GAMBLING: Adds certain gambling crimes as predicate offenses for racketeering (EN SEE FISC NOTE GF EX)
HB 53 adds seven specific gambling-related crimes to Louisiana’s list of offenses that can serve as the basis for racketeering charges. It includes violations like operating illegal gambling games (R.S. 14:90), gambling in public (R.S. 14:90.2), computer gambling (R.S. 14:90.3), and bribery of sports participants (R.S. 14:118.1). Prosecutors can now use these gambling crimes as "predicate offenses" to build racketeering cases under Louisiana’s racketeering statute. The bill does not change the gambling laws themselves but expands how gambling violations can be prosecuted under broader organized crime statutes.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Apr 2026
House Passage
Mar 2026
Senate Passage
Apr 2026
Signed into Law
May 2026
Introduced Jan 30, 2026
Signed May 11, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons
What changed between versions
HB53 Original
→
HB53 Act
·
2 edits
MINOR
This bill was finalized and enrolled as Act No. 48, converting a draft proposal into official law. The substantive content remains focused on expanding racketeering laws by adding specific gambling-related crimes as predicate offenses, allowing prosecutors to use these gambling acts as part of a larger pattern of criminal activity.
Scope change
The bill's scope expanded to include specific gambling crimes as predicate offenses for racketeering charges, enabling broader prosecution of organized gambling operations.
ENFORCEMENT
Added specific gambling-related crimes to the list of predicate offenses that can be used to prove racketeering patterns.
TECHNICAL
Updated document metadata including bill status from 'Original' to 'Enrolled', added signatures from legislative leaders and the Governor, and renumbered entries for alphabetical order.
Floor votes · Senate Apr 27, 2026 · House Mar 30, 2026
How they voted
29–7
Passed · 4 other
Total votes 40
Apr 27, 2026
D
Democratic12
50% Nay
R
Republican28
82% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
20
Key actions
4
Committee
5
Apr 27, 2026
Upper · Passed
Read by title, passed by a vote of 29 yeas and 7 nays, and ordered returned to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
upper
Apr 15, 2026
Committee
Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
upper
Apr 14, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported favorably.
upper
Mar 30, 2026
Lower · Passed
Read third time by title, roll called on final passage, yeas 87, nays 11. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
lower
Mar 24, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported favorably (12-0).
lower
Mar 9, 2026
Committee
Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice.
lower
Jan 30, 2026
Committee
Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice.
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Bryan Fontenot
RRepublican
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