Louisiana Lawmakers Consider Banning Prop Bets and Live-Game Wagers
Several bills have been introduced in both chambers of the Louisiana legislature that would prohibit most player proposition bets as well as severely limit the maximum amount that could be wagered on in-game betting, also called “microbets.” Another bill would exclude bettors who are found harassing players, coaches, and referees.
Integrity Guardrails
Louisiana launched its mobile sports betting market in January 2022, but now that the industry has had time to mature, legislators are attempting to tweak some of the rules to ensure greater accountability from sportsbooks and bettors alike. The legislature will convene on Monday, March 9th at noon, with multiple bills already introduced to bolster the industry’s integrity.
Proposed Ban On Player Props And Micro-Bets
Senator Katrina Jackson-Andrews’ SB 354 is getting the most attention, and its language includes banning player props currently offered by the state’s sportsbooks and defining “in-game wagering” and “in-play bets” as “sports micro-bets,” which would no longer be allowed.
According to Jackson-Andrews’ bill, a “proposition bet” or “prop bet” means a side wager on a part of a sports or athletic event that does not concern the outcome of the sport or athletic event. “Sports micro-bet” means a proposition bet, which is wagered live while a sport or athletic event is ongoing and concerns the outcome of a play or action occurring in the sport or athletic event.”
Jontay Porter Scandal Fuels Concern
The proposed ban is a result of scandals that have cast a pall on the sports betting industry. One of which includes Jontay Porter, who has pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud after he was accused of manipulating his performance and conspiring with gamblers to win prop bets in two games with the Toronto Raptors during the 2023-24 season. Porter has been banned from the NBA for life and is awaiting sentencing.
Bill Whistles Foul on Disgruntled Bettors
Another bill aimed at the sports betting industry includes Senator Mike Reese’s SB 325, which would call a foul on bettors who harass those involved in an athletic event, including players, coaches, and referees. Bettors who have been deemed guilty of harassment would be placed on a statewide exclusion list that would compel all sportsbooks from accepting their wagers.
The bill’s language states, in part, “Those persons who, before, during, or after a sporting event, threaten violence or harm against any person who is involved in the sporting event, where the threat is related to sports gaming.”
The bill also includes those attempting to place a sports bet at a retail sportsbook, adding, “(those) whose presence in a retail sports book or whose participation in the play or operation of mobile wagering in this state is determined by the board to pose a threat to the interests of the state, to achieving the intents and purposes of this Title, or to the strict and effective regulation of sports wagering.”
Expected Timeline For New Laws
NCAA President Charlie Baker has been a vocal supporter for a nationwide bill that would curb the harassment aimed at college athletes by disgruntled bettors. Both bills are expected to garner serious consideration during this upcoming session, and should one or both of them pass and be signed into law by the governor, they will be enacted on August 1, 2026.
