Home News Louisiana re-elects governor in favor of sports betting

Louisiana re-elects governor in favor of sports betting

Updated on January 28, 2026

Ezra Amacher

Proponents of legalized sports betting in Louisiana received a boost Saturday night, as Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards won his re-election race.

Edwards has supported prior efforts to broaden gambling in the state and backed a sports betting bill that failed to make it out of the Louisiana legislature earlier this year.

Edwards’ opponent, Republican Eddie Rispone, expressed opposition to gambling legalization

while on the campaign trail.

Any efforts to legalize sports betting in Louisiana remain an uphill battle given the state’s

cultural conservatism.

Republicans hold a super-majority in the state Senate and are two seats short of a two-third majority in the House.

In the spring, Republican Sen. Danny Martiny brought forth a bill that would have allowed

sports betting at Louisiana’s 16 casinos and four racetracks.

Despite making it through the House criminal justice committee, the bill faltered when House Appropriation Committee members altered its language. The amendments included the introduction of video poker parlors and a requirement to use official league data.

Gov. Edwards, who cast support of the bill, has publicly backed sports betting legalization.

In January, Edwards told the Baton Rouge Press Club he wanted to gear gambling revenue

towards the state’s early childhood education program.

Edward also favored an effort to bring a riverboat casino to the Tangipahoa Parish last year.

Player-Favourite Gambling Guides

We’ve handpicked our latest and most visited guides covering online casinos, betting sites, and more – for every kind of player.

Tags/Keywords

Ezra Amacher

Visit Profile

Players trust our reporting due to our commitment to unbiased and professional evaluations of the iGaming sector. We track hundreds of platforms and industry updates daily to ensure our news feed and leaderboards reflect the most recent market shifts. With nearly two decades of experience within iGaming, our team provides a wealth of expert knowledge. This long-standing expertise enables us to deliver thorough, reliable news and guidance to our readers.