BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Louisiana’s April casino winnings totaled $194.8 million, down statewide by 0.8 percent compared to a year ago.
Overall gambling revenue in the New Orleans market dropped 4.8 percent last month, despite a gain at Harrah’s land-based casino.
The casino, three riverboats and slots at the Fair Grounds race track brought in $51.3 million in April, compared with $53.9 million in April 2013, according to figures released Tuesday by the Louisiana Gaming Control Board.
Harrah’s won $26.7 million from gamblers in April, a 3.3 percent increase over the $25.8 million it took in a year ago.
Three southeast Louisiana riverboats saw winnings drop by 13.4 percent to nearly $21 million from $24.3 million. Boomtown New Orleans was down 16 percent to $9.1 million; Treasure Chest dropped 9.3 percent to $8.1 million and the Amelia Belle fell 15.1 percent to $3.9 million compared with a year ago.
The Advocate reports (https://bit.ly/1od17Ys) all four of the racetrack slot casinos declined in April, bringing in $30.9 million, or 5.6 percent less than a year ago. Overall, the state’s 14 riverboats took in $137.3 million in April, 0.4 percent less than a year ago.
In Baton Rouge, the Belle of Baton Rouge narrowly beat its year-ago riverboat casino winnings in April while its two competitors posted decreases exceeding 8 percent.
Overall, the market was down 6.7 percent to $22.7 million and joined New Orleans as the other riverboat casino market posting a decrease. The Belle pulled in $5.03 million last month, a 0.2 percent gain from $5.02 million a year ago. Hollywood Baton Rouge’s winnings fell 9.1 percent to $6.4 million from $7 million, and L’Auberge dropped 8.1 percent to $11.3 million from $12.3 million a year ago,
In Shreveport-Bossier, the addition of Margaritaville in the past year helped lift the riverboat market despite declines at the five other riverboat casinos there. The take in the market increased overall by 5.6 percent to $50.7 million last month.
Lake Charles’ two riverboat casinos combined for a 3.9 percent increase to $42.9 million, thanks to a gain at L’Auberge that offset a drop in winnings at the Isle of Capri.
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Information from: The Advocate, https://theadvocate.com
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