Louisiana Gambling Laws

• Louisiana is known for its gambling; nearly all forms are legal.Louisiana state contour against blurred USA flag image by Stasys Eidiejus from Fotolia.com
  
  Louisiana is known across the world for its good food, celebrations and music, but in the South, Louisiana is known for its gambling. People come from all over the Southeast to wine and dine in casino restaurants and to gamble on riverboats. Louisiana allows nearly all forms of gambling and is adjacent to Arkansas and Texas, which do not permit gambling. To participate in the lottery and parimutuel horse betting you must be 18 years old. To gamble in a casino or on a video poker game, you must be 21.
  
  

Casinos and Racetracks

• Riverboat casinos are legal in Louisiana. These casinos range from small boats to extravagant Las Vegas-style resorts, where only the casino is in the water. The term "riverboat" has come to mean anything floating in the water, so many casinos consist of large buildings on anchored barges right next to shore. On Indian tribal land, land-based casinos are legal if approved by the tribe and licensed by the state. Casino games or card games with a house rake are illegal if not in the water or on Native American lands.
  
  

Video Poker

• Video poker is a prevalent form of legal gambling in Louisiana. All casinos and racetracks have video poker machines, but so do restaurants, gas stations, bars and truck stops. In Louisiana, having a liquor license allows you up to three video gaming machines. Truck stop casinos can attain more machines depending on the amount of fuel they sell.
  
  

Lottery

• The Louisiana Lottery started in 1991, following the passage of legislation approving it. In 2003, Louisiana citizens voted to use the lottery proceeds for improving Louisiana's educational system. The Louisiana Lottery sells numbers drawings, Power-ball and scratch-off tickets.
  
  

Horse Racing

• Quarter-horse racetracks are legal, but only for horse races; racing dogs is illegal in Louisiana. The only legal wagering on horse races is parimutuel betting, a system in which the odds and outcome change depending on the number and amount of bets on each horse. Racetracks may also feature video poker and slots, but not table games since that is part of casino gambling (and illegal on land).
  
  

Charitable and Social Gambling

• Recreational or social gambling such as pool games, personal bets or betting on sports is legal as long as nobody takes a cut or fee from the transaction (besides the rightful winner). Raffles, bingo, keno and other gambling events are legal if operated for charitable fund-raising causes. Louisiana has a law strictly prohibiting its citizens from participating in online gambling. In 2008, Louisiana was the last state to prohibit cockfighting, a heavily gambled-on game.