Louisiana Gambling Bill to Help Protect Athletes Advances
A new Louisiana gambling bill protecting athletes from irate gamblers courtside is closer to becoming law.
The bill is likely to be signed into law by Gov. Jeff Landry after receiving heavy support in the House. Other gambling offenses will be targeted in a separate bill.
At a Glance:
- SB325 advanced last week with a unanimous 101-0 vote
- The law will go into effect on Aug. 1 once it’s been signed off on
- Charges cover similar crimes related to physical assault
- The excluded persons list will be updated for online sportsbooks
- The senate passed the bill back in March
Bill targets bettors who ‘threaten violence’ during a game
The new bill, SB325, excludes anyone convicted of verbal or physical assault from betting.
Sports betting has been legal and regulated in Louisiana since 2021, with online sportsbooks launching a year later.
However, cases of harassment of players and coaches have been on the rise in the Bayou State. Offenders’ names will be submitted to the Louisiana Gaming Control Board for inclusion on an exclusion list.
With so much on the line and mobile betting permitted, angry gamblers are often taking out their frustrations on the players in front of them.
While the exclusion list originally included names of people kicked out of casinos, the new law now includes mobile and online betting sites.
Athletes receiving more abuse, report suggests
Cases of abuse are on the rise across the U.S. In 2024, the NCAA released its first study on harassment in college sports.
The study found that around 12 percent of all abuse was related to sports betting.
Matt Painter, Purdue's head coach of men's basketball, said, “The increased exposure to online gambling only exacerbates the online abuse, with many student-athletes receiving death threats via social media.”
West Virginia and New York also cracking down on abuse
Similar threat levels have increased in other states with regulated sports betting.
In 2024, West Virginia passed a law allowing the state gambling commission to ban gamblers found harassing players and officials.
New York lawmakers are also pitching a bill to ban gamblers who harass athletes. SB 7482 will cover horse-race betting and allow anyone who has been banned to challenge any exclusion.
Louisiana is busy with gambling crackdowns in 2026
Louisiana is challenging its fledgling gambling industry with a raft of measures in 2026.
Next in lawmakers’ sights are dual-currency sweepstakes casinos, which currently operate within the state.
Under HB 883, the state would ban sweepstakes casinos entirely. Louisiana does not permit online casinos and treats dual-currency sites the same as regular real-money gambling.
A separate bill, HB 53, targets illegal gambling operators. Lawmakers hope the harsh language — illegal gambling would be penalized under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO) — will deter unlicensed gambling.
