Louisiana Ranks High on Sinful Scale According to Survey

LAFAYETTE, La. (KPEL News) - Louisiana is renowned for its vibrant culture, mouth-watering cuisine, live music, and endless festivals. Here in the Bayou State, we know how to have fun—so much so that some might wonder: do we take it too far?

A recent survey by WalletHub.com suggests that our state might indeed be indulging in a little too much fun. The study highlights the staggering national costs of so-called “state sins”—from gambling, which costs the U.S. about $5 billion per year, to smoking, with losses exceeding $600 billion annually. These harmful behaviors add up to significant economic consequences on a national scale.

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How Does Louisiana Rank?

When it comes to “sinful” behavior, Nevada often tops the list with the highest number of casinos, gambling-related arrests, and even prostitution arrests. Louisiana, while different in many respects, isn’t far behind. Although we have legal gambling and our food and festivals are second to none, we don’t have legalized prostitution, which makes our excesses stand out even more. In fact, WalletHub’s survey ranked Louisiana as follows (with 1 representing the most sinful and 25 the average):

• Overall Rank: 4th
• Anger & Hatred: 7th
• Jealousy: 7th
• Excesses & Vices: 1st
• Greed: 30th
• Lust: 11th
• Vanity: 26th
• Laziness: 3rd

What drives these rankings? According to Deana A. Rohlinger, Ph.D., a Distinguished Professor and Associate Dean at Florida State University, regional variations in laws, cultural norms, and social pressures all play a role. “A state with more permissive laws around gambling or alcohol, for example, may exhibit behaviors that seem more ‘sinful’ to residents of states with stricter regulations. However, culture matters too—states with strong libertarian traditions may celebrate personal freedom in ways that appear more indulgent to conservative regions. It’s a combination of what the law allows and what local culture tolerates,” she explains.

While Louisiana’s reputation for excess is a point of pride for many, this survey offers food for thought on the broader social and economic impacts of our state’s lifestyle.