Robert Travis Scott, president of the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana, a non-partisan public policy group, says lawmakers are often conflicted about dedicating the state’s revenue to specific projects. Some lawmakers are eyeing that revenue as a way to increase funding for early childhood education. Senator Martiny estimates sports betting could generate anywhere from $20 million to $40 million a year. “It would provide us with some revenue, but the main thing it’d do is stop us from losing revenue to other states,” he explained. He’d rather they spend those dollars here. Martiny worries that because Louisiana casinos don’t take sports bets, gamblers are driving across state lines to spend their money. Sports betting is legal in eight states now, including Mississippi and Arkansas. Supreme Court last year cleared the way for states to legalize wagers on sports. “Anybody who believes that if my bill fails Louisiana won’t have any sports betting activity is very naive,” said Martiny. Like it or not, he says, the industry is already operating in the state, just under the table. State Senator Danny Martiny (R-Metairie) will again push the Legislature to legalize sports betting in Louisiana.
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