Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry vetoed a bill that would’ve outlawed online sweepstakes gaming in the Pelican State. Senator Adam Bass’ SB 181 was unanimously approved by the House of Representatives earlier this month and passed in the Senate by a 39-0 vote at the end of April.
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry Calls SB 181 Overly Broad, Not Necessary
SB 181 bans sweepstakes casinos and social casinos that operate under a dual-currency system, and the bill prohibits online casino-style games, including slot machines, lottery games, and sports betting.
Gov. Jeff Landry sent a letter to the Louisiana Senate on Thursday saying his decision was based on a law that he deems “not necessary,” and the measure is a “solution in search of a problem that is already being solved.”
“This bill attempts to criminalize certain secondary gambling activities on the internet that are already prohibited in Louisiana,” Landry wrote. “Our current Louisiana Gaming Control Board has the regulatory authority, control, and jurisdiction over all aspects of gaming activities and operations pursuant to the Louisiana Gaming Control Law.”
SB 181 would have punished violators with up to a $100,000 fine and five years in prison. The bill also required the La. Gaming Control Board (LGCB) and the La. State Police (LSP) to enforce the provisions of proposed law.
SB 181 Would Have Expanded Definition Of Gambling By Computer
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.”
Had SB 181 been signed by Landry, the measure would have gone into effect Aug. 1. Louisiana also would have followed Montana as the second state to ban sweeps gaming this year.