August winnings a mixed bag for B.R. casinos

Published Sep 21, 2012 at 10:00 am (Updated Sep 21, 2012)

July was just the second month this year—and the first time since January—in which the Belle of Baton Rouge and Hollywood Casino saw their winnings dip compared to the same month last year. August wasn't much better, according to the latest figures from the Louisiana Gaming Control Board. Hollywood saw its winnings fall 4.8% last month, to $9.3 million. The Belle, for its part, posted a 5.1% increase in August, taking in $6 million from gamblers; but that was 1.2% less than the casino's take in July. The $15.3 million the casinos collectively won in August was 1.1% less than the $15.5 million they took in during August 2011. The board's August report does not include Baton Rouge's third and newest casino, L'Auberge, which opened Sept. 1. The local take appears to be in line with what most casinos across the state experienced in August. Louisiana's state-licensed casinos took in $188 million from gamblers in August, winnings that were on par with a year earlier but reflect a 5% drop from July. The mix of riverboat, land-based and racetrack casinos brought in nearly $10 million less than the nearly $198 million taken from gamblers in July. The statewide figures do not include Indian reservation casinos in Louisiana, which are not required to report their winnings to the public. You can access the complete winnings reports here.