A report from the Louisiana Gaming Control Board shows that the state’s riverboat casinos collected more than $147 million in revenues in August 2024. That figure marked a 6.6% uptick from the over $138 million posted in July 2024. Additionally, August’s revenues grew 8.2% year-on-year.
Most riverboat casinos in LA saw revenues increase year-on-year, with eight of fourteen casinos seeing growth. The biggest grower was Treasure Chest, which posted increased revenues of 82.9% in August 2024 compared to August 2023. Other significant gainers include The Queen Baton Rouge, which grew 77.8%, and Horseshoe Bossier City, which grew 50%. Most other casinos saw more marginal differences under 10%.
Casino | August 2023 | August 2024 | Change |
---|---|---|---|
Boomtown Bossier | $3,701,815 | $3,833,725 | +3.6% |
Bally’s Shreveport | $7,815,165 | $8,134,230 | +4.1% |
Horseshoe Bossier City | $10,427,464 | $15,645,652 | +50.0% |
Sam’s Town | $3,227,631 | $3,566,441 | +10.5% |
Margaritaville | $15,202,434 | $14,497,994 | -4.6% |
Horseshoe Lake Charles | $7,380,717 | $5,715,918 | -22.6% |
L’Auberge Lake Charles | $23,660,008 | $25,977,098 | +9.8% |
Golden Nugget Lake Charles | $26,672,421 | $25,630,781 | -3.9% |
Amelia Belle | $2,714,813 | $2,842,231 | +4.7% |
Boomtown N.O. | $8,806,636 | $8,454,036 | -4.0% |
Treasure Chest | $6,761,273 | $12,366,835 | +82.9% |
Belle of Baton Rouge | $1,228,415 | $571,801 | -53.5% |
The Queen Baton Rouge | $3,836,595 | $6,821,144 | +77.8% |
L’Auberge Baton Rouge | $14,636,449 | $13,201,079 | -9.8% |
Total | $136,071,837 | $147,258,964 | +8.2% |
Of the four areas into which the Louisiana Gaming Control Board splits its numbers, three posted overall revenue growth across all casinos. New Orleans was the biggest beneficiary, thanks to the significant performance of Treasure Chest, with all casinos bringing in 29.4% more year-on-year.
However, Lake Charles akfxoqsd.shopbined revenue fell 0.7% year-on-year. Horseshoe Lake Charles and Golden Nugget Lake Charles both posted drops in revenues compared to August 2023, although L’Auberge Lake Charles offset this slightly with its 9.8% growth.
While Lake Charles casinos struggle in year-on-year comparisons, every area of Louisiana saw casino revenues grow compared to July 2024. Only five casinos saw drops in revenues, with the largest of these coming from Horseshoe Lake Charles at 26.3%. However, none of the other casinos posted revenue drops greater than 3%.
Casino | July 2024 | August 2024 | Change |
---|---|---|---|
Boomtown Bossier | $3,707,231 | $3,833,725 | +3.4% |
Bally’s Shreveport | $8,258,799 | $8,134,230 | -1.5% |
Horseshoe Bossier City | $8,618,671 | $15,645,652 | +81.5% |
Sam’s Town | $3,536,809 | $3,566,441 | +0.8% |
Margaritaville | $14,315,615 | $14,497,994 | +1.3% |
Horseshoe Lake Charles | $7,753,321 | $5,715,918 | -26.3% |
L’Auberge Lake Charles | $23,235,797 | $25,977,098 | +11.8% |
Golden Nugget Lake Charles | $25,235,522 | $25,630,781 | +1.6% |
Amelia Belle | $2,584,348 | $2,842,231 | +10.0% |
Boomtown N.O. | $8,470,487 | $8,454,036 | -0.2% |
Treasure Chest | $12,485,215 | $12,366,835 | -0.9% |
Belle of Baton Rouge | $482,370 | $571,801 | +18.5% |
The Queen Baton Rouge | $7,013,912 | $6,821,144 | -2.7% |
L’Auberge Baton Rouge | $12,381,431 | $13,201,079 | +6.6% |
Total | $138,079,530 | $147,258,964 | +6.6% |
Meanwhile, there was significant growth across many locations, with Horseshoe Bossier City seeing a huge revenue rise of 81.5%. Belle of Baton Rouge and L’Auberge Lake Charles also saw revenues increase more than 10% month-on-month.
When the Louisiana Gaming Control Board gave riverboat casinos permission to move onto land in December 2019, many experts thought that riverboat casinos would no longer be a viable source of revenue. The Louisiana Gaming Control Board made the decision at the time because riverboat revenues were falling.
August 2024 revenues are nearly 10.5% lower than August 2019, with most casinos revenues dropping in August 2024 compared to August 2019. Additionally, there is one fewer riverboat casino operating in 2024. The growth compared to more recent revenue numbers is positive, but those fears about the long-term future of riverboat casinos in 2019 haven’t gone away.