Louisiana casinos have been dealing with some of the worst luck in the
gaming industry over the past five years. The casinos not only have had
to deal with the 2008 economic recession, but the recession came at a
time when the casinos in the state were just starting to recover from
Hurricane Katrina.
The hurricane blew through New Orleans and left hundreds of millions of
dollars in damage, not only to the casinos, but the entire state of
Louisiana. Casinos were forced to close, some for several months, and
the recession then added to the frustration for the gaming
establishments and their owners. All of that now appears to be coming to
a head.
In September, casinos brought in $196.6 million. That figure was over
$10 million higher than the $186 million in September of 2010. It also
brought hope that one of the worst economic periods in Gulf Coast gaming
industry is coming to an end. The Louisiana Gaming Control Board
released the details of the revenue increase on Thursday.
Race tracks were among the major winners in September, with slot revenue
up to $31.7 million. It represented an increase of four percent from
the same month the previous year. Riverboat casinos also had a strong
September, rising five percent from last year. Revenue at the riverboat
casinos totaled $134.1 million. That figure also was higher than the
August revenue of $129.8 million.
Louisiana casinos are facing the same questions that Nevada and New
Jersey casinos are up[ against in recent years. With expansion of the
gaming industry coming to dozens of states since the recession, the
former gaming capitals of the country are having to reestablish
themselves amongst US gamblers. The Louisiana casinos have held several
promotions in an attempt to gain back the business they lost to the
recession.
Atlantic City and Las Vegas have officials scrambling as well to change
with the times. While many states are only now starting to get into
casino gambling, Nevada and New Jersey lawmakers have moved on to
creating online gambling regulations. If the US changes its current
laws, the two states would be in position to be the first into the world
of regulated Internet gambling in the country.