A bill that would legalize on-line gambling has appeared within the state of Louisiana.
The legislation, introduced by Sen. Daniel Martiny, comes around the heels of separate efforts to legalize every day fantasy sports and sports betting within the Bayou State.
Unlike online gambling legislation introduced in other states, the Louisiana bill, S 322, would legalize online gaming on a parish-by-parish basis by way of a voter referendum. All new types of gaming in Louisiana need to pass a referendum vote.
Each parish within the state would determine if they wish to place the on-line gaming referendum around the ballot. The measure would require a majority vote.
Voters would answer a simple query: “Shall web gaming be permitted to be conducted inside the parish of … ?”
The soonest Louisianans would be able to play online poker could be nearly two years away, as the bill reads, “Section two of this Act shall turn out to be effective on January 1, 2020.”
It appears like a long time. But a referendum wouldn’t take location till November of this year. That makes 2020 – just over a year following the vote – a viable timeline for the launch of online gambling.
A similar bill coping with sports betting surfaced recently.
Other than the path to legalization, the Louisiana bill resembles on-line gambling bills from other states.
Online casino and poker patrons would require to be 21 years of age and located within the state of Louisiana.
The Louisiana Gaming Control Board and gaming division from the workplace of state police shall promulgate all guidelines necessary to implement, administer, and regulate web gaming.
Licenses would be restricted to riverboat and land-based casinos licensed by the LGCB.
At barely 4 pages, the bill is far from a completed product.
S 322 provides no information on taxation rates or licensing fees. It reads more like a conversation starter – a way to get the legislature discussing the subject in hearings and behind closed doors.
The bill also stops brief of authorizing specific types of online gambling. It does mention peer-to-peer gaming tournaments.
According to the bill:
“internet gaming” shall imply any variation or composite of an authorized game that is offered via the web, supplied that such games, or variations or composites, are discovered appropriate for use by the board and any other game which is determined to become appropriate by the board. The term consists of gaming tournaments performed by way of the internet in which players compete against one an additional in one or much more games authorized by the board or in authorized variations or composites thereof if the tournament is authorized by the board.
Basically, the Louisiana bill tells us what the state desires to do. But it doesn’t clarify precisely how lawmakers and regulators are going to complete it.