That's up 10.9 % from us$ 202.6 million lost by players in April. Despite the month-to-month gain, May's tally was still down 4.5 % from the us$ 235.2 million won by the casinos in May 2008. Last month, the riverboats won us$ 152.5 million, the New Orleans casino won us$ 34 million and the track casinos took in us$ 38.1 million.
Although casino revenue has been lagging somewhat in Louisiana since last fall, the state has fared better than other gambling states - including Nevada and New Jersey - which have seen double-digit drops from a year ago amid the recession.
Among the states casino markets: Shreveport-Bossier City, which caters to players from the Dallas-Fort Worth area, five riverboats and the Louisiana Downs track casino took in us$ 70.5 million in May, up from us$ 64.8 million in April, but down from us$ 76.3 million in May 2008.
Lake Charles, which counts Houston as a major target, three riverboats and the Delta Downs track casino won us$ 61.2 million last month, up from us$ 52.9 million in April and just over us$ 60 million in May 2008. Besides, the L'Auberge Du Lac casino in Lake Charles took in, by far, the most money among the riverboats in May: us$ 30.1 million compared to us$ 20.9 million, won by No. 2 Horseshoe Casino in Bossier City.
The New Orleans market, including two riverboats, Harrah's casino and the Fair Grounds track casino won us$ 59.9 million, up from us$ 54 million in April, but down from us$ 64.2 million in May 2008. Harrah's won us$ 34 million in May, up from us$ 29.5 million in April, but down us$ 38.2 million from May 2008.
The two riverboats in Baton Rouge won us$ 18.7 million in May, up from us$ 17.9 million in April, and down from us$ 19.8 million in May 2008. The Evangeline Downs track casino won us$ 9.6 million in May, up from us$ 8.6 million in April, and down a bit from us$ 9.8 million in May 2008.
The riverboat near Morgan City won us$ 4.7 million last month, compared with us$ 4.4 million in April and us$ 5 million in May 2008.
The figures do not include the state's three Indian reservation casinos, which are not required to report their winnings to the public.