TLDR
- Louisiana’s House Bill 53 would classify illegal gambling operations, including sweepstakes casinos, as racketeering crimes with penalties up to 50 years in prison and $1 million in fines
- The bill passed the House 86–11 and the Senate 27–9, and now awaits Governor Jeff Landry’s decision
- Governor Landry vetoed a similar anti-sweepstakes bill in 2025, calling it “a solution in search of a problem”
- A second bill, House Bill 883, targets online sweepstakes gaming specifically and passed the House 99–0
- HB 883 would fine anyone knowingly facilitating illegal sweepstakes games up to $40,000 and impose up to five years in prison per violation
Louisiana is moving closer to treating illegal gambling as a serious felony after a racketeering bill cleared both chambers of the state legislature and landed on the governor’s desk.
House Bill 53, introduced by Rep. Bryan Fontenot, would fold several gambling offenses into Louisiana’s existing racketeering statute. That means running sweepstakes casinos, public gambling, computer-based betting, and even bribery of sports participants could all be prosecuted as racketeering crimes.
The penalties are steep. Offenders could face up to 50 years in prison at hard labor and fines as high as $1 million.
In cases where the racketeering activity exceeds $10,000 in value, at least five years of any sentence must be served without probation, parole, or suspension.
The bill passed the House on March 30 with an 86–11 vote. The Senate followed on April 27, approving it 27–9.
Because no amendments were added in either chamber, the bill moved quickly through enrollment. The House Speaker signed it on April 29 and the Senate President on May 4.
Governor Jeff Landry now has to decide whether to sign it into law or veto it.
Landry Vetoed a Similar Bill Last Year
That decision is far from guaranteed. In 2025, Landry blocked a similar anti-sweepstakes measure when it reached his desk.
At the time, he argued the state already had the tools to enforce gambling laws through the Louisiana Gaming Control Board, state police, and the Attorney General’s Office.
In his veto statement last June, Landry said the bill was “a solution in search of a problem” and warned that its language was “overly broad” and could interfere with ongoing enforcement actions.
After the veto, the Gaming Control Board confirmed it had issued cease-and-desist orders to sweepstakes operators and offshore gambling platforms.
Despite those enforcement actions, lawmakers pushed ahead with new legislation in the current session.
Chief Deputy Attorney General Larry Frieman testified in support of HB 53 during committee hearings, arguing Louisiana needs stronger tools to fight illegal gambling.
A Second Anti-Sweepstakes Bill Is Also Advancing
HB 53 is not the only measure targeting sweepstakes gaming this session. House Bill 883, sponsored by Rep. Laurie Schlegel, is also moving through the legislature.
That bill passed the House unanimously on April 14 with a 99–0 vote. It later received a favorable report from the Senate Judiciary B Committee on April 28.
While HB 53 takes a broad racketeering approach, HB 883 zeroes in on dual-currency sweepstakes operations that mimic traditional gambling.
The bill expands the definition of illegal gambling to cover not just operators but also anyone who provides platforms, content, geolocation services, promotions, or media support for these games.
Anyone knowingly facilitating illegal sweepstakes could face fines up to $40,000 and prison terms of up to five years. Each wager would count as a separate violation.
The bill also gives Attorney General Liz Murrill’s office the power to seek injunctions against violators.
HB 883 now sits with the Senate Legislative Bureau, the same body that approved HB 53 in late April. Both bills keep the pressure on sweepstakes operators as the Louisiana legislative session continues.
