According to Businessweek, Louisiana is now among several states in which casinos will garnish winnings in order to pay overdue child support payments.

Before the new law, casinos were only allowed to confiscate slot machine annuity payments. The new law apparently takes effect next month, and will allow casinos to confiscate any gambling winnings of at least $1,200.

Louisiana's new child support collection law was passed last year, and until recently awaited the finalization of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board. Last Thursday, the Board finally finished and unanimously confirmed the new regulations. Under the finalized policy, the Department of Children and Family Services will set up a database for casinos to search for gambling winners who are delinquent in child support payments. If a winner is tagged on the database, the casino will withhold the appropriate amount, charge an administrative fee, and then pay out any remaining winnings.

Under the new law, casinos will, on a monthly basis, report the number of searches made, the number of winners targeted, the amount of gambling proceeds confiscated, and any administrative fees charged.

In Missouri, casinos do no garnish gambling proceeds to enforce child support orders, but wages are often assigned and garnished. In this approach, employers, banks, and others owing money to the delinquent parent are ordered to pay the child support payments rather than the delinquent parent. Real estate liens and personal property liens and attachments are also used to collect child support, but usually are more time-consuming and cumbersome, making them less preferable.

Source: Businessweek, "La. to seize gambling winnings for child support," Associated Press, 22 April 2011.