HB53 • 2026

GAMBLING: Adds certain gambling crimes as predicate offenses for racketeering (EN SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)

Crime

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Bryan Fontenot
Last action: 2026-05-11
Official status: Signed by the Governor - Act 48
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not specify which exact gambling-related crimes are included or how they will be organized by the Louisiana Law Institute.

Adding Gambling Crimes to Racketeering Laws

This act adds certain gambling crimes as predicate offenses for racketeering activity under Louisiana law.

What This Bill Does

Adds specific gambling-related crimes to the list of predicate offenses for racketeering.

Who It Names or Affects

People who commit certain types of gambling crimes will be affected by this law.
Law enforcement agencies that deal with racketeering cases may see changes in how they handle gambling-related offenses.

Terms To Know

Predicate offense: A crime that can be used to prove a larger crime, like racketeering.
Racketeering activity: Engaging in illegal activities as part of an organized criminal operation.

Limits and Unknowns

The exact impact on how gambling crimes are prosecuted is not detailed.
It's unclear if this will lead to more prosecutions or convictions for these specific types of gambling offenses.

Bill History

2026-05-11 H
Effective date: 08/01/2026.
2026-05-11 H
Signed by the Governor. Becomes Act No. 48.
2026-05-05 H
Sent to the Governor for executive approval.
2026-05-04 S
Signed by the President of the Senate.
2026-04-29 H
Enrolled and signed by the Speaker of the House.
2026-04-28 H
Received from the Senate without amendments.
2026-04-27 S
Read by title, passed by a vote of 29 yeas and 7 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
2026-04-20 S
Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments. Read by title and passed to third reading and final passage.
2026-04-15 S
Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
2026-04-14 S
Reported favorably.
2026-03-31 S
Read second time by title and referred to the Committee on Judiciary C.
2026-03-30 S
Received in the Senate. Rules suspended. Read first time by title and placed on the Calendar for a second reading.
2026-03-30 H
Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 87, nays 11. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
2026-03-26 H
Scheduled for floor debate on 03/30/2026.
2026-03-25 H
Read by title, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading.
2026-03-24 H
Reported favorably (12-0).
2026-03-09 H
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice.
2026-01-30 H
First appeared in the Interim Calendar on 1/30/2026.
2026-01-30 H
Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice.
2026-01-30 H
Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

GAMBLING: Adds certain gambling crimes as predicate offenses for racketeering (EN SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

ENROLLED
ACT No. 482026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 53
BY REPRESENTATIVE FONTENOT
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 15:1352(A)(89) through (95), relative to gambling crimes; to add certain
3 gambling crimes as predicate offenses for racketeering activity; and to provide for
4 related matters.
5 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
6 Section 1. R.S. 15:1352(A)(89) through (95) are hereby enacted to read as follows:
7 §1352. Definitions
8 A. As used in this Chapter, "racketeering activity" means committing,
9 attempting to commit, conspiring to commit, or soliciting, coercing, or intimidating
10 another person to commit any crime that is punishable under the following
11 provisions of Title 14 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, the Uniform
12 Controlled Dangerous Substances Law, or the Louisiana Securities Law:
13 * * *
14 (89) R.S. 14:90 (Gambling)
15 (90) R.S. 14:90.2 (Gambling in public)
16 (91) R.S. 14:90.3 (Gambling by computer)
17 (92) R.S. 14:90.6 (Gambling or wagering at cockfights)
18 (93) R.S. 14:90.7 (Gambling by electronic sweepstakes device)
19 (94) R.S. 14:90.8 (Unlawful wagering; prohibited player)
20 (95) R.S. 14:118.1 (Bribery of sports participants)
21 * * *
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HB NO. 53 ENROLLED
1 Section 2. The Louisiana Law Institute is hereby authorized and directed to
2 renumber the new entries to ensure that the crimes are listed in alphabetical order.
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA
APPROVED:
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CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.