Pull tabs, sometimes called break-opens, Nevada tickets, or jar tickets, are legal in Louisiana as part of the state's charitable gaming framework. They are not a state lottery product or a casino game. Instead, they are run by qualified nonprofit and community organizations that hold a charitable gaming license, and the games are overseen by the Louisiana Department of Revenue's Office of Charitable Gaming. Both paper pull tabs and tablet-style electronic pull-tab devices are authorized under state law.
Who can run pull-tab games
Pull tabs in Louisiana may only be conducted by licensed organizations, not by individuals or for-profit businesses. Louisiana Revised Statutes Title 4, the Charitable Raffles, Bingo and Keno Licensing Law (R.S. 4:701 et seq.), sets out which groups qualify. These include charitable and religious organizations, civic and service associations, veterans and fraternal groups, volunteer fire companies, booster clubs, parent-teacher associations, schools, and Mardi Gras carnival organizations.
Any organization that wants to sell pull tabs must obtain a charitable gaming license from the Office of Charitable Gaming, and in many cases a local municipal or parish permit as well. The net proceeds must go to educational, charitable, patriotic, religious, or community-benefiting purposes. Running pull-tab games without the proper license is illegal and can result in significant fines.
How the games work and where you find them
A pull tab is a paper ticket or card with a covered face that hides numbers or symbols. Players open the tabs to reveal whether they match a winning combination that was set in advance for that deal of tickets. Deals of pull tabs must come from manufacturers and distributors registered with the Office of Charitable Gaming, and each ticket has to carry the manufacturer's identifying label and be of a type approved for use in Louisiana.
Because pull tabs are tied to licensed nonprofits, you typically find them at the halls and posts of the organizations that run them. That means places like American Legion and VFW posts, Knights of Columbus halls, fraternal lodges, and volunteer fire department clubs, often sold alongside bingo games.
Electronic pull tabs and notable rules
Louisiana authorizes electronic pull-tab devices under R.S. 4:733. These tablet-style machines produce electronic facsimiles of pull-tab tickets after cash is inserted. A licensed charitable organization may lease the devices, and the law requires that at least sixty percent of the net win go to the charitable organization, while no more than ten percent may go to the commercial lessor of the premises. Under the same statute, an organization operating more than fifteen electronic pull-tab devices is not permitted to also offer paper pull tabs.
On age, the Office of Charitable Gaming notes that state law does not set a minimum age to play charitable gaming activities such as pull tabs, though minors are barred from using electronic video bingo devices. Separately, workers must be at least eighteen to help conduct any game of chance. Because local rules and venue policies can add restrictions, players should check with the specific organization hosting the game.
Where can I play pull tabs in Louisiana?
Pull tabs are found at licensed nonprofit venues such as VFW and American Legion posts, Knights of Columbus and fraternal lodges, and volunteer fire department clubs, frequently offered alongside charitable bingo.
Find a spot264 places to play pull tabs in Louisiana