Louisiana Casino Has Sports Betting Deal With IGT PlaySports

A Louisiana casino has struck a deal in anticipation of an impending legalized sports betting launch in the state, coming to an agreement with International Game Technology for its IGT PlaySports technology.

The Coushatta Casino Resort in Kinder, about 40 miles northeast of Lake Charles, will use IGT to provide sports betting when the practice comes to fruition for customers.

"We're very excited to be one of the first casinos in Louisiana to secure a sports betting agreement, allowing us to offer our patrons new types of gaming experiences backed by IGT's reliable sports betting solution," Jonathan Cernek, Chairman of the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana, said in a news release. "IGT's bundled solution, consisting of its leading sports betting platform and products will allow us to quickly and easily deploy an exceptional localized sports betting program."

The Coushatta Casino Resort has more than 2,000 slots and 65-plus table games, including live poker. The facility also offers live bingo and off-track betting.

"Coushatta Casino Resort is Louisiana's largest casino resort and represents another significant milestone for IGT as we continue to drive our U.S. sports betting momentum," Enrico Drago, IGT PlayDigital Senior Vice President, said in the release. "We look forward to helping the casino establish a best-in-class sports betting program, leveraging IGT's proven technology and services to expand gaming experiences for its patrons."

Louisiana Sports Betting Update

The timetable on sports betting arriving in Louisiana is not set in stone, even several months after voters in 55 of the state’s 64 parishes approved it at the ballot box.

Louisiana is seeking a regulatory chief for its US gambling oversight, leading to a possible delay for sports betting being launched in the state. The Louisiana Gaming Control Board must set rules before sports betting can launch in the Bayou State.

The state legislature passed bills on June 10 to legalize sports betting and Gov. John Bel Edwards signed them into law on June 22.

More on Louisiana Gaming

The facility in Kinder is one of five tribal casinos in Louisiana with a combined annual economic impact of $1.22 billion, according to the American Gaming Association. There are also 13 commercial riverboat casinos, one land-based casino and four racinos (slots at race tracks) in addition to hundreds of video gaming outlets in Louisiana.

The state’s commercial casinos reported a combined $305.9 million in revenue in May, according to the LGCB.

Last year, Louisiana casino revenues took severe hits from two crisis points – the COVID-19 epidemic that shut down casinos across the country, and hurricane damage in late summer, especially in Lake Charles.