Gambling Revenues Drop Drastically in Louisiana

SHREVEPORT, LA - Gambling revenues in Louisiana dropped significantly in January.

Donna Jackson with the Gaming Division of Louisiana State Police reported to the Gaming Control Board that riverboat gaming revenues for January are down by 23% from December. The numbers also show a decline of 17% from January of 2023.

January revenues for all of the riverboats topped the $121 million dollar mark. But the riverboats brought in $147 million in January of 2023. These casinos brought in $158 million in December. But Jackson says there were five weekends in December and only four in January. She says that might account for some of the decline.

She also says there was one extra Sunday in January of last year compared to January of 2024.

How Did the Shreveport Bossier Casinos Do?

Horseshoe numbers are down by nearly 34%

Bally's revenues are down by 33%

Sam's Town posted a dip of nearly 25%.

Margaritaville revenues are down 22%.

Boomtown numbers dropped 17%.

Statewide numbers are also down dramatically. The Lake Charles market was also hard hit.

Gaming Control Board Chairman Ronnie Johns did note that the Shreveport Bossier market was impacted by a winter storm for several days in January and that kept people off the roads. He also says in Lake Charles, the I-10 bridge was closed because of ice and that's the main highway leading to the casinos.

The Shreveport Bossier market is also continuing to deal with competition from tribal casinos in Oklahoma which are closer to the Dallas Fort Worth metro. There are hopes that the new Live Casino planned for Bossier City will jump start the casino market in Shreveport Bossier.