Louisiana casinos experienced a significant 12% increase in gaming revenue in August compared to the previous year, largely driven by the state’s retail and mobile sports betting operations. The Louisiana Gaming Control Board (LGCB) reported commercial casino revenue totaling approximately $191.5 million last month, with gross gaming revenue (GGR) from slot machines and table games reaching $166.1 million, marking a 7.9% improvement, or an increase of $12.1 million.
Bookmakers retained $25.4 million of the over $234.5 million wagered both online and in-person, with the majority of the activity — $218 million — happening online. This sports betting haul represented a staggering 49.5% surge over August 2023, boosting the statewide GGR by around $20.5 million year over year. This uptick was a much-needed rebound following drops in state casino revenue earlier in April, June, and July.
Louisiana bookmakers had a robust month, largely thanks to bettors placing parlays — combined bets with longer odds but larger potential payouts. Unfortunately for the public, the odds favored the house in August. Sportsbooks reported that parlays accounted for more than $14.4 million of their $25.4 million in winnings. Football bets brought in $3.3 million, baseball generated $2.3 million, and basketball delivered $208K in revenue. Bets on golf, boxing, and other sports contributed an additional $4.5 million to the sportsbook revenue.
Every one of Louisiana’s monitored gaming markets — Lake Charles, Shreveport/Bossier City, New Orleans, and Baton Rouge — saw improvements in GGR last month. Excluding sports betting, Lake Charles, the state’s wealthiest casino market, experienced a 2% rise in gaming win to $57.3 million. L’Auberge led this growth with a nearly 12% increase in GGR to $26 million, dethroning Golden Nugget, which saw a 1.6% rise to $25.6 million. However, Caesars Entertainment’s Horseshoe struggled significantly, with GGR falling over 26% to $5.7 million.
In Lake Charles, many visitors from neighboring Texas typically stay at either Golden Nugget or L’Auberge, whether in hotel rooms or the shared vast RV parking lots. Shreveport/Bossier witnessed a 13% increase in GGR to $45.7 million, a $5.3 million improvement, with Horseshoe leading at $15.6 million. This market is poised for further growth with the upcoming Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana, a $270 million project by The Cordish Companies set to transform the former Diamond Jacks complex into a new land-based casino resort.
New Orleans ranked third, reporting a GGR of $41.4 million, a 14% year-over-year increase. Harrah’s New Orleans saw a 5% gain to $18.9 million, and the city’s three riverboats — Amelia Belle, Boomtown, and Treasure Chest — experienced a 29% leap to $23.6 million. The newly opened land-based Treasure Chest in Kenner, which launched in June, substantially boosted riverboat action with winnings of nearly $6.8 million, up 83%.
Lastly, Baton Rouge’s three casinos reported winnings of $20.6 million, marking an 8% increase. L’Auberge stood out as the top property among the capital city’s casinos, generating $13.2 million.
