Task force to examine Louisiana’s gambling laws

The task force is set to propose a new gambling legislation at its meeting scheduled for January.

US.- Members of a task force from Louisiana received commitments from regional economic development officials to help with a new legislation that would change the current situation of the gambling industry in the state.

“Louisiana has taken and taken and taken, and it has not previously been required to give back. We’re at a fork in the road,” said Wade Duty, executive director of the Louisiana Casino Association and a member of the task force.

Gambling was first legalised in the state in 1991, but the state has barely made changes to those laws leaving companies without any financial incentives. Ronnie jones, head of the Riverboat Economic Development and Gaming Task Force, said that Louisiana has fallen behindd.

The task force is set to unveil a new legislation at its meeting scheduled for January, but passing the law once the legislature summons again on March 12 is the real challenge. Jones is confident that three to five changes to the existing law will be recommended, One of the proposals would include casinos on land, as the current law requires facilities to take place over water in a riverboat.

The proposal would also include a change on the taxes on promotional free play credits, which are used to entice gamblers into brick and mortar establishments, local media said. Jones also said that the task force would not include the legalisation of sports betting in Louisiana if New Jersey wins the federal case. “We’re going to try to narrow the recommendations. Based on my experience, the fewer changes that you can make, the less the opposition.”

Timothy Magner, president of the Greater Shreveport Chamber of Commerce, said Louisiana’s casino industry is losing customers to Arkansas, Oklahoma and Mississippi, and unless they do something, they’re going to keep losing to the competition.