Louisiana's Top Gaming Regulator, Ronnie Johns, to Step Down Following 37 Years in State Service
Louisiana Gaming Control Board (LGCB) Chairman Ronnie Johns is bidding farewell to his public service career after nearly 40 years. Johns will step down from his role on June 30, and Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry is expected to nominate his successor shortly.
In an interview with USA Today, Johns stated that he wasn't asked to step down by Landry, but has simply reached a point where he wants to spend more time with his wife, Michelle. "I'm approaching 75 years old and Michelle and I have things we want to do. This is demanding work," he said.
Johns kicked off his political journey in 1978 by joining the Sulphur City Council. He then became a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives in 1996 and later became a state Senator in 2012, where he served until his nomination to the LGCB.
But Johns' tenure as LGCB chairman wasn't without controversy. The day before he was appointed, he was unable to attend a Senate session that aimed to override then-Louisiana Governor, John Bel Edwards' veto of a bill that sought to remove a state law requiring gun owners to undergo training before they could obtain a concealed-carry permit. Johns blamed a "bum leg" for his absence, and the override fell three votes short in the Senate. Louisiana lawmakers later passed a permit-less concealed carry bill that Governor Landry signed into law.
During his time at the LGCB, Johns oversaw significant changes in the state's gaming industry. He presided over the first major gaming expansion since the launch of the lottery, casino riverboats, and video poker in the 1990s. This came in the form of the introduction of retail and online sports betting.
Casino sportsbooks began taking bets in October 2021, just months after Johns took office, and online sports gambling platforms went live the following January. Johns also supervised over $1 billion worth of investments into the state's riverboats, some of which have transformed into land-based properties.
In 2018, Louisiana lawmakers passed a law allowing riverboats to relocate landward, provided that their new brick-and-mortar casinos are no more than 1,200 feet from their original barges. This law was enacted in response to the damage caused to floating gaming vessels by several devastating hurricanes.
Under Johns' watch, Caesars Entertainment made a $200 million investment to convert the damaged Isle of Capri Lake Charles riverboat into the Horseshoe Lake Charles Hotel & Casino, a 60,000-square-foot property that opened in December 2022.
More recently, Johns helped to secure the future of a shuttered riverboat casino, the DiamondJacks. The Cordish Companies, a Baltimore-based developer of mixed-use developments and casino resorts, agreed to invest over $270 million in a new development called Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana. The integrated resort property will include a 550-room hotel and a 1,000-slot machine, 40-table game casino floor, as well as a sportsbook.
At a groundbreaking ceremony in December, Johns noted the positive impact Cordish's project would have on "the Shreveport-Bossier gaming market." Here's hoping Johns' life after nearly 40 years of political service is as bright as the LGCB's gaming industry under his management.
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Source: www.casino.org
