Louisiana lawmakers are moving forward with two separate bills aimed at cracking down on sweepstakes-style gambling, with one measure introducing racketeering charges and the other expanding the state’s definition of illegal gambling.
House Bill 53, introduced by Representative Bryan Fontenot, was approved by the Louisiana House in an 86-11 vote on March 30 and passed the Senate on April 27 by 27-9. The bill cleared the legislature without amendments, was signed by the Speaker of the House on April 29 and by the President of the Senate on May 4, and has now been sent to Governor Jeff Landry for consideration.
In parallel, House Bill 883, introduced by Representative Laurie Schlegel, passed the House unanimously on April 14 by a 99-0 vote. On April 28, the Senate Judiciary Committee B issued a favorable report on the bill, and it is now under review by the Senate Legislative Bureau, which previously approved HB 53 on April 20.
Racketeering classification would bring tougher penalties
HB 53 would amend Louisiana law to classify several gambling-related offenses as predicate acts under the Louisiana Racketeering Act. These include:
- Gambling in public
- Gambling by computer
- Gambling using electronic sweepstakes devices
- Illegal wagers placed by prohibited persons
- Bribery of participants in sporting contests
If convicted, individuals could face fines of up to $1 million and imprisonment with hard labor for up to 50 years, or both. If the value of the racketeering activity exceeds $10,000, at least five years of the sentence must be served without eligibility for parole, probation, or suspension of sentence.
HB 883 would expand the definition of illegal gambling
The second proposal, HB 883, would revise the state’s definition of illegal gambling to include dual-currency systems that simulate wagering. The bill would apply not only to operators, but also to platform providers, game and content suppliers, geolocation service providers, promoters, media partners, and “any other person who knowingly aids or abets” such platforms.
Violations under HB 883 could carry penalties of up to $40,000 in fines and/or up to five years in prison. Each online wager accepted would be treated as a separate offense. The bill would also authorize Attorney General Liz Murrill’s office to seek temporary or permanent injunctions against alleged violators.
Prior veto and enforcement background
A previous attempt to restrict sweepstakes gaming reached Governor Jeff Landry in 2025, but was vetoed. In his veto statement, Landry said:
“This bill is a solution in search of a problem that is already being addressed by our current system, and certain language in this bill is overly broad and could be interpreted in an adverse manner, which may harm or impede our current enforcement efforts against these bad actors.”
The governor pointed to existing enforcement powers held by the Louisiana Gaming Control Board, the State Police, and the Attorney General’s Office to combat unauthorized gambling activity.
Following the veto of Senate Bill 181, the Louisiana Gaming Control Board issued cease-and-desist orders against operators of sweepstakes websites and offshore gambling platforms.
During committee hearings on HB 53, Louisiana Deputy Attorney General Larry Freeman backed the addition of racketeering provisions, saying that stronger measures are needed to combat illegal gambling activity in the state.
Governor Landry has not yet indicated whether he will sign HB 53 into law or veto it.