LSU Survey: Majority of residents support legalizing sports gambling, some marijuana

BATON ROUG– Majorities of Louisiana residents support legalizing gambling on professional sports and possession of a small amount of marijuana for recreational use while opposing stricter gun laws, according to an LSU survey released Thursday.

The Legislature is expected this spring to consider legalizing sports gambling. Statewide, 59 percent of survey respondents support the idea while only 35 percent oppose it.

There is virtually no difference in opinions on the issue between Republicans and Democrats. The distinctions lie among the age groups.

Over 70 percent of respondents from ages 18 through 49 support sports betting. However, support drops to 53 percent among adults age 50 to 64 and to 38 percent of adults who are 65 or older.

Democratic Governor John Bel Edwards recently told the Press Club of Baton Rouge: “There are many different ways that sports betting can be undertaken. We’re trying to figure out what works for Louisiana.”

Edwards, who is running for re-election, expressed concern that Louisiana casinos are losing money to ones in Mississippi, which already legalized sports betting. But The New York Times reported this week that casinos in Mississippi and several other states that legalized sports betting are not bringing in as much money as they had expected.

Read more in FOX8Live.