Louisiana § RS 14:90 - Gambling
Full text of Louisiana Louisiana Civil Code § RS 14:90 — Gambling, with citation guidance and answers to common questions.
§ RS 14:90. Gambling
A.(1)(a) Gambling 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.
(b) Whoever commits the crime of gambling shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars, or imprisoned for not more than six months, or both.
(2) Whoever conducts, finances, manages, supervises, directs, or owns all or part of an illegal gambling business shall be fined not more than twenty thousand dollars, or imprisoned with or without hard labor, for not more than five years, or both when:
(a) R.S. 14:90 is violated.
(b) Five or more persons are involved who conduct, finance, manage, supervise, direct, or own all or part of an illegal gambling business.
(c) Such business has been in or remains in substantially continuous operation for a period of thirty days or more or, if the continuous operation is for less than thirty days, has a gross revenue of two thousand dollars in any single day.
B. The conducting, or directly assisting in the conducting, as a business, of any game, contest, lottery, or contrivance on board a commercial cruiseship used for the international carriage of passengers whereby a person risks the loss of anything of value in order to realize a profit is not gambling and shall not be suppressed by any law enforcement officer of the state of Louisiana or any of its political subdivisions. This Subsection shall apply only to commercial cruiseships for the carriage of passengers which are sailing from a port outside the continental limits of the United States to a port in any municipality of this state having a population of more than three hundred thousand or any such ship which is sailing from a port in such a municipality to a port outside the continental limits of the United States, provided that the ship is not docked or anchored but is navigating en route between such ports.
C. The conducting or assisting in the conducting of gaming activities or operations upon a riverboat at the official gaming establishment, by operating an electronic video draw poker device, by a charitable gaming licensee, or at a pari-mutuel wagering facility, conducting slot machine gaming at an eligible horse racing facility, or the operation of a state lottery which is licensed for operation and regulated under the provisions of Chapters 4 and 11 of Title 4, Chapters 4, 5, 7, and 8 of Title 27, or Subtitle XI of Title 47 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, is not gambling for the purposes of this Section, so long as the wagering is conducted on the premises of the licensed establishment.
D. Except as provided in R.S. 27:305, participation in any fantasy sports contest as defined by R.S. 27:302 shall not be considered gambling for the purposes of this Section.
E. Sports wagering shall not be considered gambling for purposes of this Section so long as the wagering is conducted in compliance with Chapter 10 of Title 27 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950 or Chapter 10 of Subtitle XI of Title 47 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950.
Amended by Acts 1968, No. 647, §1; Acts 1979, No. 633, §1; Acts 1990, No. 1045, §2, eff. Nov. 7, 1990; Acts 1991, No. 158, §1; Acts 1991, No. 289, §6; Acts 1991, No. 753, §2, eff. July 18, 1991; Acts 1992, No. 384, §2, eff. June 18, 1992; Acts 2010, No. 518, §§1, 2; Acts 2011, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 17, §1; Acts 2012, No. 161, §1, eff. August 1, 2012; Acts 2018, No. 322, §3, see Act; Acts 2021, No. 80, §2, eff. July 1, 2021; Acts 2021, No. 440, §3, eff. July 1, 2021.
Source: official Louisiana text · Last verified 2026-08-27
Frequently Asked Questions About Louisiana § RS 14:90
What does Louisiana Civil Code § RS 14:90 cover?
Section RS 14:90 ("Gambling") is part of the Louisiana Civil Code, the codified statutory law of Louisiana. It sets out the legal rule or procedure described in the text above. Statutes are amended regularly, so always verify against the official source.
How do I cite Louisiana § RS 14:90?
A common citation format is "Louisiana Civil Code § RS 14:90" (Louisiana). Legal writing may require the code abbreviation, section number, and year or edition. Match the style required by your court, professor, or publisher.
Is this the official text of Louisiana law?
No. This page is for research and education and may not include the most recent amendments. For official current law, check the Louisiana official source linked on this page or consult a licensed Louisiana attorney.
How does Louisiana § RS 14:90 apply to my situation?
Statutes are interpreted in context, and application depends on your specific facts. Only a licensed attorney in Louisiana can advise on how this section applies to you. Contact your state or local bar association for a referral.
Sources & Verification
Not legal advice. Verify against the official source and consult a licensed attorney in Louisiana.