Louisiana casinos see revenue increase

The 13 riverboats, Harrah’s New Orleans Casino and the four slot machine casinos at race tracks took in a shade under us$ 214.9 million last month, up from us$ 202.8 million in November 2007, state police reported Wednesday. Last month, though, had five weekends, while November 2007 had four.

The markets dependent upon Texas gamblers - Shreveport-Bossier City and Lake Charles - had widely differing months. The five north Louisiana riverboats, along with the Louisiana Downs track casino, won us$ 65.8 million last month, just a shade above us$ 65.3 million in November 2007. That market has been facing increased competition from Indian reservation gambling in Oklahoma.

But in Lake Charles, the home of three riverboats and the Delta Downs track casino, gamblers lost us$ 59.3 million last month, up from us$ 50.6 million in November 2007.

In the New Orleans market, with two riverboats, Harrah’s and the Fair Grounds track casino, won us$ 57.3 million last month, up slightly from us$ 56.5 million in November 2007. Harrah’s, despite the big Bayou Classic football weekend, recorded a drop to $30.9 million from $32.6 million a year ago.

The two riverboats in Baton Rouge took in us$ 18.7 million in November, up from us$ 17.9 million in November 2007. The track casino at Evangeline Downs in Opelousas won us$ 8.5 million last month, up from us$ 8.4 million in November 2007.

The lone riverboat in the Morgan City area, the Amelia Belle, won us$ 5.2 million last month, up from us$ 4.2 million in November 2007. The state-licensed casinos won us$ 207.7 million in October.

The figures do not include the three Indian reservation casinos in Louisiana, which are not required to report their revenue figures to the public.