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On the Ballots: Louisiana Citizens to Vote on the Legalization of Sports Betting

09:00 October 26, 2020
By: Melanie Hucklebridge

The Issue

With the election coming up, the discussion of what's on the ballot for this year is a hot topic. This election, Louisiana is voting on whether to legalize sports wagering, a type of gambling that allows people to place bets on games and matches. Earlier this year, Senator Cameron Henry (R-Metairie) authored Act 215, which authorized parishes to vote on whether they would like to legalize sports wagering in that specific parish. Should the amendment pass in each parish, according to a report prepared for the state from Spectrum Gaming Group, it is projected that it could generate more jobs and bring in between $237 million and $332 million in revenue from sports betting across the state.

What Voting Yes on Legalize Sports Betting Would Mean

The revenue generated from the legalization of sports betting could seriously benefit Louisiana's economy. It would allow for public schools to receive more funding and roads to receive more attention than they do now. With the importance of the Saints and LSU in Louisiana, sports betting could potentially turn into a very lucrative practice for the state. This does not come without regulations, of course, and would allow parishes to make their own rules that coincide with the state rules for betting. Of course, many parishes have dealt with this before, especially the Shreveport/Bossier Casino circuit.

According to louisianawins.org, in 2018, the Supreme Court struck down the Profession and Amateur Sports Protection Act. The act put in effect a federal law that banned sports betting in most states, but the decision to strike the act "enabled states to decide whether to legalize sports betting." In 2018 as well, Louisiana voters authorized fantasy sports contests, and earlier this year, the Louisiana Legislature passed the rules and taxes for these fantasy sports.

Get Out and Vote!

The November 3 election will be important for more reasons than just the possible legalization of sports betting, so be sure to head to the polls or get your mail-in ballots in soon.


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