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Like most gaming markets around the country, January was a month to forget for Louisiana.
The state’s 15 riverboat casinos, which account for most of its gaming revenue, saw their take-home totals drop 23.1% month-on-month and 17.7% year-on-year, according to the most recent data from the Louisiana Gaming Control Board (LGCB).
Monthly revenue was down for mobile sports betting, racinos (horse tracks with slot machines), and the state’s lone land-based casino, too.
Louisiana riverboat casino revenue tumbles nearly $37 million in January
In January, Louisana riverboat casinos generated $121.7 million in revenue, down 23.1% from the $158.2 million they registered in December. That kind of drop-off is expected, as December tends to be one of the best months for revenue during the calendar year.
However, it’s not always guaranteed that year-on-year revenue will fall in January, but that’s exactly what happened among the Bayou State’s riverboat casinos.
| Casino (Region) | January 2024 | December 2023 | % Change (Monthly) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boomtown Bossier (Shreveport/Bossier) | $3,266,689 | $3,958,011 | -17.5% |
| Bally's Shreveport (Shreveport/Bossier) | $6,566,073 | $9,904,895 | -33.7% |
| Horseshoe Bossier City (Shreveport/Bossier) | $9,054,989 | $13,700,766 | -33.9% |
| Sam's Town (Shreveport/Bossier) | $2,614,878 | $3,481,821 | -24.9% |
| Margaritaville Resort Casino (Shreveport/Bossier) | $12,846,462 | $16,529,764 | -22.3% |
| Horseshoe Lake Charles (Lake Charles) | $5,598,419 | $9,637,922 | -41.9% |
| L'Auberge Lake Charles (Lake Charles) | $20,418,867 | $28,122,001 | -27.4% |
| Golden Nugget Lake Charles (Lake Charles) | $22,824,568 | $31,091,062 | -26.6% |
| Amelia Belle (New Orleans) | $2,384,432 | $2,629,998 | 9.3% |
| Boomtown New Orleans (New Orleans) | $9,429,789 | $9,682,448 | -2.6% |
| Treasure Chest (New Orleans) | $6,382,064 | $6,979,836 | -8.6% |
| Belle of Baton Rouge (Baton Rouge) | $639,977 | $662,561 | -3.4% |
| The Queen Baton Rouge (Baton Rouge) | $6,087,220 | $6,818,941 | -10.7% |
| L'Auberge Baton Rouge (Baton Rouge) | $13,571,034 | $14,960,057 | -9.3% |
| Total | $121,685,461 | $158,160,084 | -23.1% |
The state’s top revenue earners were hit hard this past month. L’Auberge Lake Charles and Golden Nugget saw 27.4% and 26.6% drops, respectively.
The LGCB breaks out January 2024 revenue totals into four regions, too. Here’s how those regional numbers looked last month:
- Shreveport/Bossier: $34.3 million (-27.8%)
- Lake Charles: $48.8 million (-29.1%)
- New Orleans: $18.2 million (-5.7%)
- Baton Rouge: $20.3 million (-9.6%)
Overall, the state’s three riverboat casinos in New Orleans were able to weather the bad month the best. It was the only region in which all casinos posted losses of less than 10%.
Land-based Harrah’s New Orleans
Louisiana’s only land-based casino, Harrah’s New Orleans, saw its revenue drop more than $6 million from $24.7 million in December to $18.7 million in January. Year-on-year, revenue declined by around $1.4 million.
Currently, Louisiana online casinos are not available.
January 2024 Louisiana racino revenue
The state’s four racinos generated $22.7 million in revenue in January, down nearly $5 million from December 2023 gaming revenue.
| Track | January 2024 | December 2023 | % Change (Monthly) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Downs | $11,136,617 | $14,213,831 | -21.6% |
| Louisiana Downs | $2,744,300 | $3,432,299 | -20.0% |
| Evangeline Downs | $5,541,436 | $6,661,764 | -16.8% |
| Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots | $3,290,899 | $3,355,339 | -1.9% |
| Total | $22,713,251 | $27,663,233 | -17.9% |
Though every racino saw its revenue drop, Fair Grounds managed to temper its decline, dropping only 1.9% month-on-month.
Year-and-year, racino revenue was down 9.3% from $25 million in January 2023.
Mobile sports betting was up 62.4% year-on-year
Mobile sportsbooks saw a monthly revenue decline of just over $15 million. However, there was some good news.
Unlike casinos, Louisiana online sportsbooks were up year-on-year. Revenue jumped 62.4% compared to January 2023.
| Month | Handle | Revenue | Revenue Growth (Year-on-Year) |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2024 | $317,844,144 | $35,668,766 | 62.4% |
| 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% |
For the fiscal year, January’s handle (total amount bet) was the third highest since July 2023, while revenue was at its fourth-highest total in the past seven months.
