Lawmakers aren’t sure what “sports betting” will look like in Louisiana, who gets to participate and how, when the Legislature convenes on April 12.
But make a sure bet that legislation allowing Lousiana residents to make wagers on football, basketball, and other sports, in some form, will be introduced and passed by June 10, when legislators leave Baton Rouge.
“It has to be,” said state Sen. Ronnie Jones, a Lake Charles Republican who is considered to go-to legislator on gambling issues. If not, it will be two more years before sports betting will happen because tax measures can only be considered in odd-numbered years. That means at least three more years before tax revenues can be collected for the state treasury.
