Online New Orleans Poker Rooms in LA

Louisiana’s gambling laws are a mix of permissive and restrictive gambling measures.

The Pelican State allows several forms of gambling, and its regulations clearly spell out what’s legal and what isn’t.

Land-based casinos (tribal and commercial) and riverboats are permitted, which means there is no shortage of live poker action in New Orleans and the rest of the state.

Unlike many US states whose laws provide a vague approach to online casinos and poker rooms, Louisiana explicitly forbids this industry. In accordance with LA regulations, internet gambling is illegal and punishable.

Does this mean New Orleans residents are left in the lurch when it comes to playing online poker? Continue reading to find the lowdown on all things online poker in Louisiana.

Best Online Poker Sites in New Orleans, Louisiana

Although Louisiana banned online poker sites, the prohibition measures did not specifically address offshore rooms, leaving them in the gray area of legality. Thus, New Orleans players are free to register and enjoy online tournaments and cash games these rooms offer.

Before you join a site, it’s imperative to pick a trustworthy one because some platforms don’t take appropriate measures to keep you safe.

Feel free to explore the sites featured below to find the best online poker sites in New Orleans. They may not have world-famous poker rooms like the one in Harrah’s Casino, but they offer amazing bonuses and feature unique tournament formats.

My list of the best poker sites which I consider to be the best rooms to play in 2024:

Is Online Poker Legal in New Orleans, Louisiana?

The short answer is no. Along with Utah, Louisiana is the state that criminalizes the online gambling industry explicitly.

All internet gambling activities were a step from legalization in 2018 when Senator Martiny introduced SB 322 to the Louisiana legislature. Although the bill addressed the legalization of online poker and casino games, it died quickly and left the issue unsettled.

After that, the Pelican State decided to revise its outdated laws and address internet gambling. The excerpt from Louisiana Revised Statutes 14:90.3 states that:

“Gambling by computer is the intentional conducting, or directly assisting in the conducting as a business of any game, contest, lottery, or contrivance whereby a person risks the loss of anything of value in order to realize a profit when accessing the Internet, World Wide Web, or any part thereof by way of any computer, computer system, computer network, computer software, or any server.”

The state penalizes those who violate this law with fines of up to $500 and six-month imprisonment. What’s more, three-time offenders may face felony charges.

Experts interpreting this law believe that it doesn’t target individuals but only those who manage and run online websites as businesses. According to some records, Louisiana charged over 50 executives and more than a dozen online companies for accepting internet poker and casino bets in 2006.

However, no individual player has ever been arrested for playing poker on the internet, and the updated gambling laws don’t mention offshore sites or prevent them from serving Louisiana residents.

New Orleans players can easily join most international poker rooms as these cater to a worldwide audience. If you are contemplating joining such platforms, it’s best to consult an expert in the field who’ll interpret the law properly.

Until a legal professional gives you the green light, sweepstakes and social casinos are your best bet. These platforms operate under a different model and are 100% legal in Louisiana.

New Orleans, LA Poker Laws

Follow the links below to read and interpret poker-related legal regulations in New Orleans, Louisiana:

• Louisiana Gaming Control Law
• Louisiana Revised Statutes (Internet gambling)
• 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act

How to Pick the Best New Orleans Poker Site

Many offshore poker sites cater to US players, including those from New Orleans. Still, since they aren’t regulated in Louisiana and many of them aren’t trustworthy, it’s up to the players to research and find good platforms.

Take a look at the following checklist before you start playing on any international site.

Benefits of Playing Online Poker in New Orleans, LA

Playing poker at offshore platforms can be a great experience if you choose the right operator. Here are the primary advantages:

• These sites offer extensive catalogs of cash games and unique tournaments that cannot be found in New Orleans casinos.
• Promotions come in different sizes and forms, and they are aimed at both new and regular customers. Additionally, the promos are much bigger than those you can find in a live poker environment.
• While high buy-ins and limits are often present in live poker rooms, these are more flexible on offshore poker sites.
• Playing online poker is convenient — you can play it whenever, wherever.
• Online platforms allow you to multi-table — play on multiple tables simultaneously.
• It’s cost-effective, as you don’t have to drive to the nearest land-based poker room.
• Some online poker rooms allow anonymous play, so you don’t have to worry about revealing your identity.
• Online poker has softer competition, so you’ll easily find an opponent to play against, especially if you are a casual player.

Famous Poker Players From New Orleans, LA

With a wealth of casinos and a thriving poker scene, it’s no wonder that New Orleans has become a breeding ground for talented poker professionals. Names worth mentioning include:

Brandon Adams — Adams is Louisiana’s number one poker player. His most significant achievement was a triumph at the $50,000 No Limit Hold’em — Event 4 at the Poker Masters in Las Vegas (2017), which brought him $819k. The New Orleans-born has participated in over 60 competitions, and his total career earnings exceed $5.2 million. Adams currently ranks 228th on the all-time money list.

Kaufman Talley III — Talley earned almost $1.1 million in live poker tournaments. He started his career in 2010 and has participated in 80 events since then. His biggest success was winning $116.9k at the $10,000 No Limit Hold’em Main Event Championship (Event #68) at the WSOP Las Vegas in 2016. He is currently the 7th best player in Louisiana.

Herbert Montalbano — Montalbano has been playing poker professionally for 20 years. Participating in over 100 competitions has earned him $759k and the 1,283rd spot on the all-time money list. He’s best known for winning $134k at the WPT Bay 101 Shooting Star in San Jose (2014).

Fred Sigur — Sigur is a poker veteran who started competing in live poker tournaments in 1983. The peak of his 40-year-long career was in 1989 when he emerged victorious at the Hall of Fame Poker Classic in Las Vegas and took $105.6k home. Currently, Sigur holds the 21st spot in Louisiana and 4,010th place on the all-time money list.

Top Land-Based Poker Rooms in New Orleans, LA

The Pelican State is home to 16 commercial casinos, 4 racinos, and 4 tribal gambling halls. A few of them are close to or in New Orleans, but the only two with poker rooms are Harrah’s Casino and Boomtown Casino.

Both venues offer cash games like Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Mississippi Stud, Three-Card Poker, and Pai Gow Poker. Aside from the regular daily No Limit Hold’em tournaments, Harrah’s is home to a major poker event in the state — the World Series of Poker.

If you are from New Orleans and over 21 years old, this is where you can find casinos with poker rooms:

Poker room	Address	Number of tables	Tournaments
Harrah’s New Orleans Hotel & Casino	228 Poydras St, New Orleans, Louisiana 70130	20	Yes
Boomtown Casino & Hotel	4132 Peters Rd, Harvey, Louisiana 70058	7	Yes

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