Three bills looking to strengthen state laws against sweepstakes casinos are on their way to governors in Louisiana, Oklahoma and Tennessee.
In Louisiana, lawmakers sent HB 53 to Gov. Jeff Landry. The bill would add illegal gambling, including sweepstakes casinos, to the definition of racketeering.
Meanwhile, Oklahoma and Tennessee sent bills banning sweepstakes casinos to their respective governors.
Louisiana racketeering charges
Last year, lawmakers passed a ban on sweepstakes casinos only to see Gov. Jeff Landry veto the bill. However, Landry said the state regulators had the power to enforce gaming laws, and the Louisiana Gaming Control Board then sent 40 cease-and-desist letters to unlicensed operators, including sweepstakes casinos.
“The Board is already taking active steps to combat illegal gambling in Louisiana, especially against illegal offshore wagering and illegal online sweepstakes companies operating in Louisiana,” Landry said in his veto message.
Rep. Bryan Fontenot’s bill does not explicitly ban sweepstakes casinos. It simply classifies the offenses under racketeering charges. It also includes public gambling, cockfight betting and bribing sports participants.
It is the same criminal definition as organized criminal conduct, so it allows prosecutors to pursue online gambling operations, rather than individuals. The penalties include up to 50 years in prison and fines up to $1 million.
Once the bill is sent to Landry, he has 10 days excluding Sundays to act on the bill before it becomes law without his signature.
Oklahoma sweepstakes casino ban
Should Gov. Kevin Stitt sign SB 1589, Oklahoma will join Maine and Indiana as states banning sweepstakes casinos this year. Last year, several other states implemented bans, including California, New Jersey and New York.
The bill would classify dual-currency sweepstakes casinos as a Class C22 felony with up to 30 days in jail and fines up to $2,000. It also takes aim at suppliers that work with sweepstakes casinos.
Oklahoma tribes provided input on the bill. A tribal-supported sports betting bill died in the Sooner State last week in part because of an ongoing riff between the tribes and Stitt.
Stitt has five days excluding Sundays to act on the bill after he receives it before it becomes law without his signature.
Tennessee sweepstakes casino ban
A conference committee in Tennessee advanced on the final day of the legislative session last week a final version of HB 1885 and SB 2136. The bill also grants state regulators greater power to investigate and enforce the new law.
Platforms that mimic multiple types of gambling using virtual, dual-currency or multi-currency systems are no longer allowed:
- Lottery games
- Slot machines
- Sports betting
- Table games
- Video poker
Gov. Bill Lee has 10 days excluding Sundays once he receives the bill to take action before it becomes law without his signature.
