Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry vetoed Senate Bill 181 (SB181) back in mid-June, stating that the language was too vague, while praising the Louisiana Gaming Control Board. The bill would have banned sweepstakes casinos.
Gov. Landry stated that, “This bill is a solution in search of a problem that is already being solved by our current system [the Louisiana Gaming Control Board], and some of the language in this bill is overly broad and could be interpreted in an adverse manner”, which may harm or impede our enforcement actions taken against these bad actors.”
SB 181 got through the Senate 39-0 on April 29th and passed 99-0 in the House, so to see Gov. Landry vetoing the bill was an unexpected result. The bill would impose up to $100,000 fines on sweepstakes operators.
What stands out about this news is how it’s the opposite of what’s become common in the U.S. sweepstakes industry of late. Sweepstakes operators have been under fire lately, with the Maine Gambling Control Unit calling them illegal.
There was also one of the most popular sweepstakes operators, Stake.us, facing a lawsuit in Alabama. This came after Montana became the first state to ban sweepstakes casinos.
With that said, Gov. Landry’s veto can still be overturned.
One way for this to happen is for the legislature to call a veto session, which can occur on the 40th day after the regular session adjourns. Alternatively, it can happen if the majority in either chamber petitions for a veto session.
After that, the next step is for each chamber to get a two-thirds majority vote, which means two-thirds of 39 senators and 105 representatives, respectively.
However, these types of overrides are rare, with Louisiana only having three since 1974. The 40th day lands on July 22nd, 2025, so the results will be revealed at that time.
The Social and Promotional Games Association (SPGA) has been fighting against anti-sweeps bills, so it comes as no surprise that they were in favor of Gov. Landry’s veto.
“Governor Landry’s veto is a powerful affirmation that not all online games are gambling and that innovation should not be met with prohibition. This legislation blurred critical legal distinctions and risked punishing legitimate businesses that comply with well-established sweepstakes laws and offer free-to-play experiences,” stated the SPGA.
Whether Gov. Landry’s decision to veto this bill influences other states to be more supportive of sweepstakes casinos is yet to be determined.
Sweepstakes casinos have been available in most states – including Louisiana – because they operate under sweepstakes laws. These platforms allow users to participate in casino-style games without ever having to make a purchase, which distinguishes them from true real money casinos.
With Gov. Landry’s veto, popular sweepstakes casinos can continue to operate in Louisiana. The current list of legal sweeps casinos in the state include the following:
