Whatever people in Louisiana were doing last month, gambling wasn’t it. Casino receipts were down 9% and you can’t blame it on the smoking ban in Baton Rouge (-13%), not when Lake Charles—the best market in the state—
was nearly 10% lower, year over year. The area had a hard time but Penn National Gaming has be singled out for apparent mismanagement of L’Auberge Lake Charles ($26 million), which fell 15%, compared to 8% for both Isle Grand Palais ($8 million) and Delta Downs ($15.5 million). Golden Nugget eked out the tiniest of edges on L’Auberge, with $26 million plus pocket change, down 5.5%. As Eldorado Resorts sheds weak properties from its portfolio, it should consider ridding itself of Belle of Baton Rouge, plummeting 43% to $2 million. By contrast, L’Auberge Baton Rouge grossed $12 million (-6%) and Casino Rouge was down 8% to $4.5 million.
Harrah’s New Orleans easily dominated its area, grossing $22.5 million (-5.5%). Boomtown New Orleans and Treasure Chest each grossed $9.5 million, a 6.5% dip for Penn and 3.5% one for Boyd Gaming. Both Fair Grounds and Amelia Belle brought in just under $4 million, with the Churchill Downs property flat and the Boyd one 3% off its feed. In the Shreveport area, Horseshoe Bossier City really needs to worry about Margaritaville. Horseshoe grossed $14 million and Margaritaville was only a decimal point behind. That’s a severe, 22% fade by Horseshoe, while Margaritaville (Penn) defied the odds by coming in flat. Penn’s magic touch didn’t extend to Boomtown Bossier, falling 20% to $4 million. Other casinos were as follows: Eldorado Shreveport $9 million (-8%); Sam’s Town $6 million (-10.5%); Diamond Jack’s $3 million (-3%); Louisiana Downs $3 million (-4%).
* Sports betting got off to a promising start in Pennsylvania. $46 million was wagered, which has to be set against the fact that only one Internet sportsbook was open all month, joined by two others on June 27. “The summer months are historically the slowest on the sports betting calendar, so a relatively strong showing is significant,” said analyst Jessica Welman. Yes, especially when you can’t access an online sportsbook on iOS. Already 42% of all bets are being taken online. SugarHouse Casino is tops for the moment but we’ll see if that lasts now that Parx Casino and Rivers Casino (which shares ownership with SugarHouse) are in the fray.
* As expected, Oklahoma casino tribes blew a raspberry to Gov. Kevin Stitt‘s call for higher exclusivity fees. Given the importance of casinos to the Sooner State’s economy, we predict that the tribes will give Stitt a little bit of what he wants but a lot less than he’s demanding. Is he really willing to close all the state’s tribal casinos on Jan. 1?
* North Carolina gave tribes have a loaf when the Lege approved sports betting at the state’s two Native American casinos. Neither mobile nor online wagering will be permitted, which is like cutting off your nose to spite your face.
