Louisiana Legislature Moves Closer to Classifying Sweepstakes Casinos as Racketeering

Louisiana lawmakers are moving closer to a result that could sharply escalate legal pressure on sweepstakes casinos in the state. The House Bill 53 is now nearing a final Senate vote, while House Bill 883 is also advancing through the legislature. Together, the two measures could create a path for certain sweepstakes casino activity to be treated as racketeering under Louisiana law.

HB 53 cleared the Legislative Bureau and advanced to third reading in the Senate, putting it one step closer to a chamber-wide vote. The bill already passed the House on March 30, and if it clears the Senate, it would head to Governor Jeff Landry for signature or veto. Unlike most recent anti-sweepstakes bills, HB 53 does not directly ban sweepstakes casinos by name. Instead, it would fold several gambling-related crimes into Louisiana’s racketeering statutes, raising the criminal stakes significantly.

This is important because the bill lists offenses such as “gambling by computer” and “gambling by electronic sweepstakes device.” The more important phrase for online operators is “gambling by computer,” especially because Louisiana officials have already taken the position that sweepstakes casinos using Sweeps Coins amount to online gambling. If that interpretation stands, the state could try to treat those operations as racketeering offenses.

What the Bill Proposes

• HB 53 would add several gambling-related crimes to Louisiana’s racketeering law.
• Those crimes include gambling by computer and gambling by electronic sweepstakes device.
• If sweepstakes casinos are treated as “gambling by computer,” operators could face far more serious criminal exposure than under standard gambling enforcement.
• HB 883 would separately define dual-currency gaming more directly, pulling online games, contests, or promotions using two forms of currency into the definition of illegal online gambling.
• HB 883 also states that such activity would be considered gambling by computer, which could connect directly to HB 53’s racketeering framework if both bills pass.

HB 883 is important because it gets closer to the structure most sweepstakes casinos actually use. The bill does not name sweepstakes casinos outright, but it targets dual-currency systems where players use one virtual currency for gameplay and another that can be redeemed for prizes, cash, cash equivalents, or opportunities to win them. That language closely matches the model used by many sweepstakes casinos, where Gold Coins are used for play, and Sweeps Coins can be redeemed for prizes.

To clarify these two bills: HB 883 could do the classification work, while HB 53 could do the penalty work. That combination would give Louisiana a much stronger enforcement tool than the cease-and-desist letters and standard prohibition language seen in many other states.

Why This Matters

If Louisiana moves forward with both measures, it could become the first state to connect Louisiana sweepstakes casino-style activity to racketeering law rather than just general illegal gambling law. That's why this is not a routine anti-sweeps bill. That would mark a significant escalation in how states approach the dual-currency model, and it would also make it clearer for sweepstakes casino laws to address specific problems. 

The Louisiana officials, including Governor Jeff Landry and Attorney General Liz Murrill, have already taken a hard position on sweepstakes casinos. It's a crucial matter because it strengthens the state’s argument that online dual-currency platforms fall under “gambling by computer.” If courts accept that view, enforcement could become much more severe.

The story also matters beyond Louisiana. Across the country, lawmakers and regulators have been moving away from treating the sweeps model as a quirky gray area and toward treating it as a direct substitute for online gambling. Louisiana’s latest approach pushes that trend a step further by trying to attach a more serious criminal framework to the same conduct.

Growing Pressure on Sweepstakes Casinos

Louisiana is not the only state still moving anti-sweeps legislation in 2026. Minnesota’s Senate File 4474 is also still alive and headed for another committee hearing, while Oklahoma’s HB 1589 continues to move through the process. In Washington, D.C., another proposal would both ban sweepstakes casinos and legalize real-money online casinos.

That broader pattern shows a market under increasing legal pressure. Some states are trying to ban dual-currency models directly. Others are targeting the systems behind them. Louisiana is the center of it out because it is attempting both a structural classification through HB 883 and a much tougher penalty structure through HB 53. That makes the state one of the clearest examples yet of how quickly the legal environment around sweepstakes casinos is tightening.

What Happens Next

HB 53 could receive its third reading and a full Senate vote as early as this week. If it passes, it will be sent to Governor Landry. HB 883 has already passed the House and has now been assigned to the Senate Committee on Judiciary B, though no hearing has yet been scheduled.

That means the immediate next question is timing. Louisiana’s legislature is clearly still moving on both bills, but outcomes will depend on Senate action and, if the bills pass, whether the governor signs them into law. Until then, the state remains one of the most aggressive fronts in the broader legal fight over sweepstakes casinos.

References

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