- Casino Boats In Louisiana
- Riverboat Gambling In Louisiana
- Louisiana Riverboat Casino Lawrenceburg
- Louisiana Riverboat Casino Cruises
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana's riverboat casinos would be able to move to shore for the first time since the state authorized the industry more than 25 years ago, if lawmakers agree to a proposal that began advancing Tuesday in the Senate.
The bill by Sen. Ronnie Johns received the backing of a Senate judiciary committee without objection, after nearly getting derailed over concerns the casinos do too little contracting with minority-owned and women-owned businesses.
Also sent to the full Senate for debate was a measure that would set a referendum process for voters in Gov. John Bel Edwards' home of Tangipahoa Parish to decide if they want to move a riverboat casino from Bossier City to a shallow river there.
Senate Bill 316 allows the riverboat casinos to move 1,200 feet – about a quarter mile or four football fields – onto land from their designated berth space. Since gambling was legalized 27 years. Louisiana lawmakers will be asked to rewrite the state's riverboat casino laws for the first time in nearly two decades. A legislative task force is recommending two main changes: to move the.
The bills are among 30 gambling proposals that have been filed in the legislative session, to either expand gambling or lessen existing restrictions. Most of the measures face opposition from religious conservatives. Republican Senate President John Alario also has expressed worries about the proposals.
Casinos are permitted in certain jurisdictions in the Bayou State. And Louisiana, like Missouri and Illinois, also allows gambling on riverboats. A riverboat refers to anything floating in the water, which results in many riverboats consisting of large structures on anchored barges near the shore. Louisiana Riverboat Economic Development and Gaming Control Act, La. Louisiana Economic Development and Gaming Corporation Act (Landbased Casino), La. Video Draw Poker Devices Control Law, La. Louisiana Pari-Mutuel Live Racing Facility Economic Redevelopment and Gaming Control Act. April 6, 2018 Mike Epsy: Statment of Candidacy for United States Senate News August 28, 2015 KATRINA: Jordan family reflects on unforgettable experience Entertainment.
Also sent to the full Senate for debate was a measure that would set a referendum process for voters in Gov. John Bel Edwards' home of Tangipahoa Parish to decide if they want to move a riverboat casino from Bossier City to a shallow river there.
Senate Bill 316 allows the riverboat casinos to move 1,200 feet – about a quarter mile or four football fields – onto land from their designated berth space. Since gambling was legalized 27 years. Louisiana lawmakers will be asked to rewrite the state's riverboat casino laws for the first time in nearly two decades. A legislative task force is recommending two main changes: to move the.
The bills are among 30 gambling proposals that have been filed in the legislative session, to either expand gambling or lessen existing restrictions. Most of the measures face opposition from religious conservatives. Republican Senate President John Alario also has expressed worries about the proposals.
Casinos are permitted in certain jurisdictions in the Bayou State. And Louisiana, like Missouri and Illinois, also allows gambling on riverboats. A riverboat refers to anything floating in the water, which results in many riverboats consisting of large structures on anchored barges near the shore. Louisiana Riverboat Economic Development and Gaming Control Act, La. Louisiana Economic Development and Gaming Corporation Act (Landbased Casino), La. Video Draw Poker Devices Control Law, La. Louisiana Pari-Mutuel Live Racing Facility Economic Redevelopment and Gaming Control Act. April 6, 2018 Mike Epsy: Statment of Candidacy for United States Senate News August 28, 2015 KATRINA: Jordan family reflects on unforgettable experience Entertainment.
Johns, a Lake Charles Republican, pushed back against suggestions his bill would grow gambling in the state, saying it instead was 'modernizing an industry' that has seen few changes since it was legalized in 1991.
'Anyone who says this bill is going to expand gaming needs to go back and read it,' Johns told the Judiciary B Committee.
The measure would allow Louisiana's 15 riverboat casinos to conduct gambling activities within 1,200 feet (365 meters) on land from where the riverboat is berthed and remove the requirement the riverboats have an operable paddlewheel. It also would redefine gambling space restrictions.
The ideas were recommended by a task force created by lawmakers to suggest ways to keep the casinos competitive and promote the industry as an economic development tool. Edwards supports the recommendations.
The bill nearly stalled because of criticism from Sens. Greg Tarver and Karen Carter Peterson that the casinos have insufficient diversity in their leadership and vendor contracts.
'If you're sincere about doing it, you can find a minority very, very easily in this state,' said Tarver, a Shreveport Democrat.
Peterson, a New Orleans Democrat, objected to industry officials' claims that they struggle to find minority-owned vendors: 'I think you have not done your homework or tried hard enough.'
She suggested the legislation be delayed 'to have more conversations.' But Tarver said he trusted Johns, who pledged to hold a meeting with casino representatives and the senators before bringing the legislation to a full Senate vote.
'We will have that conversation. I hear you clearly, absolutely do. It's a legitimate issue,' Johns said.
Several pastors and the conservative Louisiana Family Forum objected to Johns' bill, along with the proposal by Sen. Mack 'Bodi' White, a Baton Rouge Republican, to set up a referendum vote that could move a riverboat casino from Bossier City to rural Tangipahoa Parish.
Sen. Norby Chabert, a Houma Republican, tried to stall the referendum bill, but got no support for his motion. The proposal then was advanced to the Senate without objection.
Tarver asked Parish President Robby Miller if the governor supported moving a casino to his home parish. Miller replied that at a meeting with Edwards, 'he did indicate he would sign the legislation.'
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Senate Bills 316 and 417: www.legis.la.gov
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LEGAL AND ILLEGAL GAMBLING IN LOUISIANA
by John W. Redmann & Patrick B. Sanders
Louisiana is known across the country for its great food, music and festivals. Louisiana is also known for its gambling. People come from across the South to enjoy the food in casino restraurants and to gamble on riverboats. While the Mississippi Gulf Coast has numerous casinos, almost all forms of gambling are illegal in neighboring Texas and Arkansas. This article provides a brief summary of gambling activities that are legal in Louisiana and those that are not.
Gambling in Louisiana is defined as 'the intentional conducting, or directly assisting in the conducting, as a business of any game, context, lottery, or contrivance whereby a person risks the loss of anything of value in order to realize a profit.'
Legal Gambling in Louisiana
Age restrictions: To participate in the state lottery or horse track betting you must be 18 years old. To gamble in a casino or on a video poker machine, you must be 21.
Casinos and Racetracks: Riverboat casinos are legal in Louisiana. 'Riverboat' refers to anything floating in the water, which results in many riverboats consisting of large structures on anchored dbarges near the shore. A land-based casino is licensed by the state in the City of New Orleans and on Indian tribal land. Betting on horse races is legal but dog racing is illegal.
Casino Boats In Louisiana
State lottery: The Louisiana Lottery began in 1991 and lottery proceeds are legislatively earmarked for improving Louisiana's educational system. The Louisiana lottery includes numbers drawing, Power-ball, and scratch off tickets.
Video poker: Casinos and racetraks in the state have video poker machines, as do a number of restaurants, gas stations, bars and truck stops. In Louisiana, if a business has a liquor license, this license allows you to have up to three video gaming machines. Truck stops can operate more video poker machines depending on the amount of fuel they sell.
Social Gambling and Charitable Gambling: Social gambling (for recreational purposes and not for business purposes) such as pool games, personal bets or betting on sports is legal in Louisiana as long as nobody takes a 'cut' or fee from managing the transaction (other than awards to the rightful winner). Certain gambling activities such as raffles, bingos and keno which are directly associated with charitable fund-raising for non-profit organizations is legal.
Commercial cruise ships in international waters: Gambling on commercial cruise ships that travel internationally (beyond 12 miles offshore) is legal.
Taxes: Any establishment that gives a one-time gambling award of $600 or more is required to report the winning, along with the recipient's social security number, to the IRS and Louisiana Department of Revenue. Residents are required to report gambling revenue as taxable income on their federal and state tax returns.
Illegal Gambling in Louisiana
Dogfighting and gambling related to dogfighting: La. R.S. 14:102.5 makes it illegal to own, possess, keep or train a dog for the purpose of dogfighting or to possess any paraphernalia used in training dogs to fight. Violation for a first conviction results in a fine of up to $3000 and/or imprisonment of not more than three years.
Cockfighting and gambling related to a cockfighting: La. R.S. 14:102.23 makes it unlawful for any person to organize or conduct any commercial or private cockfight where it is reasonably foreseeable that chickens would be injured. It is also unlawful to possess, train or purchase any chicken for cockfighting purposes. A first offense conviction results in a fine of up to $1000 and/or 6 months imprisonment. A second offense conviction results in a fine of up to $2000 and/or one year imprisonment. A third offense conviction results in a fine of up to $2000 and/or three years imprisonment.
State may seize property connected with illegal gambling: The state may seize any property connected with illegal gambling and upon conviction may sell the confiscated property at public auction.
Computer gambling: Gambling by computer is prohibited in Louisiana. Computer gambling is the conducting as a business of any game, context, lottery or other activity whereby a person risks the loss of anything of value in order to realize a profit when accessing the internet. A conviction results in a fine of $500 and/or up to 6 months imprisonment.
Gambling in public: Unauthorized gambling in public is specifically prohibited by statute. Violation results in a fine of $500 and/or up to 6 months imprisonment.
Underage gambling: It is unlawful for anyone under the age of 21 to play video poker devices or to gamble in a casino. It is unlawful for anyone under the age of 18 to participate in the state lottery or in horse track betting. Violations result in a fine of $500 and/or up to six months imprisonment.
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