Two Louisiana riverboat casinos receive approval to take sports wagers

Two Riverboat Casinos in Bossier City, Louisiana Approved for Sports Betting

Two riverboat casinos in Bossier City, Louisiana, have received the necessary approval to begin taking sports wagers at on-site ticket windows. These latest approvals mean the number of casino sportsbooks in Louisiana now stands at eight.

Penn National Properties to Launch Sports Betting

The sportsbook inside the Margaritaville riverboat casino will open its doors for sports betting on Friday, while the sportsbook at the Boomtown riverboat casino is due to open on Monday. Both of these properties in Bossier City are owned by Pennsylvania-based Penn National Gaming.

Bossier City is located in the northwestern corner of Louisiana, across the Red River from Shreveport. Each city in the state is home to riverboat casinos. Throughout the Pelican State, 13 riverboat casinos are operating, along with four racinos and a land-based hotel-casino in New Orleans. Racinos are horse tracks that have slot machines and can be found in many states in the country.

The Isle of Capri, another Lake Charles riverboat casino, was dislodged during a hurricane last year and struck a bridge. The Isle of Capri is owned by Caesars Entertainment and is being rebranded as the Horseshoe Casino Lake Charles.

It will resume operations next year as a land-based hotel casino. When the property re-opens on land, it is expected to host a Caesars Sportsbook inside the casino.

On-site Sports Betting Legal in Louisiana

Over the summer, Gov. John Bel Edwards signed legislation passing sports wagering in the 55 of 64 Louisiana parishes that approved it in the November 2020 election.

Four sportsbooks opened last week, including three at riverboat casinos in Baton Rouge, Harvey, and Bossier City. The other opened in the land-based Harrah’s hotel-casino in New Orleans.

Additionally, mobile sports betting has also now been legalized in Louisiana. Mobile wagering will launch after the operators have been licensed. This process will likely be completed in early 2022.

The new Louisiana law permits bettors to put money down on 31 separate events, including college and professional sports. Players can also bet on activities such as film industry awards, darts, and snooker.

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