Online Poker in Louisiana - Best LA Online Poker Sites 2025
Playing online poker in Louisiana legally might seem like a foregone conclusion considering that New Orleans is one of the largest party destinations in the United States, and there are half a dozen cities in the state with large casino resorts. Video poker is big money in Louisiana too and can be found at thousands of bars, diners, truck stops, et cetera.
However, video poker and online poker are two completely different things, and the video poker laws do not apply to internet poker. The state of LA has ignored internet poker, much like the overwhelming majority of other states.
Offshore poker sites, for the most part, have thus decided to allow Louisiana residents to play online poker freely on their websites. There's a rather large selection of Louisiana online poker sites with solid bonuses available to them, including the ever-popular and reliable Ignition Casino Poker.
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2. Online Poker Legal? 3. Best LA Poker Sites 4. How to Play Online Poker
5.1. Game Selection 5.2. Cashier Methods 5.3. Bonuses & Promos 5.4. Rakeback
6.1. Ignition 6.2. SB Poker/BOL 6.3. ACR Poker 6.4. CoinPoker 6.5. SwCPoker 6.6. Nitrobetting
7.1. B&M Poker 7.2. Gambling History 7.3. Famous Poker Players 7.4. Alternatives to LA Online Poker
Top Online Poker Sites in Louisiana
We've taken a look at software, dealing procedures and certifications, promotions, and payout speeds to bring to you a list of the top Louisiana online poker sites. You'll be treated right no matter which of the below poker operators you trust with your cash.
Is Online Poker Legal in Louisiana?
Louisiana has some tough anti-gambling laws, and poker is definitely compassed within their ambit. Even worse, poker games conducted over the internet are included in these prohibitory statutes.
The outdated laws that might deter one from enjoying an online game found their way onto the books back when the cities of Lake Charles and Shreveport were bringing riverboat gambling to their respective cities. A law, §90.3, was passed prohibiting "gambling by computer" in the 1990s.
However, these laws only apply to those operating gambling games “as a business.” Mere players are not touched by these provisions, and not a single person has ever been indicted or prosecuted for playing poker in the state (or anywhere else in the United States for that matter). It's completely legal for you, as an individual player, to participate in online poker in Louisiana.
Best Louisiana Online Poker Sites
The venues for online poker in Louisiana range in quality from the upstanding and honest to the unscrupulous and disreputable. We fully realize that it can be challenging to differentiate between the two groups, which is why we've gone ahead and done this chore for you. Below is our vetted list of reputable rooms:
- Ignition Casino - Best bonus clearance + most traffic.
- SB Poker - Bad Beat Jackpots, leaderboards, contests, other promos.
- BetOnline - Excellent mobile poker software.
- ACR Poker - Lucrative tournament schedule and frequent series.
- Coin Poker - Best site for crypto-currency enthusiasts.
- SwCPoker - Many poker formats (NLHE, PLO, PLO8, Razz, HORSE, and more).
- Nitrobetting - Bitcoin games, in-browser software.
- BlackChip Poker - ACR sister site, option if you already have an ACR account.
- True Poker - Secondary room on same network as ACRPoker and BlackChip.
How to Play Online Poker in Louisiana
Beginning to play at any online poker site for Louisiana is a piece of cake. Follow our instructions below to get started at our highest-rated site, Ignition Poker. The steps for signing up at any other site will be similar although there will be a few differences.
- Click on any of our Ignition Casino Poker signup links.
- A registration form will load automatically in your browser. Fill out all the fields, and resist the urge to falsify your info. When it comes time for your first withdrawal, you'll likely have to complete the account verification process, and any discrepancies in your personal details could lead to the closure of your account.
- Click on “Register” at the bottom of the form to submit it and create your account.
- Ignition may wish to confirm your mobile number by sending you a text message. Input the code given to you into the space indicated on Ignition's website.
- Now that your new account is ready, it's time to click over to the cashier and make your deposit through whatever payment method works best for you (we recommend Bitcoin).
How We Evaluate Louisiana Online Poker Sites – Choosing the Best Internet Poker Room
All of the poker operations we've just gone over are excellent arenas for online cards though they all have their own particular strengths and drawbacks. Although it's impossible for us to tell you exactly where to play, we do have a list of factors that we have used in our evaluation process.
Games and Stakes Offered
Some poker rooms prefer to stick to the tried-and-true NL Hold'em and PL Omaha, but others offer a broader range of poker types, perhaps including HORSE, Stud, and Draw poker variants. Even at sites with the same games, the range of cash game stakes offered may vary quite a bit.
When it comes to such non-standard formats as fast-fold cash games, lottery-style SNGs, Step satellites, and multi-day tournaments, each site is different. Some carry a wide range of such games while others lack them almost entirely.
Deposits and Withdrawals
Credit cards, checks, and other legacy payment channels are widely supported at most Louisiana online poker rooms. However, there's a better way: Bitcoin.
Bitcoin transactions tend to be fast and have low fees while also circumventing annoying banking and governmental restrictions. If you haven't yet started using Bitcoin, then you can read this thorough guide to Bitcoin and online poker.
Bonuses and Other Promos
Depending on the poker site of your choice, you might receive a deposit on your initial deposit. Many rooms also provide reload bonuses from time to time on your future deposits. You might also be able to take advantage of rake races, leaderboards, loyalty programs, and other rewards.
Some of these promotions are time-sensitive and change often. Others are pretty much permanent, and you can benefit from them multiple times.
Online Poker Rakeback
When it comes to online poker bonuses and promotions, there's one that stands above the rest: Rakeback. This is a regular refund on the rake you pay at the tables, and it generally is good for the whole lifetime of your account. We appreciate the value of rakeback so much that it forms part of the name of our site, Professional Rakeback.
Here's a list of the trustworthy sites for rakeback in Louisiana:
- ACR Poker – 27% rakeback on demand
- CoinPoker – 33% rakeback weekly, for holders of CHP token
- SwCPoker – up to 50% rakeback depending on play volume
- Nitrobetting – up to 35% rakeback monthly, depending on play volume
- BlackChip Poker – 27% rakeback on demand
- True Poker – 27% rakeback on demand
Reviews of Online Poker Sites for Louisiana
In case you want to learn more before choosing a Louisiana online poker site, we have written well-researched reviews below. Read them to learn more about the rooms available to you and increase your knowledge.
Ignition Casino Poker
Deposit Methods
Credit Card, Voucher Code, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Bitcoin SV, Litecoin, Ethereum, Tether, MatchPay
Pros
- Highest player population
- Speedy bonus clearance
- Games are easily beatable
Cons
- Seats and tables assigned at random
Review
Ignition Poker is the number one site for Louisianians as far as the number of players and tables goes. Game quality is excellent across the entire range of stakes, up to $10/$20, in NL Hold'em, PL Omaha, and PL Omaha Hi-Lo. There's also fast-fold Zone Poker, Limit Hold'em, sit n' gos, and lottery-style Jackpot SNG to sample. Don't forget about the tournaments here, which include a weekly $150,000 guarantee as well as recurring series that pay out millions of dollars in prizes.
Unfortunately, you can't select your ring game table or seat because seating is handled by a Quick Seat function. This blunts one of your edges as a player, but on the other hand, it leads to soft games because novices feel comfortable and confident that sharks can't prey upon them at will.
You can download Ignition Poker for PC or Mac or access the web client to play from your smart device. Crypto users get a 150% up to $1,500 poker bonus.
SB Poker/BetOnline
Deposit Methods
Credit Cards, Person to Person, Money Orders, Bank Wire, Cashiers Check, Bitcoin, Avalanche, Binance, Bitcoin Cash, Cardano, Dogecoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Polygon, Ripple, Shiba Inu, Solana, Stellar, Tether, Tron, USD Coin
Pros
- Superb mobile poker client
- Fast withdrawals via crypto
- Attached casino, racebook, and sportsbook
Cons
- High rake
Review
SB Poker and sister site BetOnline offer games up to $5/$10 in PLO, PLO/8, NLHE, 5 Card PLO, and 6 Card PLO. Hold'em and Omaha tables here feature Bad Beat Jackpots, which are becoming rare online of late.
Other games spread include Boost fast-fold, Windfall lottery games, sit n' gos, and tournaments, including special series. Leaderboards, contests, and the RISE rewards program provide extra money to regular grinders.
Sportsbetting and BOL let you play on Mac or Windows with its download applications, and there's also support for Android and iOS devices with an excellent mobile client. Upon making your initial deposit, you'll be rewarded with a 100% up to $1,000 poker bonus and several other deals for sports and casino betting.
ACR Poker
Deposit Methods
Credit Cards, Bitcoin, Litecoin, Ethereum, Tether, Money Transfer
Pros
- Largest tournaments open to Louisianans
- $10 free bankroll (bonus code PRB10FREE)
- Recurring rewards through Elite Benefits program
Cons
- No play money games
Review
ACR Poker is your top destination if you like big tournaments because it has a weekly $300,000 guaranteed Sunday Moneymaker, a $5 million Venom event a couple of times per year, and frequent series that award eight figures in prize money.
ACR also spreads Hold'em, Omaha, and Omaha/8 cash games with blinds as high as $50/$100 as well as Stud and LHE. A full complement of sit-n-gos, Jackpots, and fast-fold Blitz games rounds out the selection.
You can download ACR for your PC or Mac, and there's a mobile client too. Use our exclusive ACR promo code PRB10FREE for a $10 no deposit bonus, then fund your account and get a 100% up to $2,000 welcome bonus.
Coin Poker
Deposit Methods
Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, CHP, Polygon, BNB
Pros
- Crypto poker room with the most traffic
- Weekly rakeback: 33%
Cons
- No standard sit n' gos
Review
CoinPoker conducts deposits and withdrawals utilizing cryptocurrency, including Tether, Bitcoin, and Ethereum. All poker play is denominated in Tether (UDST). CoinPoker is the largest crypto-exclusive poker site available, and it is growing rapidly. One problem is that despite the presence of lottery-style Cosmic Spins, there are no regular SNGs.
Leaderboards award cash game and tournament grinders with free Tether. Furthermore, you can obtain 33% weekly rakeback if you invest a bit in CHP, this room's proprietary crypto coin.
The CoinPoker software operates on Macs, PCs, Androids, and iOS devices. The welcome bonus is 150% up to $2,000.
SwCPoker
Deposit Methods
Bitcoin
Pros
- Extensive lineup of poker variants
- Krill rewards worth up to 50% rakeback
Cons
- Low player liquidity
Review
SwCPoker is an offshoot of an original BTC poker room known as Seals With Clubs, which was known for its high number of poker variants supported. You can play all of the standard formats like NL Hold'em and PL Omaha in addition to numerous niche variants like Open Face Chinese, Razz, and mixed games.
The SwCPoker software works well on any PC, Mac, Android, or iOS device. No initial deposit bonus is available here, but you can receive up to 50% rakeback on your poker play through the Krill rewards program.
Nitrobetting
Deposit Methods
Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, Ethereum, Tether, USD Coin, BNB
Pros
- In-browser software means no download needed
- Up to 35% rakeback
Cons
- Only two poker variants spread
- Low player volume
Review
Nitrobetting Poker offers NL Texas Hold'em and PL Omaha though traffic is light. It runs in a web application that functions on pretty much any browser, so Nitrobetting is compatible with almost any modern device.
Nitrobetting Poker offers no welcome bonus. Still, you can get up to 50% monthly rakeback depending on how much you play.
Facts About Louisiana's Poker Industry
This section will aim to provide accurate information regarding live gambling venues, the history of gambling in the State of Louisiana, famous players that hail from the state, and more.
Live Poker
None of the cardrooms is especially large, but there are a dozen of them dotted around the state. Pokerists in the Big Easy will probably find Caesars New Orleans (formerly Harrah's) and its 20 poker tables to their liking as a number of WSOP events are held there each year.
Coushatta Casino and the Golden Nugget are in the Lake Charles area. Each of these similarly sized destinations for live poker offer low-stakes NL Hold'em cash games around the clock.
L'Auberge du Lac Casino in Lake Charles was once a frequent destination for poker great Sam Farha who would play in the high-stakes pot-limit Omaha games with blinds of up to $100/$200. That is of course until the game broke up due to the FBI arrest and seizure of 5.7 million in property from a local whale / alleged bookie. L'Auberge du Lac has since shuttered its poker room.
Other hot spots for land-based gambling can be found in Shreveport and Baton Rouge, which have casino-resorts and/or riverboat gambling establishments. They offer every conceivable table game known to man, including live poker games.
History of Gambling in Louisiana
Louisiana is one of the states with the richest gambling history, which at various times has seen a government-run casino, the alleged invention of dice game craps by local bigwig Jean-Bernard Xavier Philippe de Marigny, the creation of the modern resort-casino by John Davis, a crooked lottery that booked ticket sales nationwide, and shifty cardsharps plying their trade on riverboats. Not least, poker is believed to have been invented in the early 1800s in New Orleans.
By the early 1900s, many of the more “colorful” aspects of Louisiana gambling had disappeared, closed altogether or driven underground by punitive legislation. In 1926, parimutuel betting was allowed, and in 1968, charitable gaming became legal. The '90s saw a flurry of activity with a lottery being instituted, riverboat casinos authorized, gaming compacts signed by tribal leaders, and racetracks turned into racinos. In 2020 there was a parish-by-parish vote to legalize sports betting, and 56 parishes approved.
Famous Poker Players From Louisiana
Although there is a handful of modern famous Louisiana poker players, most of them seem uninteresting compared to the old-school gamblers who frequented the riverboat scene in the 1800s. One of them was Jimmy Fitzgerald who dressed in the latest fashions imported from Paris and required three men to transport his wardrobe. Alas, Jimmy had a fondness for faro games and supposedly would often lose at land-based faro tables whatever he had won playing poker on riverboats.
Alternatives to Registering Your Poker Account in the State of Louisiana
Perhaps you are lucky enough to have another address in a nearby state, be it your business address, summer home, second apartment, family home, etc. If so, then you may have other online poker options available to you. Here is a list of the states that border Louisiana and Professional Rakeback's review of each of them: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi, Oklahoma, and Texas.
Perhaps you are the more adventurous type and have decided that your secondary property is far removed from the sweltering and sticky sub-tropical Louisiana summers. Fear not, you aren't out of luck. We have an article that provides information on all 50 states and their real money online poker site options.
If you have found this information helpful to you, please consider sharing it with your friends and family. Unfortunately, many people are ignorant of their ability to still play poker on the Internet. Let us grow our favorite pastime together by disseminating knowledge!
Summary of Online Poker in Louisiana
There are no laws holding you back from playing online poker in Louisiana. This form of competition is convenient, entertaining, and possibly profitable depending on your own level of skill. Find a good Louisiana online poker home from the options we've presented, and begin your internet poker journey today.
Responsible Gaming
Professional Rakeback recognizes the importance of gaming responsibly. If you find that your online poker habit is interfering with the rest of your life, then it might be time to seek help. See the links below for valuable Louisiana problem gambling resources:
- Gamblers Anonymous
- National Problem Gambling Helpline
- Louisiana Department of Health Problem Gambling Page
- Louisiana Association on Compulsive Gambling
Frequently Asked Questions
We've listened to the common questions raised by our readers and have therefore put together a FAQ addressing some of them. You can turn here for solid information about issues related to online poker in Louisiana.
Yes, you can enjoy Louisiana online poker without any risk of legal persecution. There are state laws in effect specifically making online gambling illegal, but the way the texts are laid out, it's only those operating the games that can be prosecuted.
As an individual internet poker enthusiast, you have nothing to fear as long as you don't conduct your gameplay in public places because there is a statute criminalizing gambling in public. Actually, we've never heard of anyone being arrested for playing online poker in public, but the law is still on the books.
At the federal level, the Wire Act in conjunction with the UIGEA used to be understood as making online poker against the law. However, recent court rulings have demolished this anti-poker line of reasoning.
Yes, the state police have no interest in penalizing regular players for heading online to PokerStars. However, this doesn't mean what you may think it does.
You see, PokerStars has promised to stay out of the U.S. market except in those jurisdictions where there are legal licensure regimes in place for internet poker. Louisiana doesn't fit this criterion, and so the company does not accept players from the Bayou State except for play money games.
This policy was put in place by PokerStars management as part of a deal arranged with the federal authorities in the aftermath of the Black Friday crackdown against online poker.
Louisiana has imposed minimum ages of 18 for pari-mutuel betting and charitable bingo but 21 for all other forms of gambling. While the topic of underage online gaming hasn't really come up in the legislative arena, and so there are no specific regulations for it, it's very likely that these same guidelines for live gaming transfer over to the online realm.
Yet, we’ve already seen that Louisiana’s local laws don’t translate well to the online realm. As a matter of fact, you need to be just 18 years old or older to set up poker accounts at most online destinations for the game.
There are a number of funding and cashout methods available at leading sites for online poker in Louisiana, including credit cards and money transfers. We believe that the crypto-currency Bitcoin is the best one because it facilitates the speedy movement of money with reasonably low fees. All of the major sites that accept Louisiana players support Bitcoin.
Ethereum is another growing crypto-currency that has even lower fees and more rapid transaction timeframes associated with its use than Bitcoin, but there are only a few online poker sites that work with ETH. If you'd like to learn more about how you can use Ethereum to play poker, check out our Ethereum online gambling guide. Another interesting crypto coin that’s gaining traction in online gaming is Bitcoin Cash.
Louisiana considers gambling winnings to be income, and so does the IRS. It's up to you to report your gambling income on the proper forms; otherwise, you might be subject to future fines and financial penalties.
None of the Louisiana online poker rooms withhold taxes or send paperwork to the tax collection agencies, so the entire responsibility lies with the individual winners. The tax codes are notoriously difficult to understand, and if you derive a sizable fraction of your income from poker, we recommend that you consult a professional CPA for additional assistance and information.
Mobile poker apps give you the freedom to log in not just while you're at home but also when you're traveling or at work. Ignition, Sportsbetting.ag, and ACR Poker are a few of the sites that cater to mobile gamers. Be warned, however, that at some poker rooms, your choice of games is more restrictive on mobile platforms than on desktop systems.
Additional Resources
Louisiana's residents have certainly been known to gamble on occasion, and you can find out more about this pastime below:
We strive to maintain this information and update it frequently with our research. However, we are not immune to making mistakes or omitting information that you, dear reader, may find of use. If you have any further questions not addressed in this guide or have noted any discrepancies or inaccuracies we urge you to contact us with your questions and concerns so that we may swiftly address them!