New Orleans is known as a party town thanks to the Mardi Gras festival that is known across the world for it’s street partying and rowdiness. Sports and partying go hand in hand, and New Orleans is also a great sports town with two big time professional teams in the Saints (NFL) and Pelicans (NBA). The Saints especially are the love of the city with the team bringing the Super Bowl home back in 2009.
- All Casinos In New Orleans
- New Orleans Casino Map
- Is There Gambling In New Orleans La
- Is There Legal Gambling In New Orleans
Whenever there is a successful NFL team located in the city you can be sure that sports betting is a major part of the culture. On this page I will answer the popular questions surrounding the legality of sports betting in New Orleans, give a couple online sportsbook recommendations and look at the offline betting options available in the city.
Harrah’s New Orleans Casino & Hotel Review. At the time that Harrah’s New Orleans was being considered, there was no legal land based casino gambling in Louisiana, in spite of New Orleans’ very rich gambling history. The city was approached by Christopher Hemmeter, who had been a resort builder in Hawaii for many years, as well as gaining some fame as an owner and commissioner of the short lived World Football League in the 1970’s. Louisiana law allows for one land-based casino in New Orleans. That casino is Harrah's located in downtown New Orleans near the waterfront and just a few blocks from Bourbon Street. That casino offers electronic gaming machines, as well as an assortment of table games. Gambling Laws in New Orleans Gaming regulations require that gaming machines at all (non-Indian) New Orleans casinos be programmed to pay back no less than 80% and no more than 99.9%.
Is Sports Betting Legal in New Orleans?
The easiest way to answer this question is in two parts….
- Like most US States, sports betting is not regulated in Louisiana. This means it is not legal to run a gambling operation (sportsbook) within the State.
- That said, it is not illegal for residents of New Orleans to place bets with sportsbooks located and regulated outside of the state.
Offshore sportsbooks, like the two I recommend below, are licensed and regulated outside of the United States. Because of this these sites are able to accept New Orleans residents without any issues, and they have become popular and trusted options for Americans from across the country looking to place wagers on sports.
Best Sportsbooks for New Orleans Residents
Sportsbook | Bonus | Review | Visit |
---|---|---|---|
1 | 50% up to $250T & C Apply | ||
2 | 50% up to $1000T & C Apply |
These are our two top rated betting sites for New Orleans residents. Both of these online sportsbooks are popular across the country and provide a trusted platform to place your bets. Check out either of the reviews above for a further breakdown of each site.
Offline Sports Betting in New Orleans
At this time it is not possible to place sports bets at brick and mortar locations in the State of Louisiana. This may change in the future with other States, such as New Jersey, already joining Las Vegas as States that allow regulated sportsbooks in the state.
The only place you can currently place sports wagers in Louisiana is at the racetrack. New Orleans is home to the popular Fair Grounds Race Course, which is located right downtown.
Fair Grounds Race Course
Fairgrounds Race Course & Slots is located directly downtown in New Orleans, right across from the New Orleans Museum of Art. This is one of the top tracks in the United States and easily the best horse racing track in the region. The track was originally called the Louisiana Race Course and held races as far back as 1839, making it the second oldest horse racing site in the country.
The biggest race of the year at the track is the Louisiana Derby, which is a popular preparation race for the Kentucky Derby.
On top of wagering on the live races, you are able to bet on races from all of the top tracks across the country at Fair Grounds Race Course.
If you aren’t able to head to the track to bet on the live races, you can also place bets on the Fair Grounds races at either Bovada or BetOnline. Both sportsbooks take bets on all of the races run at Fair Grounds throughout the year.
***I should note that sports betting is not offered at the racetrack.
Major Sports Teams in New Orleans
- New Orleans Pelicans (NBA)
- New Orleans Saints (NFL)
Introduction to Louisiana Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2020
Louisiana slot machine casino gambling consists of 24 casinos including 16 commercial casinos, four tribal casinos, four pari-mutuel racetracks with slot machines, and numerous small businesses across Louisiana.
Theoretical payout limits exist and monthly return statistics are available for non-tribal sites.
This post continues my weekly State-By-State Slot Machine Casino Gambling Series, an online resource dedicated to guiding slot machine casino gambler to success. Now in its third year, each weekly post reviews slots gambling in a single U.S. state, territory, or federal district.
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Relevant Legal Statutes on Gambling in Louisiana*
The minimum legal gambling age in Louisiana depends upon the gambling activity:
- Land-Based Casinos: 21
- Poker Rooms: 21
- Bingo: 18
- Lottery: 21
- Pari-Mutuel Wagering: 18
Louisiana has had a long history of illegal casinos, with the state alternating between raiding illegal casino operations and ignoring them. Eventually, pari-mutuel wagering received state-approval in the 1920s. The collapse of the state’s oil-based industry in the 1980s led to the extended presence of legalized gambling.
Louisiana was the fourth U.S. state to legalize riverboat casinos, approved by the state in 1991 along with the return of the state lottery. In 1992, an added provision allowed a land-based casino in New Orleans.
Negotiations began in 1993 for state-tribal compacts with Louisiana’s three federally-recognized American Indian tribes. A fourth American Indian tribe, federally-recognized in 2002, also negotiated a state-tribal compact. Each tribe opened their own tribal casino.
In 1997, efforts by the three pari-mutuel racetracks to add slot machines to their facilities were successful. Later, a fourth track received similar approval.
The gaming industry has become an important part of Louisiana’s culture and economy. Video bingo is the primary type of electronic gaming machine available.
However, the wording used in some parts of the state gaming regulations is ambiguous. For example, a loose definition for “truck stops” has allowed the addition and spread of video poker machines at many businesses across the state.
*The purpose of this section is to inform the public of state gambling laws and how the laws might apply to various forms of gaming. It is not legal advice.
Slot Machine Private Ownership in Louisiana
In Louisiana, it is legal to own a slot machine privately if it is 25 years old or older.
Gaming Control Board in Louisiana
The Louisiana Gaming Control Board regulates the gaming industry in Louisiana. The LGCB works closely with the Gaming Enforcement Division within the Louisiana State Police.
Casinos in Louisiana
There are 20 non-tribal casinos, four American Indian tribal casinos, four pari-mutuel racetracks, and 12,903 video poker machines at 1,634 retail businesses in Louisiana.
All Casinos In New Orleans
The largest casino in Louisiana is Coushatta Casino Resort with 2,800 gaming machines and 70 table games.
The second-largest casino is Paragon Casino Resort with 2,200 gaming machines and 44 table games.
Commercial Casinos in Louisiana
The 20 commercial casinos in Louisiana including 15 riverboat casinos, four pari-mutuel sites with slot machines, and one land-based casino:
- Amelia Belle Casino in Amelia located 79 miles west of New Orleans.
- Belle of Baton Rouge Casino Hotel in Baton Rouge located 81 miles northwest of New Orleans.
- Boomtown Bossier City located 216 miles west of Jackson, MS.
- Boomtown New Orleans in Harvey located 11 miles south of New Orleans.
- Delta Downs Racetrack Casino Hotel in Vinton located 140 miles northeast of Galveston, TX.
- DiamondJacks Casino Hotel Bossier City located 216 miles west of Jackson, MS.
- Eldorado Resort Casino Shreveport located 217 miles west of Jackson, MS.
- Evangeline Downs Racetrack Casino Hotel in Opelousas located 137 miles northwest of New Orleans.
- Fair Grounds Racecourse & Slots in New Orleans.
- Golden Nugget Lake Charles located 162 miles northeast of Galveston, Texas.
- Harrah’s Louisiana Downs in Bossier City located 210 miles west of Jackson, Mississippi.
- Harrah’s New Orleans Casino & Hotel.
- Hollywood Casino Baton Rouge located 83 miles northwest of New Orleans.
- Horseshoe Bossier City located 216 miles west of Jackson, MS.
- Isle of Capri Casino Hotel Lake Charles located 163 miles northeast of Galveston, Texas.
- L’auberge Casino Hotel Baton Rouge located 75 miles northwest of New Orleans.
- L’auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles located 163 miles northeast of Galveston, Texas.
- Margaritaville Resort Casino Bossier City located 216 miles west of Jackson, Mississippi.
- Sam’s Town Hotel & Casino Shreveport located 216 miles west of Jackson, Mississippi.
- Treasure Chest Casino in Kenner located 15 miles northwest of New Orleans.
Tribal Casinos in Louisiana
There are four tribal casinos in Louisiana:
- Coushatta Casino Resort in Kinder located 199 miles west of New Orleans.
- Cypress Bayou Casino Hotel in Charenton located 117 miles west of New Orleans.
- Jena Choctaw Pines Casino in Dry Prong located 201 miles northwest of New Orleans.
- Paragon Casino Resort in Marksville located 163 miles northwest of New Orleans.
Other Gambling Establishments
As an alternative to enjoying Louisiana slot machine casino gambling, consider exploring casino options in a nearby state. Bordering Louisiana is:
New Orleans Casino Map
- North: Arkansas Slots
- East: Mississippi Slots
- South: Gulf of Mexico
- West: Texas Slots
Each of the links above will take you to my blog for that neighboring U.S. state to Louisiana.
Our Louisiana Slots Facebook Group
Are you interested in sharing and learning with other slots enthusiasts in Louisiana? If so, join our new Louisiana slots community on Facebook. All you’ll need is a Facebook profile to join this closed Facebook Group freely.
There, you’ll be able to privately share your slots experiences as well as chat with players about slots gambling in Louisiana. Join us!
Payout Returns in Louisiana
Theoretical payout limits are:
- 80% to 99.9% at non-tribal casinos.
- 80% to 94% for video poker machines at retail locations.
- Not available for tribal casinos.
Monthly return statistics are within Louisiana’s Gaming Enforcement Division Gaming Board’s Revenue Reports. Further, these reports offer return statistics for each slot machine denomination.
However, statistics are reported for non-tribal casinos statewide as well as within only four state regions with casinos sorted by region as follows:
- Baton Rouge Region: Belle of Baton Rouge, Evangeline Downs, Hollywood, and L’auberge Baton Rouge.
- Lake Charles Region: Delta Downs, Golden Nugget, Isle of Capri, and L’Auberge Lake Charles.
- New Orleans Region: Amelia Belle, Boomtown New Orleans, Fair Grounds, Harrah’s, and Treasure Chest.
- Shreveport/Bossier Region: Boomtown Bossier, DiamondJacks, Eldorado, Harrah’s LA Downs, Horseshoe, Margaritaville, and Sam’s Town.
The October 2019 report shows a state-wide return of 90.3% for all commercial casinos. Each region had the following player’s win percentages:
- Baton Rouge Region: 90.2%
- Lake Charles Region: 90.6%
- New Orleans Region: 90.1%
- Shreveport/Bossier Region: 90.3%
- State-wide: 90.3%
Casino game with best odds of winning. The slot machine denomination with the highest and second-highest win percentages for each region were:
Is There Gambling In New Orleans La
- Baton Rouge Region: 50-cent at 97.9% and $2 at 92.6%.
- Lake Charles Region: $100 at 95.1% and both 5-cent and $10 at 93.1%.
- New Orleans Region: $500 at 120.8%, $50 at 101.6%, and 5-cent at 93.8%.
- Shreveport/Bossier Region: $25 at 93.2% and 2-cent at 92.89%.
- State-wide: $500 at 120.8% and 50-cent at 92.9%.
These reports helpfully include the number of slot machines with each denomination. For instance, there are only eight $2-denomination machines in the Baton Rouge Region where their average player win% is the second-highest for that region. So few $2 slot machines improves the likelihood of locating and playing these high-odds machines.
Less helpful are the limited monthly return statistics available from the Louisiana Gaming Board’s Revenue Reports separated by casino type. Unfortunately, these return statistics reports have insufficient information to calculate player’s win percentages:
Is There Legal Gambling In New Orleans
Summary of Louisiana Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2020
Louisiana slot machine casino gambling Different casino games. consists of 24 casinos including sixteen riverboat casinos, four tribal casinos and four pari-mutuel racetracks with slot machines. Further, there are 12,903 legal video poker machines at 1,634 retail locations across the state.
Minimum and maximum theoretical payout limits exist for the non-tribal gaming locations. Return statistics exist for commercial casinos in four state regions, including for each slot machine denomination. Louisiana’s tribal casinos do not have theoretical payout limits nor do they offer return statistics.
Annual Progress in Louisiana Slot Machine Casino Gambling
3 dice casino. In the last year, Harrah’s New Orleans went from second-largest casino to seventh place when they more than halved their slot machines from 3,800 to 1,500.
Related Articles from Professor Slots
Other State-By-State Articles from Professor Slots
- Previous: Kentucky Slot Machine Casino Gambling
- Next: Maine Slot Machine Casino Gambling
Have fun, be safe, and make good choices!
By Jon H. Friedl, Jr. Ph.D., President
Jon Friedl, LLC
By Jon H. Friedl, Jr. Ph.D., President
Jon Friedl, LLC