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Louisiana Gaming Cools Off After Summer Scorcher, Casino Revenue -11.8% In September

According to Louisiana Gaming Control Board data, revenue fell 11.8% from $192.7 million in August to $169.9 million this past month.

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J.R. Duren Avatar
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After posting more than $190 million in revenue twice this summer, Louisiana casino revenue chilled in September.

According to Louisiana Gaming Control Board data, revenue fell 11.8% from $192.7 million in August to $169.9 million this past month. The decline is consistent with national trends, as revenue figures fell in casino markets nationwide.

The state’s casino win data does not include online casinos because iGaming is illegal in Louisiana.

Key takeaways

  • Online casinos could be legal by the summer of next year.
  • Louisiana land-based, riverboat, and racino revenue fell 11.8% in September.
  • Only two casinos posted positive revenue this past month.

Louisiana iGaming could arrive in 2025

While online casinos aren’t legal in the Bayou State right now, that could change in 2025.

Two committees in the state senate have joined to study the impact of legal online casinos in Louisiana. The study will specifically analyze Louisiana online casino regulations and revenue and any potential positive and negative effects.

According to SR 149 by Senator Talbot, the committee must submit its findings by March 1 of next year. If lawmakers are happy with the study’s results, online casinos could be legalized by next summer. Legalization couldn’t come a minute too soon, either.

According to PlayUSA’s projections, Louisiana online casinos could’ve generated more than $78 million in August, the most recent month in which all seven states with online casinos reported revenue:

StateAugust online casino revenuePopulationPer-capita revenue
Pennsylvania$225 million13 million$17.31
New Jersey$198.4 million9.3 million$21.33
Michigan$196.7 million10 million$19.67
Connecticut$44.6 million3.6 million$12.39
West Virginia$20.4 million1.8 million$11.33
Delaware$5.8 million1 million$5.80
Rhode Island$3 million1.1 million$2.73
Average$99.1 million5.7 million$17.42
Louisiana (projected)$78.4 million4.5 million$17.42

Two Louisiana casinos post positive growth amid down month

Louisiana is home to three kinds of gaming: riverboats, racinos (slots at horse tracks) and one land-based traditional casino. Across that trio, only two casinos saw revenue numbers rise in September.

Compared to Louisiana’s August 2024 gaming revenue, Horseshoe Lake Charles’ (riverboat) revenue rose 21.5% month-on-month, while Racino Lousiana Downs’ revenue ticked up 0.2%.

Louisiana riverboat revenue in September

Revenue from riverboats fell 12% in September, dropping from $147.3 million in August to $129.6 million this past month:

September 2024August 2024% Change (Monthly)
Delta Downs$12,567,024$14,001,850-10.2%
Louisiana Downs$3,198,574$3,190,9170.2%
Evangeline Downs$5,674,120$6,206,844-8.6%
Fair Grounds$2,702,002$3,106,178-13.0%
Total$24,141,721$26,505,789-8.9%

Louisiana’s racino and land-based revenues see nearly 9% drop

Like their riverboat cousins, Louisiana’s racinos and land-based casino felt the September sting. Racino revenue tumbled -8.9% on double-digit losses from Delta Downs and Fair Grounds:

September 2024August 2024% Change (Monthly)
Delta Downs$12,567,024$14,001,850-10.2%
Louisiana Downs$3,198,574$3,190,9170.2%
Evangeline Downs$5,674,120$6,206,844-8.6%
Fair Grounds$2,702,002$3,106,178-13.0%
Total$24,141,721$26,505,789-8.9%

The state’s only land-based casino, Harrah’s New Orleans, saw its revenue drop from -8.9% from $26.5 million to $24.1 million.

J.R. Duren Avatar
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J.R. Duren has covered the gambling beats for more than a dozen states for Catena Media since 2015. His past reporting experience includes two years at the Villages Daily Sun, and he is a first-place winner at the Florida Press Club Excellence in Journalism Contest.

View all posts by J.R. Duren

J.R. Duren has covered the gambling beats for more than a dozen states for Catena Media since 2015. His past reporting experience includes two years at the Villages Daily Sun, and he is a first-place winner at the Florida Press Club Excellence in Journalism Contest.

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