Louisiana’s 15 riverboat casinos, four racinos and one land-based casino generated nearly $218 million in winnings in May, down 2 percent from $222.5 million in May 2018, according to the Louisiana Gaming Control Board. The three Baton Rouge riverboat casinos showed the largest drop with $20.6 million in May, 14 percent less than $23.9 million in May 2018.
Video poker revenue rose 7.1 percent statewide in May from $50.6 million in May 2018 to $54.2 million.
Winnings at the Belle of Baton Rouge, the city’s oldest casino, were $2.6 million, down 46.5 percent from May 2018. The other downtown riverboat, Hollywood Baton Rouge, won $4.7 million, a decline of 12.7 percent from $4.5 million in May 2018. L’Auberge Baton Rouge took in $13.2 million, a 2.9 percent drop from $13.6 million in May 2018. The market hasn’t posted a year-to-year increase in casino winnings since August 2017.
Observers said the smoking ban enacted in June 2018 has made the decline even worse. Hollywood and L’Auberge have opened designated gambling areas for smokers.
In New Orleans, one of only two markets to post a year-to-year increase in winnings, gaming revenue rose 0.2 percent in May to $54.5 million. The three riverboats had a 3.9 percent gain in winnings to $24.3 million from $23.4 million in May 2018. Boomtown New Orleans brought in the most winnings with a 5.8 increase from $9.8 million to $10.3. The Amelia Belle in Amelia was up 4.7 percent from $3.9 million to $4.1 million. Treasure Chest posted a 1.8 percent increase to $9.9 million from $9.7 million. Fair Grounds racetrack slots increased 6.2 percent to $3.7 million from $3.5 million in May 2018.
Harrah’s New Orleans casino winnings dropped 1.9 percent, from $26.9 million to $26.4 million.
Winnings at Lake Charles’ three riverboats and slots at the Delta Downs racetrack dropped by 1.5 percent to $77.8 million. Shreveport-Bossier City winnings fell 2.2 percent to $57.5 million; the market has the most riverboats along with the Harrah’s Louisiana Downs track. Winnings in Acadiana, with the Evangeline Downs racetrack, rose 8.3 percent from May 2018 to $7.7 million.
