A Louisiana bill punishing athlete harassment from sports bettors is on its way to Gov. Jeff Landry with unanimous legislative support.
Sen. Mike Reese’s SB 325 advanced this week with a 101-0 vote from the House. The Senate passed the Louisiana sports betting harassment bill in March, 38-0.
Landry signed a separate gambling bill, HB 53, into law Friday. That bill adds several gambling offenses to the state’s racketeering law.
Detail on Louisiana bill banning bettors
Reese’s bill requires the Louisiana Gaming Control Board to alter the excluded persons list for gambling in the state. It expands the law to include sports betting and mobile betting.
It also expands the list to include bettors, “who, before, during, or after a sporting event, threaten violence or harm against any person who is involved in the sporting event.” That could mean athletes, coaches or referees.
The language ties those threats to sports betting. The bill will go into effect Aug. 1 with Landry’s signature.
Growing athlete support
In 2024, the NCAA released a report that found a significant number of collegiate athletes received abusive messages related to sports betting.
West Virginia passed a law in 2024 that gave the West Virginia Lottery Commission the power to ban bettors for harassing athletes, coaches or officials. The charges can range from misdemeanors to felonies related to assault or battery.
Ohio regulators banned collegiate player-specific prop bets to help protect athlete well-being. That action came after the NCAA called for the ban, but also after Dayton University men’s basketball coach Anthony Grant spoke out about players receiving betting-related threats.
The NCAA has continued its push for states to restrict or ban prop bets to help cut down athlete abuse.
New York could ban angry bettors, too
A bill supporting athletes in New York is also on the move.
AB 7903 would prohibit bettors convicted of crimes where the complainant is an athlete, coach, official or other sports contest participant.
The bill passed its committee and is on the Assembly Floor.
Louisiana sweepstakes racketeering law
This week, Landry signed HB 53 into law, expanding the state’s racketeering law. The law will now include:
- Public gambling
- Computer-assisted betting
- Cockfighting betting
- Operating electronic sweepstakes devices
- Unlawful wagering by prohibited players
- Bribery involving sports participants
Instead of fines or bans, regulators and law enforcement can now enforce the laws as part of a broader criminal enterprise.
Last year, Landry vetoed a sweepstakes ban, but said the LGCB already could enforce its gambling laws. The LGCB then sent 40 cease-and-desist letters to offshore and sweepstakes operators.
