s legal gambling options:
| 🎲 Type of Gambling | 👍 Is It Legal? | 🔞 Age Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| Online Casinos | ❌ No | N/A |
| Online Poker | ❌ No | N/A |
| Retail Casinos | ✅ Yes. Land-based casinos, riverboat casinos, tribal casinos, and racinos. | 21+ |
| Sports Betting | ✅ Yes (55 of 64 parishes). Both online and in-person. | 21+ |
| Daily Fantasy Sports | ✅ Yes (47 of 64 parishes). | 21+ |
| Horse Race Betting | ✅ Yes. Allowed at racetracks, OTBs, and online. | 18+ |
| State Lottery | ✅ Yes. Tickets must be purchased in person at authorized retailers. | 21+ |
Our Top Recommended Louisiana Online Casinos
Our team at ATS.io has tested all of the online casinos that currently accept Louisiana players, and these are our top picks we can’t recommend enough:
1. Chumba Casino: Best Overall Online Casino
- 🎁 Welcome Bonus: 2,000,000 FREE Gold Coins and 2 FREE Sweeps Coins
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- ⭐ ATS.io Rating: 4.2/5.0
2. Golden Hearts Games: Fastest Payout Times
- 🎁 Welcome Bonus: 250K Gold Coins & 2.50 Free Sweeps Coins
- 🎉 Exclusive Promo Code: ATSBONUS
- ⭐ ATS.io Rating: 4.3/5.0
3. Vegas Gems Casino: Top Pick for Live Dealer Games
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- 🎉 Exclusive Promo Code: ATSBONUS
- ⭐ ATS.io Rating: 3.8/5.0
Comparing the Best Online Casinos in Louisiana
Here’s a quick side-by-side comparison of all the top Louisiana online casinos. Hopefully, this will make things a bit easier for you!
| 🎰 LA Online Casino | 🎁 Sign Up Bonus | 💵 First Purchase Deal | 🎮 Number of Games | 💳 Min. Redemption | 📱 Mobile App |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chumba Casino | |||||
| LuckyLand Slots | |||||
| Global Poker | |||||
| Scrooge Casino | |||||
| Vegas Gems | |||||
| LuckyBird Casino | |||||
| Golden Hearts |
Is Online Gambling Legal in Louisiana?
No, not right now. Real-money online casinos aren’t legal in Louisiana, and here’s why:
- The state hasn’t passed a law to allow them. There’s no licensing or regulation for online casinos here.
- That’s why you won’t see DraftKings, BetMGM, FanDuel, or Caesars offering casino apps in Louisiana. They only offer what’s been approved, like online sportsbooks and daily fantasy apps.
- Louisiana Revised Statute §14:90.3 (Gambling by Computer) makes online gambling illegal unless lawmakers give direct approval.
- Players who break the law could get hit with up to a $500 fine and as much as six months in jail.
- Operators face even more serious penalties: Up to $20,000 in fines and as much as five years in prison.
- Online sports betting, daily fantasy contests, pari-mutuel wagering on horse racing, and electronic gaming machines at casinos are all listed as exceptions. They’re considered legal forms of online gambling.
For now, there’s no legal way to play real-money online casinos in Louisiana. Could that change? Absolutely… but only if lawmakers pass a new bill and get the law changed.
Who Regulates Gambling in Louisiana?
Most gambling in Louisiana is regulated by the Louisiana Gaming Control Board (LGCB).
They oversee pretty much everything: casino games at land-based and riverboat casinos, sports betting, daily fantasy contests, slot machines at racetracks, and even those video poker machines you see all the time in bars.
Some of the LGCB’s main responsibilities include:
- Issuing licenses to casinos and operators
- Monitoring compliance with state gambling laws
- Enforcing rules and investigating violations
- Overseeing responsible gambling measures
Not everything falls under the Gaming Control Board, though.
The Louisiana Lottery Corporation oversees the state lottery. Charitable bingo and raffles fall under the Office of Charitable Gaming inside the Department of Revenue. And horse racing betting? That’s the responsibility of the Louisiana Racing Commission.
Louisiana Gambling Laws Compared to Nearby States
Wondering how Louisiana’s gambling laws stack up against some of its neighboring states? Check out the table below to find out.
| 🏛️ State | 🎰 Casinos | 🎮 Online Casinos | 🏈 Sports Betting | 🎟️ State Lottery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | ✅ Yes – riverboat, land-based, tribal, racinos | ❌ Not legal | ✅ Retail & mobile (55 of 64 parishes) | ✅ Yes |
| Texas | ✅ Yes but limited (Class II gaming only) | ❌ Not legal | ❌ Not legal | ✅ Yes |
| Mississippi | ✅ Yes – many commercial casinos (Biloxi, Tunica, etc.) | ❌ Not legal | ✅ Retail only | ✅ Yes |
| Arkansas | ✅ Yes – 3 land-based casinos | ❌ Not legal | ✅ Retail & mobile | ✅ Yes |
| Alabama | ✅ Yes but limited (Class II gaming only) | ❌ Not legal | ❌ Not legal | ✅ Yes |
| Oklahoma | ✅ Yes – tribal casinos | ❌ Not legal | ❌ Not legal | ✅ Yes |
| Florida | ✅ Yes – tribal casinos (Seminole) | ❌ Not legal | ✅ Retail & mobile | ✅ Yes |
| Missouri | ✅ Yes – riverboat, land-based | ❌ Not legal | ✅ Retail & mobile | ✅ Yes |
| Tennessee | ❌ No casinos | ❌ Not legal | ✅ Mobile only (no retail sportsbooks) | ✅ Yes |
Social Casinos & Sweepstakes Casinos in Louisiana
Real-money online casinos aren’t allowed in Louisiana, but for a while, players had another legal option: social casinos, also called sweepstakes casinos.
These sites are different from online casinos DraftKings, BetMGM, or Caesars because you’re not actually betting cash.
Instead, everything runs on virtual currency. You use Gold Coins (GC) to play for fun, while Sweeps Coins (SC) act as free entries into sweepstakes contests. SC can later be redeemed for cash prizes at a rate of 1 SC = $1.
For years, this setup made social casinos the main online alternative for Louisiana players. But that changed in 2025.
Lawmakers passed a bill aimed at banning them; it cleared through both the House and Senate but was eventually vetoed by Governor Jeff Landry. Not long after, Attorney General Liz Murrill issued a formal opinion declaring sweepstakes casinos a form of illegal gambling.
The fallout was almost immediate. Most of the big-name brands (McLuck, High 5, Pulsz, Stake.us, WOW Vegas) pulled out of Louisiana right away. A few smaller operators are still accepting Louisiana residents… but their future here is uncertain.
We’ll be sure to update this section as soon as there are any new developments.
What Online Casino Games Can You Play in Louisiana?
Slots
Table Games
Video Poker
Specialty Games
Louisiana Online Casino No Deposit Bonuses
Other Legal Forms of Louisiana Online Gambling
Sports Betting
Horse Racing
Daily Fantasy Sports
Lottery Games
Louisiana Casinos: Where to Gamble In-Person
Land-Based Casinos
Riverboat Casinos
Tribal Casinos
Racinos
Responsible Gambling in Louisiana
What’s Next for Online Casino Gambling in Louisiana?
Louisiana Online Casino FAQs
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