The State of Louisiana has confirmed that mobile sports betting will go live on January 28 with four sportsbooks launching their products.
The Louisiana Gambling Control Board Chair Ronnie Johns announced on Wednesday that mobile sports betting will begin at 8 am on Friday, January 28, according to The Daily Advertiser.
Four sportsbooks have confirmed that they will be going live in the Pelican State on launch day – DraftKings, FanDuel, Caesars, and BetMGM. Over the next few weeks, more operators are expected to join them, including BetRivers, Barstool, Golden Nugget and WynnBet. Up to a total of 41 online operators will be allowed by the state.
Online sports betting will be available in 55 of the state’s 64 parishes that approved sports betting in November 2020.
Commenting on the Louisiana launch, Matt Kalish, Co-Founder and President of DraftKings North America said in a statement: “There have been several DraftKings developments in Louisiana in the last year alone, including the debut of our daily fantasy products and retail sportsbook, and this latest online sportsbook launch is another significant milestone.
“Although Louisiana bettors have previously been able to place wagers in person at our Golden Nugget Casino Lake Charles location, the arrival of mobile betting greatly enhances accessibility and adoption potential within the Pelican State.”
Louisiana sportsbooks will pay a 15% tax on electronic bets and 10% on in-person bets. Sports betting at onsite casinos launched in the state back in October, and over 67m wagers were made at these sportsbooks during November and December.
BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt said in a statement on the Louisiana launch: “We’re proud that BetMGM will be in the first wave of operators to launch mobile sports betting in Louisiana this Friday.
“We thank both the Louisiana Gaming Control Board and the Louisiana State Police and look forward to parlaying BetMGM’s success in neighboring regions into a long, successful, and responsible relationship with sports fans in the state.”
Eric Hession, Co-President of Caesars Digital, said in a statement: “Caesars Sportsbook is ready for mobile sports betting’s debut in Louisiana on Friday. This is an opportunity we’ve been working toward for a long time. We have a proud history of operating in Louisiana with our properties Harrah’s New Orleans, Horseshoe Bossier City, and the soon to re-open Horseshoe Lake Charles.
“We’re confident that the Caesars Sportsbook app will offer Louisianans the most competitive odds and the very best in rewards, with every wager earning Caesars Rewards. We’ve seen tremendous interest in legal sports betting since the opening of our Caesars Sportsbooks at Harrah’s New Orleans and Horseshoe Bossier City. Come Friday, through the app, we’ll be able to offer even more opportunities to experience the thrill of sports wagering.”
