Despite the national recession, Louisiana’s state-licensed casinos largely maintained their level of winnings from gamblers in December. State police say the 13 riverboat casinos, the New Orleans land casino and the four casinos at race tracks took in $222.8 million last month, down slightly from $228.1 million in December 2007. There were four weekends last month, while parts of five weekends touched December 2007. The casinos won just under $214.9 million in November 2008.
Baton Rouge’s two riverboat casinos reported $18.6 million in winnings in December, a 4.2% drop from the year before. Hollywood Casino Baton Rouge won nearly $11.5 million, virtually no change from the year before when the casino brought in $11.6 million. But business at the Belle of Baton Rouge plunged, from nearly $7.9 million in December 2007 to $7.1 million last month.
