The state House of Representatives of Louisiana state has cleared a bill that allows mobile sports gambling or betting. Currently, the bill is with the Senate for further consideration.Page Cortez, Senate President representing Lafayette, has already voiced his support for mobile
betting in live sporting tournaments and events.

House Bill 697, presented by House of Representative’s rep John Stefanski, who represents South Louisiana’s Crowley town, will allow wagers to be placed on smartphones by sports bettors in Louisiana. The bill came through in the house by a majority vote. 78-24 was the final vote according to the bill-tracking on the State legislature’s site.

Cortez stated that sports wagering would generate good revenue – in fact, “meaningful revenue.” The key to it was to allow it on mobile devices. He estimates that smartphone-based sports betting could generate tax revenue up to an amount of $20 million every year, with a
minimum of $10 million.

The mobile sports betting tax rate is projected at 18 percent. Stefanski’s bills suggest that mobile wagering kiosks be placed in bars and several other public places, provided these spaces have video poker terminals that are legal and permitted.

Currently, bars and truck stops have video poker terminals. Many owners of these poker machines worry if sports betting would cut through their video poker revenues, cites Business Report.

If this bill comes through clean, then Louisiana will have what bordering states may not. In bordering Mississippi, mobile sports betting is permitted only if the person is on a casino property when placing a wager. But the 26 casinos in this state have no such facility yet.

Yet, there are some skeptics of the opinion that Louisiana’s taxation and regulation have issues. Until these issues are sorted, sports betting could take time to get into action. Probably in late
2022, at the least.