Louisiana Tribal Casino Beginning Sports Betting Today

Betfred Sports is heading south.

The Las Vegas-based sports betting platform has announced a partnership with Paragon Casino Resort in Marksville, Louisiana, for a retail sportsbook and it will be fully operational and live with first bets within the tribal casino being placed at 4 p.m. ET Wednesday.

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”Our partnership with Betfred Sports marks a new chapter for Paragon – which has always been a source of pride for Marksville and the people of Louisiana,” Paragon Casino Resort general manager Marshall Sampson, Sr. said in a news release Tuesday. “With this new partnership, I hope visitors from across the region will have the chance to experience it for themselves. Together, we are offering a first-class sports betting platform and venue that will make Paragon Casino Resort the place to bet and watch games in Louisiana.”

With the launch, Betfred Sports will be live in four states, including Colorado, Iowa and Pennsylvania.

“Louisiana is an exciting opportunity for Betfred Sports to continue its expansion in the U.S. after successful launches in Iowa, Colorado and Pennsylvania,” Betfred Group Chief Operating Officer Mark Stebbings said. “We look forward to utilizing our 50 years of bookmaking experience with our fantastic partner, Paragon Casino Resort, to bring the best sports betting experience to bettors in the state.”

The sportsbook, located within the property’s bar and restaurant The Draft Room, will feature theater seating, a custom video wall, betting counters and kiosks, according to the release.

The Draft Room's restaurant and bar offers multiple seating options with 112 TVs surrounded by table and bar seating, plus three VIP fan caves for private gatherings.

Louisiana Progressing on Sports Betting

The launch of full-scale mobile and retail sports betting in Louisiana is pending. Voters in 55 of the states 64 parishes approved a ballot measure in November 2020 to make sports betting legal in the state. Louisiana has been making progress toward implementing the practice with the aim of launching in early October. But when Hurricane Ida struck this summer it affected the state’s resources and delayed the implementation of sports betting at commercial casinos and race tracks.

In the meantime, the Marksville casino has become the state’s first option.

“As a native Louisianan and Chairman of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe of Louisiana, I am thrilled to help usher in sports betting to our state,” said Marshall Pierite, chairman of the Tunica-Biloxi Tribe, which owns Paragon Casino Resort. “This partnership with Betfred Sports promises continued success for Paragon as we continue our mission to provide a first-class gaming destination and vacation experience to our neighbors and guests coming to Central Louisiana.”

Paragon offers a 64,000-square-foot gaming floor, 1,000 Las Vegas-style slot machines and 500 hotel rooms.

Betfred Sports, a sportsbook sponsor of the Denver Broncos and Colorado Rockies, is currently pending regulatory approval to be fully operational in Nevada, Washington, Virginia and Arizona.