In Louisiana, sports betting passed with 65 percent of the vote, as voters in 55 of the state’s 64 parishes approved it, some by margins of 70 percent or
more. However, it’s unlikely to launch before 2022, said Louisiana Gaming Control Board Chairman Mike Noel. “It’s just the way the process works. The legislature has to lay out the framework, and then the rule-making process is a 4-to-6-month process. Once that happens, the entities that want to participate will have to apply and get licensed,” Noel said.
It’s not known how much revenue sports betting will generate for the state. The group behind the issue, Louisiana Wins, said sports betting revenue would go toward education, highways and bridges.
A fiscal note to the legislation that authorized the vote stated, “Total tax receipts the state might expect to eventually receive are relatively small.” The note also referred to Mississippi’s experience, where sports betting was passed in 2018. The following year, sports wagering generated about $3.5 million for the state, said Mississippi Gaming Commission Executive Director Allen Godfrey.
The Mississippi model limits sports betting to casinos only. Other states, such as New Jersey, allow online betting. Since June 2018, sports betting generated $80 million for New Jersey, with 80 percent of bets being placed on phone apps and online, according to Legal Sports Report.
