Christmas season proved very cheery, indeed, for Louisiana gaming revenue. Now with the announcement of the state’s long-awaited mobile sports betting launch this Friday, Jan. 28, at 8 a.m., things may only improve.
Louisiana gaming revenue rose by 13% in December over November, the best monthly figure in the state since July’s $295 million. The $289,066,960 total represents a year-over-year climb of 32.8%.
And like Rudolph leading Santa’s sleigh, Lake Charles’s Golden Nugget led Pelican State gaming out of last year’s pandemic stumble with $31.2 million, an increase of 30.9% year-over-year.
The opening of yet more retail sportsbooks in the state likely helped bring up Louisiana gambling revenue a lot.
A merrier Christmas in 2021 (almost) all around
With last summer’s Hurricane Ida and last year’s pandemic lockdown in the rear-view mirror, New Orleans led gaming with an increase of 43.2% over last December; revenues last month totaled $51.4 million.
Boomtown jumped a very impressive 59.3%, to $13.2 million from $8.3 million. In terms of dollars, Harrah’s took the NOLA lead with $22.1 million.
Baton Rouge came in second in the state, with an increase of 40.7% as this December’s $24.2 million topped last year’s $17.2 million. L’Auberge took the top spot, with revenue of $17.8 million, a year-over-year increase of 44.1% from last December’s $12.4 million.
Lake Charles took third place with a 28.9% year-over-year jump, this year’s $76.5 million besting $59.4 million a year ago.
Shreveport-Bossier climbed 21.8%, from $43.9 million to $56.2 million year-over-year.
Sam’s Town ended up the only property with a month-over-month decrease, -9.4%, dropping from $3.9 million to $3.5 million. But considering the January opening of Sam’s Town’s FanDuel sportsbook, Shreveport’s first, maybe things will have turned around in the next report.
Evangeline Downs in Opelousas gained 20% in revenue, $6.6 million this year versus $5.5 million last year.
Sportsbooks get a “handle” on some profits
December was the second month for legal sports betting in the Pelican State and the activity brought in $39.5 million at the 11 retail casinos operating that month.
While the month saw an increase in “handle” (total bets) of 42.9%, that was countered by a decrease of revenue from $5.68 million in net proceeds to $4.38 million.
Gaming Board Chair Ronnie Johns attributed the drop to “a bunch of upsets.”
Parlays proved the most popular type of bet yet again. In November and December combined, those combination bets brought in $6.1 million. That equals about half of all bets placed.
And not a big surprise in the Saints’ home state, football bets stayed popular, too. They brought in about a third of the total from November and December combined, $3.3 million.
Other sports bets totals for the two months:
- Basketball – $594,750
- Soccer – $54,000
- Other – $55,100
Sports bets didn’t fare as well in sports betting’s second month: 11.1% percent of sports bets placed in December won, down from 20.6% in November.
All told, combining November and December, Louisiana gained more than $1 million in tax revenue. About $438,000 of that came from sports betting.
Louisiana going mobile!
Cell-by date announced: Friday, January 28 mobile sports betting goes live
With two new FanDuel sportsbooks recently opened at Sam’s Town and Amelia Belle in Morgan City, and mobile sports betting starting this Friday, the state will likely see more sports betting tax revenue.
Tax revenue from mobile sports betting will be allocated in this manner:
- Early childhood education (25%)
- Local government and social programs
- Louisiana Thoroughbred Breeders Association
- Louisiana Association on Compulsive Gambling (up to $500,000)
Tax monies will get distributed proportionately according to what the activity generates. Fifty-five of the state’s 64 parishes will have access, as originally approved by referendum in November 2020.