Louisiana Lawmakers Set to Debate Prop Bet Restrictions, Sweepstakes Casino Ban, and iLottery Legalization

Lawmakers in Louisiana are preparing to consider a series of gambling-related policy proposals when the 2026 legislative session begins on March 9 in Baton Rouge.

Several bills have already been pre-filed ahead of the session, which will bring together members of the Louisiana State Senate and the Louisiana House of Representatives next week.

The proposals address multiple areas of gambling regulation, including sports betting markets, online sweepstakes casinos, the conduct of bettors toward athletes, and the potential legalization of online lottery sales. The legislative session is scheduled to run from March 9 through June 1, with May 29 set as the deadline for bills to move from one chamber to the other.

Lawmakers Revisit Sweepstakes Casino Legislation

One of the key issues lawmakers plan to revisit is the regulation of online sweepstakes casinos.

House Bill 883, introduced by Laurie Schlegel, proposes updating the state’s definition of illegal online gambling. The bill would include online games that simulate gambling and operate using a “dual-currency system of payment” that enables players to exchange in-game currency for the opportunity to win prizes, cash, or equivalents.

The measure would apply not only to sweepstakes casino operators but also to related entities such as platform providers and payment processors. If enacted, the proposal would allow the office of Liz Murrill, the state’s attorney general, to issue cease-and-desist orders and pursue temporary restraining orders or injunctions against violators.

The legislation follows developments last year involving a similar proposal. Jeff Landry, the governor of Louisiana, vetoed a bill that had passed both chambers of the state legislature and sought to prohibit online sweepstakes casinos. In his veto message, Landry argued that existing authorities already had sufficient powers to address illegal operators.

Shortly after the veto, Murrill’s office issued a legal opinion concluding that sweepstakes casinos were unlawful. Her office, working alongside the Louisiana Gaming Control Board, later confirmed that more than 40 cease-and-desist letters had been sent to operators.

Another proposal already filed for the session, House Bill 53, would go even further by classifying the operation of an online sweepstakes casino as a racketeering offense under state law. The measure would impose severe penalties, including potential prison sentences ranging from five to 50 years and fines of up to $1 million.

Proposed Limits on Prop Bets and Micro-Bets

Sports betting regulations are also expected to feature prominently in the legislative debate.

Senate Bill 354, pre-filed by Katrina Jackson-Andrews and provisionally assigned to the Committee on Judiciary B, would revise Louisiana’s sports betting laws by removing “proposition bets” from the list of authorized wagers.

Under the bill, a prop bet is defined as “a side wager” involving part of a sporting or athletic contest that does not relate to the final result of the event.

While existing law permits betting markets such as “in-game wagering” and “in-play bets,” the proposal would also introduce a new definition for a “sports micro-bet.” According to the measure, this type of wager is a prop bet placed during a live sporting event that focuses on the outcome of a particular play or action during that event.

If passed, the bill would prohibit licensed sportsbooks in Louisiana from offering either prop bets or micro-bets under those definitions. Should the legislation clear both chambers and receive the governor’s signature, it would take effect on August 1, 2026.

Several states have considered restrictions on college prop wagers in recent years, but Louisiana’s proposal would go further by banning all prop bets, similar to a proposal previously introduced in Colorado.

Bills Propose Legalizing iLottery

Lawmakers are also weighing a proposal to legalize online lottery sales.

Two companion measures—House Bill 643 and Senate Bill 119—would authorize an iLottery system in Louisiana and remove online lottery sales from the state’s definition of illegal gambling.

Under the proposed framework, regulators would be required to implement safeguards such as age verification and geolocation technology to ensure compliance.

The push for online lottery expansion comes as the Louisiana Lottery Corporation reported that revenue fell to a three-year low last year, with declines recorded in both 2024 and 2025.

Speaking late last year, Rose Hudson said that iLottery could be considered if a system could be developed that would not harm traditional retail lottery sales.

Measures Address Bettor Conduct Toward Athletes

Beyond market regulation, lawmakers are also examining proposals aimed at improving behavior around sports betting.

House Bill 53 includes provisions that would categorize the bribery of athletes and other sports participants as a racketeering offense.

Meanwhile, Senate Bill 325, introduced by Mike Reese, would add individuals to Louisiana’s excluded gamblers list if they “before, during, or after a sporting event, threaten violence or harm against any person who is involved in the sporting event, where the threat is related to sports gaming.”

The bill would also bar individuals from entering retail sportsbooks or participating in mobile sports betting if their presence is deemed a threat to the interests of the state or to the integrity of sports wagering regulation.

Concerns about harassment of athletes linked to sports betting have gained attention in several states, particularly within college athletics. Charlie Baker, president of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, has highlighted the need to protect student-athletes from abuse when discussing proposals to limit college player prop bets.

In addition to concerns raised in collegiate sports, some professional athletes have also reported incidents involving harassment from bettors.

By fLEXI tEAM