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Louisiana casinos had an excellent December, recording double-digit growth for riverboat casinos, racinos, land-based casinos, and online sportsbooks, according to the latest data from the Louisiana Gaming Control Board.
December’s riverboat casino revenue
Louisiana is home to 14 riverboats that, as a group, bring in more revenue than racinos, land-based casinos, and sports betting combined.
Here’s what the numbers looked like this past month:
Louisiana’s casino industry is split into four regions: Shreveport/Bossier, Lake Charles, New Orleans, and Baton Rouge.
Lake Charles generates the most revenue monthly, typically followed by Shreveport/Bossier, Baton Rouge, and New Orleans.
This past month, the Lake Charles region generated $68.9. million in revenue, up 21.5%% over November. Shreveport/Bossier brought in $47.5 million, up 6.8%.
Baton Rogue came in at $22.4 million (up 9.1%), and New Orleans saw a 2.9% monthly growth on $19.3 million in revenue.
In total, casinos tallied $158.2 million in revenue, up 12.5% and nearly $18 million over Louisiana’s November 2023 revenue figures.
Racino revenue for December 2023
The state’s four racinos (horse tracks with slot machines) outpaced riverboat revenue growth by 3.8 percentage points, 16.3% to 12.5%.
| Track | December 2023 | November 2023 | % Change (Monthly) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Downs | $14,213,831 | $11,839,201 | 20.1% |
| Evangeline Downs | $6,661,764 | $5,963,422 | 11.7% |
| Fair Grounds | $3,355,339 | $3,042,001 | 10.3% |
| Louisiana Downs | $3,432,299 | $2,949,606 | 16.4% |
| Total | $27,663,233 | $23,794,229 | 16.3% |
Delta Downs once again led the way, posting $14.2 million for December, up 20.1% over November. The properties did better collectively than in December 2022, too: $27.7 million to $26.1 million.
Louisiana’s one land-based casino revenue
Louisiana is home to one land-based casino: Harrah’s New Orleans. The flagship property brought in $24.7 million in December, up nearly $4 million from November and nearly $2 million from December 2022.
Sports betting figures in December
Louisiana’s online sportsbooks had a strong December, notching better handle (total amount bet) and revenue over December 2022:
| Month | Handle | Revenue | Revenue Growth (Year-on-Year) |
|---|---|---|---|
| December 2023 | $344,928,425 | $51,282,332 | 67.9% |
| November 2023 | $322,939,359 | $18,107,946 | 165.0% |
| October 2023 | $276,229,708 | $39,207,870 | 50.7% |
| September 2023 | $248,831,422 | $36,082,807 | 27.9% |
| August 2023 | $138,853,445 | $15,038,678 | 105.8% |
| July 2023 | $122,520,979 | $15,697,788 | -18.3% |
| 2023-2024 Fiscal Year Total | $1,454,303,338 | $175,417,421 | 109.6% |
Retail sportsbooks (physical locations) couldn’t match mobile’s growth. Retail handle fell 10.9% year-on-year in December, and net proceeds plummeted 29.9%.
Though retail books struggled, it was not a surprise. LA’s online sports betting launched in January 2022 and has since pulled a significant chunk of business from in-person sportsbooks.
