Louisiana will open its regulated online sports betting market today as the first wave of licensed operators go live.
Louisiana launched retail sports betting operations on October 31 and has authorised online sports betting operators to go live today (Jan. 28) at 8am Central Time in 55 of the state’s 64 parishes.
The state’s 20 land-based casinos are eligible to each operate two online sportsbook skins, although only six operators have confirmed their online sportsbook launch plans for today. They include DraftKings, FanDuel, Barstool Sports, BetMGM, BetRivers and Caesars.
“We’re proud that BetMGM will be in the first wave of operators to launch mobile sports betting in Louisiana this Friday,” said BetMGM CEO Adam Greenblatt. “We thank both the Louisiana Gaming Control Board and the Louisiana State Police and look forward to parlaying BetMGM’s success in neighboring regions into a long, successful, and responsible relationship with sports fans in the state.”
Following the opening of a new retail sportsbook in partnership with Golden Nugget Casino Lake Charles, Louisiana becomes the 17th state to offer DraftKings’ online sportsbook.
“There have been several DraftKings developments in Louisiana in the last year alone, including the debut of our daily fantasy products and retail sportsbook, and this latest online sportsbook launch is another significant milestone,” said DraftKings North America co-founder and president Matt Kalish.
“Although Louisiana bettors have previously been able to place wagers in person at our Golden Nugget Casino Lake Charles location, the arrival of mobile betting greatly enhances accessibility and adoption potential within the Pelican State.”
FanDuel recently opened five retail sportsbook locations at Boyd Gaming properties across Louisiana, and will launch its mobile app in the state in partnership with Boyd’s Treasure Chest casino resort.
The Louisiana launch marks the 12th state where Penn National operates the Barstool Sportsbook mobile app.
“We are thrilled to be launching our Barstool Sportsbook online sports betting product in Louisiana, which will provide our retail casino customers and mychoice loyalty program members another exciting way to enjoy our unique entertainment offerings,” said Penn National president and CEO Jay Snowden.
“I want to thank the LGCB and their staff for their time and effort in reviewing and approving our application. We look forward to adding Louisiana to our portfolio of states where we operate online sports betting as we continue our company’s evolution into the leading omni-channel provider of retail and online gaming, live racing and sports betting entertainment.”
Rush Street Interactive CEO Richard Schwartz added: “We are thrilled to welcome Louisiana and its avid sports fans to the growing RSI and BetRivers communities. At RSI, the player comes first, and we are committed to offering an unparalleled user experience – from our innovative, easy-to-use gaming platform to our relentless focus on responsive customer service.”