Louisiana’s top gambling regulator will retire next month after 37 years of elective and appointed public service that included a stint as the Louisiana Lottery chair, 12 years in the state House and 10 years in the state Senate, reports USA Today Network.
Ronnie Johns, who is credited for ushering in the state’s largest gaming expansion in three decades, says Gov. Jeff Landry didn’t ask him to step down, and that he is resigning to spend more time with family.
“I’m about to be 75 years old, and Michelle and I have things we want to do, and this is a full-time job,” Johns said in an interview with USA Today Network. “It’s time.”
Former Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards appointed Johns, who lives in Lafayette, to lead the Louisiana Gaming Control Board in 2021 as the state was poised to add sports wagering to its gambling options.
Sports wagering now contributes nearly $100 million annually in revenue supporting the state budget.
