• Sportsbook sites, kiosk locations, and mobile sites all in the running
• 20 sportsbook operator licenses expected, with local casinos and race tracks up first
• Betting could happen before the end of the NFL season
• Tax rates already agreed – only small print around rules still open to debate

Photo by Stuart Seeger under CC

Louisiana looks set to become the latest US state to agree to regulated sports betting, including on mobile sites.

A bill allowing betting on sports action passed through the state House of Representatives this week – and now some experts predict punters will be placing bets before the end of the NFL season, which comes to a climax in the New Year.

The bill, which must first go to the full house for debate, allows for sports betting in sportsbooks, kiosk locations, and, significantly, on mobile, taking the activity online.

Twenty licenses are expected to be offered to sportsbook operators, with local casinos and race tracks given the first refusal. If they do not take all the available licenses, then any spare might be offered to fantasy sports betting operators after January 1. Even “video poker establishments” could get involved.

Senate President Page Cortez, a Lafayette Republican, told the House criminal justice committee: “We would hope that this would be available to the public sometime before the end of the football season.”

Tax framework already in place

Lawmakers in the state have already agreed on a tax framework for sports betting, with a 10% tax levied on onsite locations and a 15% tax on wagering through mobile apps and electronic devices – i.e., online.

That taxation bracket would raise significant revenues for the state. However, officials have yet to announce how they would spend that cash, although it seems certain it would be channeled to educational and community programs, as has been the case elsewhere.

Public approval

Citizens have already given their overwhelming support for sports betting on live sports, with 55 of Louisiana’s 64 parishes giving the green light. With the tax situation also addressed, it’s now down to the final set of rules.

The state Lottery Corporation could also operate an online sportsbook and kiosk locations in bars and restaurants, under a separate bill that is already with the Governor, John Bel Edwards.