Change is finally happening in Louisiana as lawmakers reportedly plan to rewrite the state’s antiquated casino law in the first quarter of the year.
According to the Associated Press, Republican Sen. Ronnie Johns is set to sponsor a bill that will spark a “meaningful conversation” on Louisiana’s riverboat casino laws and pave the way for the overhaul of the 20-year-old law.
“We’ve started with something we think is very manageable, something that I think has an excellent opportunity to pass,” Johns said, according to the news outlet.
In 1991, legislators enacted a law that led to the opening of 15 riverboat casinos in Louisiana. At least $400 million of the $900 million collected from state’s gambling industry came from riverboat casinos, according to the report.
The last time that the state tweaked its gambling law was in 2001, when the riverboats were allowed to pay higher tax rates in exchange for allowing their gambling facilities to be permanently docked.
Johns pointed out that many of the law’s provisions are no longer applicable, and that Louisiana is one of the few remaining states that require their casinos to remain in the water.
If the plan pushes through, Louisiana riverboat casinos will move onto land with larger gaming spaces.
Legislators would also like to eliminate taxes on the promotional money that casinos send out to lure players into their brick-and-mortar establishments.
Surprisingly, Bible-preaching legislators approved the proposals to change the current Louisiana’s casino law. Ronald Jones, who led the task force and was chairman of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board, believes the changes would ensure Louisiana casinos stay competitive.
“I think we’ve started a discussion that’s been years in the making. We can make some meaningful changes. We can promote a reinvestment in this economy in Louisiana. I think we can create some jobs,” Jones said, according to the news report.
