The Louisiana House of Representatives approved a bill that will increase sports betting tax on Tuesday, but at a reduced rate from the original proposal.
Rep. Neil Riser had called for a 32.5% tax on sports wagering when introducing HB 639 last month, but after discussions in the House, the proposed rate was amended to 21.5%. This is a more modest increase from the current rate of 15%.
At the newly proposed rate, the bill was voted 73-15 in favor, exceeding the required 70 votes needed to pass. It will now be sent to the Senate for further discussion. If passed, the new levy will come into force at the start of next year.
Colleges to benefit from tax increase
The bill proposes that 25% of tax revenue generated would go to a newly created Supporting Programs, Opportunities, Resources and Teams (SPORT) fund. This is designed to support Louisiana’s NCAA college athletes.
Riser commented on the need for additional funds for the state’s colleges, stating, “The need is so high. When you start talking about the SEC, talking about any level of athletics right now, it’s changed so dramatically.”
At the moment, 63% of tax funds go to the state’s general fund, which will be reduced to 34%. The money going towards early childhood education will remain the same at 25%, and 3% will be allocated towards problem gambling initiatives, compared to the current 2%. The remaining 3% will go towards an inclusive education fund.
At the current rate, the state collected $65 million last year; the increase to 21.5% would have brought in approximately $30 million additional funds.
Louisiana sports betting growing
Louisiana sports betting has grown year-on-year since its launch in 2021.
| Year | Betting Handle | Gross Gaming Revenue (GGR) | Tax Revenue Collected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | ~$39 million (Nov–Dec only) | ~$6.7 million | ~$1.3 million |
| 2022 | ~$2.34 billion | ~$228 million | ~$34 million |
| 2023 | ~$2.91 billion | ~$367 million | ~$32.6 million |
| 2024 | ~$3.7 billion | ~$467 million | ~$65 million |
ESPN Bet and bet365 launched in the state last year, contributing to a record monthly handle of $413.5 million in Novemeber. The growth looks set to continue with over $1 billion wagered in the first three months this year, but favorable March Madness results reduced the hold to around 8%, generating $31 million in GGR, compared to over $50 million in January and February.
Other states rasing tax rates
Other states have also identified increasing betting taxes as a good funding source. Maryland signed a sports betting tax increase into law this week, but similarly to Louisiana, the initial proposal to double the rate was tempered. Gov. Wes Moore eventually signed off on an increase to 20% from the current 15%.
Sportsbooks have warned that tax increases could damage the industry and send bettors to offshore, sweepstakes or prediction markets. Ohio implemented a 20% tax rate from its initial 10%, and the state’s betting companies did see a slight reduction in revenue, but the increase meant the state still collected more dollars.
If the bill does make it into law, then Louisiana will be hoping the growth witnessed to this point continues apace.
Adam is an experienced writer with years of experience in the gambling industry. He has worked as a content writer and editor for five years on sites such as Oddschecker, CoinTelegraph and Gambling Industry News, bringing excellent knowledge of the world of sports betting and online gambling.
