Louisiana’s total casino and racetrack revenue cashed in at roughly $2.56 billion in 2017, up 0.9% from the year previous, according to the American Gaming Association’s annual state-by-state analysis released this morning.
Total tax revenue generated by the gaming sites, however, fell slightly in Louisiana to $602.5 million, down from $604.8 million in 2016.
The AGA report defines commercial casino operations as land-based and riverboat casinos, as well as racetrack casinos. Louisiana has one land-based casino, 15 riverboats and four racetracks.
Nationwide, the casino industry brought in a total of $40.28 billion in gaming revenue in 2017, a 3.4% hike from the prior year, and the 24 states with commercial gaming collected about $9.23 billion in total taxes generated, a 3.1% increase over 2016.
“Overall, 20 of the 24 states with commercial casinos reported gains in revenue versus the year prior, reflecting strong macroeconomic trends and stable operating conditions in most markets,” reads the report.
The report highlights Louisiana among states that took steps toward enacting regulatory reforms in 2017 to “bolster the competitiveness of their casino operations or remove arcane restrictions that impede growth.” In May, the Louisiana Legislature passed a bill, signed by the governor, allowing the state’s riverboat casinos to move on land, and changing the limits on gaming space from 30,000 square feet to 2,365 gambling positions. Both proposals were recommended by the Riverboat Economic Development and Gaming Task Force, formed in 2016.
The AGA calls Louisiana’s regulatory reform efforts “the most significant overhaul of its commercial casino gaming landscape in at least two decades.”
The report also breaks down Louisiana’s casino earnings by region. The Shreveport-Bossier area was the only market to report a decline, while the Baton Rouge, Lake Charles and New Orleans markets each saw casino gaming revenue increases over the last year.
In addition to state tax collections, Louisiana’s casino gaming industry generated some $100 million in local taxes and fees collected by city and parish governments in 2017.
Aside from casino gaming, Louisiana also has nearly 13,000 video poker machines at bars, restaurants and truck stops across the state. Video poker revenue in 2017 remained virtually unchanged from last year at $575.9 million, AGA reports.
