Educators are keeping their finger on the pulse of sports betting in Louisiana after Governor John Bel Edwards says he’s open to dedicating any revenue from the additional gaming toward doing better to prepare children for kindergarten. Edwards said if the state really wants to make a difference in the lives of children, more needs to be done about early childhood education.

“If we are serious about education in Louisiana, this is just something we are going to have to do. We cannot wait until kindergarten any longer,” said Edwards.

While he expects the gains to be modest, Edwards said the sports betting is also an important aspect in making sure the state doesn’t see a decline in gaming revenue.

“I believe we will be less competitive to sister states such as Mississippi and gaming revenue will actually decrease, and I do not think that’s in our best interest,” said Edwards.

Edwards said at this point, the legislator has commissioned a study on sports betting to inform their decision moving forward.

“There are many different ways that sports betting can be undertaken, and different states have different models, but we are trying to figure out what works for Louisiana,” said Edwards.