Louisiana sports betting harassment bill heads to governor
Table of contents
- Senate Bill 325 has cleared both legislative chambers unanimously and now awaits Governor Jeff Landry’s decision.
- The Louisiana Gaming Control Board would gain authority to exclude from retail and mobile wagering anyone who threatens violence against participants in a sporting event.
- Operators face potential licence suspension for repeatedly failing to enforce exclusion orders.
Louisiana is set to give sports betting regulators new powers to ban abusive bettors, after Senate Bill 325 passed both chambers of the state legislature without a single opposing vote and now sits with Governor Jeff Landry for final action.
Bill provisions
The bill was introduced by Senator Mike Reese (R-Leesville) and passed the Senate in March by 38-0, before clearing the House on 19 May by 101-0. Louisiana House Speaker Phillip DeVillier subsequently signed the measure, completing the final administrative step before it reaches the governor’s desk. Landry may sign or veto the bill. If he takes no action, it becomes law with an effective date of 1 August 2026.
SB 325 would require the Louisiana Gaming Control Board (LGCB) to establish an exclusion list covering anyone who, before, during, or after a sporting event, threatens violence or harm against any person involved in that event, where the threat is connected to sports gaming.
The board would also be able to exclude individuals whose participation in wagering is determined to pose a threat to the interests of the state or to the effective regulation of sports betting.
Individuals placed on the list must receive notice from the LGCB and are entitled to a hearing. Operators are also exposed: a sportsbook found to have engaged in a pattern of wilful failure to enforce exclusion orders may face licence or permit suspension or revocation.
A national trend
If signed, Louisiana would become the fourth US state with such powers. Wyoming, Ohio, and West Virginia all have comparable rules in place, with Wyoming’s coming into force in December 2024 and West Virginia’s in June 2024.
The bill reflects growing concern over betting-related abuse directed at athletes and officials. Data from the NCAA and Signify shows last year’s March Madness tournament generated around 54,096 suspicious social media posts, of which 3,161 were determined to be abusive. Signify opened 103 investigations, with 10 referred to law enforcement.
Major operators have already acted independently. FanDuel banned an account holder in 2025 after he heckled Olympic gold medalist Gabby Thomas. BetMGM has also introduced a policy to suspend accounts that send abusive messages toward athletes.
New York has been examining related legislation, with a bill proposing a ban on live sports betting introduced in the state assembly and a separate measure to study prop bet risks also advancing.
Operator obligations
SB 325 is expected to take effect on 1 August if it becomes law. Questions remain over how exclusion orders will be enforced consistently across retail and mobile betting platforms, and whether offenders can be tracked across state lines.
For operators active in Louisiana, the bill creates a direct compliance obligation tied to licence risk. Should other states adopt a similar model, the pressure on sportsbooks to police bettor conduct will intensify across the regulated US market.
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