Louisiana lawmakers attempting to raise online sports wagering tax to 32.5%
The tax hike, proposed by Louisiana Representative Neil Riser, would provide an equal tax rate for online sports betting and retail video draw poker devices.
Key Points
- HB 639 was approved by a vote of 20-1 by the House Appropriations Committee, which would increase the online sports wagering tax rate from 15% to 32.5%
- A note from the Louisiana Legislative Fiscal Office estimates that annual tax collections could rise from $59.3m to about $190.1m once the higher rate is in place
The Louisiana House of Appropriations has advanced House Bill 639 by a vote of 20-1 which would amend Louisiana Revised Statutes to raise the state’s online sports wagering tax from 15% to 32.5%.
The tax hike, proposed by Louisiana Representative Neil Riser, would give online sports betting and retail video draw poker devices an equal tax rate.
A fiscal note from the Louisiana Legislative Fiscal Office estimates that annual tax collections could rise from $59.3m to approximately $190.1m once the higher rate is in place, of which $35.3m would be allocated to newly created funds.
One of the largest recipients would reportedly be the Supporting Programs, Opportunities, Resources and Teams (SPORT) Fund, which is set to receive 25% of the revenue from mobile sports betting taxes and is designed to support NCAA Division I athletic departments as well as student-athletes at public universities.
Good to know: The Social and Promotional Games Association voiced its opposition to a new bill from the Louisiana Senate on April 7 to criminalize sweepstakes, further threatening travel loyalty and rewards programs
In total, the bill would direct additional money to several existing funds, including those for early childhood education, behavioral health, local government allocations and compulsive gambling treatment.
Lawmakers in the House Appropriations Committee also decided to tie HB 639 to a separate bill, HB 594, which aims to create a flat tax rate on insurance premiums. The legislation was introduced during April 2025 and has already passed through the Committee on Ways and Means with some amendments.
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