Key Takeaways

Louisiana's House passed HB 53 by wide bipartisan margins with the aim of expanding the state's racketeering statute to include seven categories of gambling-related offenses.

The bill gives prosecutors new authority to treat coordinated illegal gambling operations as organized criminal activity rather than handling each charge separately.

Louisiana's move is part of a wider 2026 legislative trend, with states including Oklahoma and Florida also weighing stricter enforcement measures targeting illegal gambling.

The state House passed House Bill 53 (HB 53) on Monday with overwhelming support, sending the measure to the Senate, where it received its first reading the same day. Sponsored by Rep. Bryan Fontenot, the bill cleared both votes by margins of 87-11 and 86-11, with some members abstaining. The Senate placed it on the calendar for further consideration.

The legislation targets Louisiana's racketeering framework, amending state law to include a series of gambling-related crimes as predicate offenses. Under current law, racketeering charges attach to a defined list of criminal conduct tied to broader patterns of illegal activity.

HB 53 extends that list to cover offenses such as public gambling, computer-assisted wagering, betting at cockfights, operating electronic sweepstakes devices, unlawful wagering by prohibited players, and bribery of sports participants. The new offenses would be codified under provisions R.S. 15:1352(A)(89) through (95).

The practical effect is significant. Prosecutors would gain wider authority to pursue coordinated or ongoing illegal betting operations as organized criminal enterprises rather than prosecuting individual violations in isolation.

A legislative digest accompanying the bill describes the measure simply as retaining existing law while adding gambling-related crimes to the racketeering statute.

Maine moves to ban online sweeps casinos

Maine has taken a different but complementary approach, targeting a corner of the digital gambling market that has operated in a regulatory gray area. The state legislature passed LD 2007, banning online sweepstakes casinos, platforms that replicate slot machines, poker, or sports betting using a dual-currency model of purchasable virtual coins and redeemable promotional credits.

Sen. Craig Hickman introduced the bill, which had its first legislative appearance before the Senate Veterans and Legal Affairs Committee in December. The bill passed the Senate in the middle of March before being sent to the House for consideration. That chamber approved it 87-55.

Supporters argued the legislation eliminates ambiguity that has allowed operators to claim their platforms fall outside gambling laws.