Buoyed by a more than 20% rise in the take by L’Auberge Casino & Hotel—which offset lower winnings at both the Belle of Baton Rouge and Hollywood Casino—gamblers left 9.5% more money at the riverboat casinos in November than they did during the month last year.
The November gaming report, released by the Louisiana Gaming Control Board, shows the collective take was roughly $23.8 million last month, up from approximately $21.7 million in November 2014. L’Auberge took the lion’s share: $14.1 million, up 20.4% from winnings of $11.7 last November. Hollywood Casino’s winnings were essentially flat at $5.2 million, a decrease of 0.3%. The Belle of Baton Rouge posted a 6.9% decline in its take, down to $4.4. million from $4.8 million last November.
Baton Rouge was the strongest of the state’s four riverboat casino markets last month, the report shows. In Shreveport and Bossier City, the area’s six casinos collectively posted a 1.2% decline in winnings to $51.3 million—with five boats posting a lower year-over-year take during November.
Only two of the three riverboat casinos in the Lake Charles market were open last November, so the figures there are skewed. The Golden Nugget, which opened in December last year, won $19.7 million, boosting total market winnings to $53.1 million, an increase of 22.4% over winnings last November. However, the two other casinos in the market saw their take fall sharply in November compared to last year. The Isle of Capri casino’s winnings were off 15.8%, L’Auberge Lake Charles saw its take fall by 25.6%.
In New Orleans, the three riverboats collectively took in $21.2 million, a 1.8% increase over its take last November.
Louisiana’s 15 riverboats collectively won $149.4 million last month, an increase of 8.3% over winnings of $137.9 million in November last year. However, when The Golden Nugget’s $19.7 million take is subtracted from the November total, the 14 boats that were in operation last year during the month collectively posted a 5.8% decline in winnings.
Access the complete November gaming report.
—Steve Sanoski
