Louisiana Senate to debate sports betting

The full Senate will discuss possible legalisation for the sports betting segment in the state.

US.- Louisiana is hoping to be one of the latest states to have a legalised and regulated sports betting market in the US. A measure to approve the initiative was sent to the full Senate with a 30-1 vote from a judiciary committee.

The legislative piece was introduced by Kenner Republican Sen. Danny Martiny and legalises sports betting at Louisiana casinos and racetracks. Similar legislation was presented last year but failed to gain traction.

Martiny said that he hopes that the recent decision from the US Supreme Court to lift the federal ban on sports betting, along with the legalisation of the segment in neighbouring states such as Mississippi and Arkansas, could change the perspective of officials against it.

Supporters of the legalisation of sports betting claim that local players are finding ways to bet on sports despite the segment not being legalised. This means that Louisiana cannot profit from taxes on the activity. Martiny estimates that sports betting can generate between US$40 million and US$60 million every year for the state.