Deadbeat Parents Will Have To Gamble Underground In Louisiana

Thousands of reasons exist as to why parents chose not to pay child support for their children. One of the reasons, a possible addiction to gambling is now being taken away from deadbeat parents in Louisiana.

A new law that was created last year will take effect in May, after the Louisiana Gaming Control Board finalized the rules regarding the law. The bottom line to the rules is that no parent that owes back child support will be allowed to keep their casino winnings.

The child support system in Louisiana is in one of the worst financial situations of any state. Deadbeat parents owe a total of over $1 billion in back payments, and that money spans across thousands of children. The goal of the lawmakers creating the legislation was to ensure these parents were not using funds that should have gone to the children for the purpose of gambling.

"This is becoming a very trendy law across the US," said Gaming Analyst Brad Dawkins. "The law makes complete sense. Parents who try to avoid their responsibility to their children should not be being rewarded with large payouts from slot machines or poker jackpots."

Before the new law was created, casinos could only withhold winnings from slot jackpots. The new rules will call for the casino to withhold all winning from any form of gambling that total more than $1,200. Gamblers must fill out IRS forms for large jackpots, and at the time their name will be run through a database of deadbeat parents.

If their names comes up as someone who owes child support, the casino will withhold the winnings. Dozens of states have started to enact these type laws as they try to keep regulations tight within the gambling industry. Problem gambling is another issue that many regulators have tried to address in recent years around the US.

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