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These five Louisiana casinos are now taking bets on sports matches

L’Auberge Casino Hotel in Baton Rouge began taking sports bets this Monday. Photo taken Nov. 3, 2021.
Aubry Procell
/
WRKF
L’Auberge Casino Hotel in Baton Rouge began taking sports bets this Monday. Photo taken Nov. 3, 2021.

Four Louisiana casinos began taking bets on the outcomes of sports matches this week, with more casinos and racetracks expected to follow suit “in days and weeks to come,” according to Gaming Control Board Chairman Ronnie Johns.

Here’s where you can currently bet on sports in Louisiana and the sportsbooks operating at each location:

The Horseshoe Casino in Bossier City, Caesars Sportsbook

Boomtown Casino and Hotel in Harvey, Barstool Sportsbook

Harrah’s New Orleans, Caesars Sportsbook

L’Auberge Casino and Hotel in Baton Rouge, Barstool Sportsbook

The four casinos join Paragon Casino Resort, which began taking bets Oct. 6 because it is owned by the Tunica-Biloxi tribe and is not regulated by the Gaming Control Board. The casino’s sportsbook is operated by Betfred Sports.

The state’s first legal bet was made that day by Joe Horn, a member of the New Orleans Saints Hall of Fame.

Sports betting became legal in 55 parishes following a statewide popular vote last November, but casinos have only recently received licenses to take bets. Sports betting in casinos regulated by the state Gaming Control Board was expected to begin this September, but Hurricane Ida delayed the launch by several weeks.

Mobile and online sports betting is expected to launch by January 2022. Applicants must submit their websites and apps for the Gaming Control Board’s approval and prove that bets won’t be taken in the nine parishes that did not pass sports betting legislation in last November’s popular vote. Those parishes are Caldwell, Catahoula, Franklin, Jackson, Lafourche, Sabine, Union, West Carroll and Winn.

“We are still going through a very comprehensive process on mobile sports betting,” Johns said last week. “We’re probably looking at another couple of months before we can get to that level.”

Baton Rouge natives Dwain Varisco and Grant Hebert were among a crowd of about a dozen people at L’Auberge placing their first legal bets on Wednesday. They both appreciated the casino’s atmosphere, but are excited for mobile betting to launch.

Regarding the casino sportsbook kiosk, Varisco said, “Once it’s fully opened, it’ll be fun watching the games that you bet on with your friends.”

“Mobile betting’s gonna be more convenient, though, so I’ll probably do that more,” he continued.

Hebert agreed, saying he enjoyed the social aspect of casino betting, but not the inconvenience of having to go in person to place bets.

For now, L’Auberge’s sportsbook kiosk is tucked away in a corner of the casino floor next to some closed poker tables for now, but a staff member said that the casino is working with Barstool to build a lounge area in the casino foyer with a bigger kiosk, televisions to watch sports matches and more. It’s expected to open next year.

State police are processing applications for sports betting licenses from nine more casinos, according to Covers. Seven casinos have not yet applied, but have indicated they will before the Dec. 31 deadline.

Caesars Sportsbook launched a mobile betting app for Louisiana, but bets can’t be placed until Caesars’ mobile betting license is approved.

Aubry is a reporter, producer and operations assistant in Baton Rouge.