Louisiana added a 19th casino in June but statewide casino winnings sank.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) - Louisiana added a 19th casino in June but statewide casino winnings went down.
State-regulated casinos took in $8.3 million less in June than 18 casinos did a year earlier and $19.7 million less than they did in May, according to state police figures released Thursday by the Louisiana Gaming Control Board.
Only the Horseshoe - the most lucrative riverboat in the Shreveport-Bossier City market, where a Margaritaville casino opened June 13 - won more last month than in June 2012. The Horseshoe won $17.5 million, $760,860 more than the previous June. Of the 17 casinos that were open in June 2012, it was the only one with a 1-year increase in winnings.
Margaritaville, open for 17 days in June, took in $7.9 million.
The market total, including the slot machine casino at Delta Downs race track, rose $4.2 million, to $63 million.
The only other market where the gambling total increased was Baton Rouge, which also has one casino more than it did a year earlier. The total of $23.6 million was $6.7 million more than in June 2012.
The Belle of Baton Rouge appeared to win back a few of the customers it has lost since L'Auberge Baton Rouge opened: its $5 million take was 26.9 percent of the market, compared to 20.4 percent in May, when it took in $5.3 million. The Hollywood casino's share edged up from 26.4 percent to 27 percent and winnings of $6.8 million. L'Auberge's $11.8 million put it at the top of the market, but with 46.1 percent of the winnings, down from 53.2 percent in May.
The Lake Charles market - two riverboats and a race track casino - took in $53.8 million, down $7.5 million from June 2012; New Orleans $50.1 million, down $2.6 million; the Amelia Belle in Morgan City $4.3 million, down $480,000; and the Evangeline Downs track casino in Opelousas $7.6 million, down nearly $785,000.
Overall, gamblers lost $194.5 million: $134.5 million at riverboats, $32.9 million at race track slot machines, and $27.1 million at Harrah's land casino in New Orleans.