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Louisiana bookies have been an endangered species in recent years. During the year 2008 alone over 100 bookies were rounded up across the state. Since that time, the state has begun to regulate sports betting in all but a few sparsely populated parishes that voted against it.
The history of sports betting in the state over the past two decades has not always been kind to the local bookie. There is hope that regulation will bring an end to the aggressive tactics at the very least since the activity is now seen as more mainstream. But then again, this is the same state that is now requiring the 10 Commandments be posted in all public grade schools, so who really knows? Nothing against religion but there's always been an understanding of the separation between church and state.
2008 wasn’t the end to Louisiana’s crackdown on illegal sports betting businesses.
Six people from Louisiana, including William Bryant III, the premium sales manager for the NBA's New Orleans Hornets, were arrested as part of a multi-state bust of a $178 million online gambling ring in 2010.
Even before 2008 there were signs of trouble. In 2006, Sportingbet Chairperson Peter Dicks was taken into custody upon arrival at New York’s JFK Airport from his home base of London, England. He and others had secret arrest warrants issued against them by the Louisiana State Police for operating their online gambling websites in that state. Louisiana actually wanted to have Dicks extradited by New York state refused.
Local bookies using a pay per head software solution in the state will always have the advantage despite the presence of regulated apps. The reason: Anonymity, the ability to bet on credit and the fact that locals won't report winnings.
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