Ronnie Johns, longtime chairman of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board (LGCB), recently announced he will retire June 30. Johns will retire with 37 years of elected and appointed public service, including serving as the Louisiana Lottery chairman, 12 years in the state House and 10 years in the state Senate.
In an interview with USA Today, Johns said, “There comes a time in everyone’s life when they should step back and make their family the number one priority. I have arrived at that point. I will leave the board knowing that I did my work as regulator with the integrity that it calls for with fairness to the industry, but with absolute compliance of our strict gaming laws and rules that we must adhere to. ”
Johns, 75, said Governor Jeff Landry did not ask him to step down. He was appointed by former Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards to lead the LGCB in 2021 and oversee the launch of sports betting, which now generates $100 million in annual revenue. “We did it the right way and in a manner that generated confidence in the future of sports betting for both players, the industry and lawmakers,” Johns said.
Johns also is responsible for bringing in $1 billion in new investment from casino companies, including Caesars Entertainment, which completely rebuilt Caesars Horseshoe Casino in Lake Charles after it was destroyed by Hurricane Laura.
Further gaming investment is the result of state law allowing riverside casinos to move ashore.
For example, the Shreveport-Bossier market will benefit from Cordish Companies’ $300 million investment into Louisiana Live! and its total renovation of the former Diamond Jacks Casino.
Johns told USA Today, “I honestly think this development will grow the entire Shreveport-Bossier market. That’s been proven in the Lake Charles market. When the new Horseshoe opened there, it expanded the market rather than cannibalized it.”
