Bills to prohibit sweepstakes gaming in Louisiana and Connecticut are on the verge of becoming laws.
The Louisiana House Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice last week unanimously approved Sen. Adam Bass’s (R-36) SB 181 by an 8-0 vote, advancing it to the House floor.
The Louisiana Senate approved the bill by a 39-0 vote in April.
Louisiana SB 181 Defines Gambling By Computer, Prohibits Dual-Currency System
SB 181 would ban sweepstakes casinos and social casinos that operate under a dual-currency system and prohibit casino-style games, such as slot machines, lottery games, and sports betting.
Present law in Louisiana defines “gambling by computer” as the “intentional conducting, or directly assisting in the conducting as a business of any game, contest, lottery, or contrivance whereby a person risks the loss of anything of value in order to realize a profit when accessing the internet, World Wide Web, or any part thereof by way of any computer, computer system, computer network, computer software, or any server.”
Proposed law in SB 181 retains present law and adds that “any games, contest, or promotion that is available on the internet or accessible on a mobile phone, computer terminal, or similar access device that utilizes a dual-currency system of payment allowing the player to exchange the currency for any prize or award or cash or cash equivalents, or any chance to win any prize or award or cash or cash equivalents, and simulates any form of gambling shall constitute illegal gambling by computer and shall not be considered a legal sweepstakes.”
SB 181 requires the La. Gaming Control Board (LGCB) and the La. State Police (LSP) to enforce the provisions of proposed law. The bill also proposes fines up to $100,000 per occurrence and prison terms up to five years for violators.
Connecticut SB 1235 Would Ban Sweepstakes Casinos, Ticket Courier Services
The Connecticut Senate last week also unanimously approved SB 1235 by a 36-0 vote, moving the sweepstakes prohibition bill over to the House.
SB 1235 would prohibit lottery ticket resales and ticket courier services, modify the Commissioner of Consumer Protection’s disciplinary authority concerning gaming licensees, require vendor and affiliate licensees to provide books and records, prohibit certain advertising, and authorize certain bets on boxing and mixed martial arts.
In addition, the measure would modify provisions concerning wagers on sporting events involving Connecticut intercollegiate teams, and provide that “certain persons conducting sweepstakes or promotional drawings shall not allow or facilitate participation in certain real or simulated online casino gaming or sports wagering.”
Any person who engages in illegal gambling would also be guilty of a Class D felony. Those crimes are punishable by up to five years in prison and a $5,000 fine.