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Louisiana has added several illegal gambling activities to state racketeering law, giving prosecutors stronger tools against unregulated gaming networks. Gov. Jeff Landry signed House Bill 53 earlier in May, with the law set to take effect on Aug. 1.
Good to Know
- HB 53 covers unauthorized electronic sweepstakes machines, computer-assisted wagering, sports participant bribery and illegal cockfighting.
- Penalties can reach 50 years at hard labor and fines of up to $1 million.
- HB 883 separately targets mobile and online dual-currency sweepstakes casino games.
Louisiana Takes A Harder Line On Illegal Gaming
Illegal gambling cases in Louisiana will no longer have to stand alone as one-off violations. Under HB 53, prosecutors can treat certain activity as part of a wider criminal enterprise under racketeering law.
That change matters for sweepstakes machines, computer-assisted wagering and other gambling products that operate outside regulated casino, sports betting and lottery channels. Louisiana already has a licensed gaming market, but lawmakers have now given enforcement teams a wider route for cases tied to illegal betting networks.
The statute also adds sports participant bribery and illegal cockfighting. Those areas often sit outside everyday casino enforcement, but lawmakers placed them inside the same organized crime framework.
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The penalties are heavy. A conviction can bring up to 50 years at hard labor and fines of up to $1 million. If a case involves more than $10,000, the law requires at least five years in prison, with no probation, parole or suspended sentence.
HB 53 reached Gov. Landry on May 5 and was signed May 11. A related bill, HB 883, reached his desk on May 14 and was signed May 15. HB 883 focuses on mobile and online dual-currency sweepstakes casino games that copy slots and digital poker.
Together, the bills place Louisiana among the more aggressive US states on unregulated sweepstakes gaming. The new framework gives officials a direct legal path against operators, suppliers and networks tied to illegal gambling activity once the law begins on Aug. 1.
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