Louisiana Gaming Revenues Decline in July 2024 as Online Sports Betting Surges

Louisiana’s gaming industry experienced a downturn in July 2024, with the Louisiana Gaming Control Board reporting a 6% decrease in revenue compared to the same period last year. Total revenue from all forms of gaming across the state reached $180.8 million. This decline reflects the ongoing challenges faced by the industry, with three of the state’s five gaming districts reporting decreases in revenue.

Online Sports Betting Continues to Grow

Despite the overall decline, online sports betting in Louisiana continued to show significant growth. In July 2024, revenue from online sports betting reached $23.5 million, representing a 43% popularity of online sports betting among Louisiana residents, even as other forms of gaming struggle.

Mixed Results Across Gaming Districts

The performance of Louisiana’s gaming districts was varied in July 2024, with some areas seeing increases while others experienced declines. The Lake Charles district, traditionally a strong performer, reported a total gaming revenue of $69.0 million. However, this was an 8% decrease compared to July 2023. Within this district, the Golden Nugget Lake Charles led with $25.2 million in revenue, followed by L’Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles with $23.2 million. Delta Downs Racetrack Casino Hotel and Horseshoe Lake Charles generated $12.8 million and $7.8 million, respectively.

On the other hand, the New Orleans district experienced a 12% year-over-year increase in revenue, totaling $44.2 million. Harrah’s New Orleans contributed significantly to this growth with $17.7 million in revenue. Treasure Chest Casino followed with $12.5 million, and Boomtown Casino & Hotel posted $8.5 million in revenue.

The Shreveport/Bossier City district faced a sharp decline, with total revenue falling by 19% compared to July 2023, amounting to $41.6 million. Margaritaville Resort Casino led the district with $14.3 million, while Horseshoe Bossier City and Bally’s Shreveport Casino & Hotel generated $8.6 million and $8.3 million, respectively.

Baton Rouge District Sees Modest Growth

The Baton Rouge district managed to achieve a slight increase in revenue, reporting $23.6 million in July 2024, up 3% from the previous year. L’Auberge Casino Hotel led the district with $12.4 million in revenue. The Queen of Baton Rouge generated $7.0 million, and the Belle of Baton Rouge reported a modest $0.5 million.

Finally, Evangeline Downs Racetrack & Casino in St. Landry Parish reported a revenue of $6.1 million, marking a 6% decrease year-over-year.

Source:

“Louisiana Gaming Revenues Fall Again in July“ cdcgaming.com, August 15, 2024.