Louisiana casino take improves

Alan Sayre

Tuesday, May 18, 2004 | 8:48 a.m.

NEW ORLEANS -- Louisiana's state-licensed casinos won $176.6 million from gamblers in April -- a $22 million increase from April 2003, state police reported Monday.

The 14 riverboat casinos won $129.9 million, up from $123.3 million a year ago; Harrah's New Orleans won $26 million, up from $20.9 million; and slot-machine casinos at racetracks won $20.7 million, up from $17 million.

Over the past year, a third track casino in the state opened at Evangeline Downs in Opelousas.

The five casinos in Shreveport-Bossier City, along with Louisiana Downs' casino, won $68.3 million in April, up from $61.9 million in April 2003.

The four riverboats in Lake Charles, along with Delta Downs' casino, won $36.6 million in April, compared with $34.3 million in April 2003.

Gamblers in New Orleans lost $49.6 million in April, compared with $43.9 million in April 2003. Three riverboats took in $23.6 million, along with Harrah's New Orleans' much higher figure.

The two dockside casinos in Baton Rouge won $16.2 million in April, up from $14.8 million a year ago.

The Evangeline Downs casino at Opelousas, which opened in December, won $5.6 million in April.

The figures do not include the three Indian reservation casinos in Louisiana, which are not required to publicly report their winnings from gamblers.