Gaming briefs for May 24, 2004

Monday, May 24, 2004 | 12:51 p.m.

Casino revenue declines

LAKEWOOD, Colo. -- Colorado casino revenue was down in April when compared with the previous month.

Casinos reported $57.3 million in adjusted gross proceeds, down 7.4 percent from March revenue of $61.9 million, the Colorado Division of Gaming reported Friday.

April results historically are lower than March. When compared with April 2003, results this year were slightly higher.

Adjusted gross proceeds is the amount wagered by bettor wagers less payouts by the casino. Casinos paid $9.8 million in taxes in April.

The 22 casinos in Black Hawk accounted for 73.7 percent of the state's casino business, or $42.2 million in April. Cripple Creek's 18 casinos accounted for 19.2 percent, or $11 million, while Central City's five casinos accounted for 7.1 percent, or $4 million.

Slot win increases

UNCASVILLE, Conn. -- Last month, more cash continued to flow through the slot machines at the state's two Indian casinos with both reporting increased revenue.

The Mohegan Sun brought in $70.5 million from its slot machine players, an increase of 10.5 percent over the previous April. The handle, or total amount put through its 6,252 machines, also increased more than 10 percent, to $852.9 million.

Foxwoods' win increased by 1.1 percent year-over-year, to $63.8 million, though its handle dropped .6 percent to $776.7 million.

ANAHUAC, Texas:

A chartered Coach USA casino bus returning to Texas from Louisiana collided with a stopped tractor-trailer rig on Interstate 10 this morning, leaving one woman dead and sending numerous other people to hospitals in Southeast Texas. The bus was headed to Houston from a casino in Lake Charles, La., 135 miles east of Houston.