Margaritaville Resort Casino in Bossier City, where September revenue rose 17.8% from a year earlier.

Key Points

  • Casino revenue (riverboats, Caesars New Orleans and racetrack slots) totaled $608.9 million for July through September, up 3.5% from $588.2 million; the figure excludes video poker and sports betting.

  • September revenue was $195.5 million, up 11.8% from $174.9 million a year earlier; Caesars New Orleans rose 30.4%, Shreveport-Bossier riverboats 17.2% and Lake Charles 12.3%.

  • Racetrack slots fell 2.0% in September and 2.5% for the quarter, and riverboat revenue dipped 2.7% from August to September.

SHREVEPORT — Louisiana's casinos took in $608.9 million in the July-September quarter, up 3.5% from the same three months of 2025, according to an LT&C tally of monthly Louisiana State Police gaming reports. September revenue rose 11.8% from a year earlier to $195.5 million and accounted for nearly all of the quarter's $20.7 million gain, even though riverboat revenue slipped 2.7% from August.

The quarter is the first of the state's fiscal year. The totals cover three regulated segments: adjusted gross revenue at the 15 riverboat casinos, gross gaming revenue at Caesars New Orleans, the state's only land-based casino, and adjusted gross revenue from slot machines at the four racetracks. They leave out video poker at truck stops, bars and other licensed locations, as well as sports betting, which are reported separately. Video poker devices generated $65.0 million in net revenue in September, up 7.3% from a year earlier.

Riverboats are still the bulk of the business. They took in $146.9 million in September, 11.5% more than a year before, and $457.5 million for the quarter, up about 3.1%. Shreveport-Bossier led the September gains with a 17.2% increase to $45.0 million, as Horseshoe Bossier City rose 17.2%, Margaritaville 17.8% and Live! Casino 31.3%. Sam's Town went the other way in that market, down 18.0%. Lake Charles, the largest riverboat market by revenue, gained 12.3% to $57.5 million, with Golden Nugget up 14.3% and L'Auberge up 10.6%.

Set against earlier years, the quarter looks steadier than any single month. Riverboat revenue for the July-September quarter was about 10% higher than in the same quarter of 2024 and 8% higher than in 2023, according to the State Police's own year-over-year comparisons. Riverboat admissions for the quarter rose about 1% to 4.27 million, while revenue rose about 3%, so the average spend per visit edged up as well.

The Baton Rouge market rose 10.7% from a year earlier to $22.3 million, but one property skews that comparison. Bally's Baton Rouge posted $4.9 million in September against just $689,201 in September 2025, a 607% gain off a very small base. The Queen fell 16.4% and L'Auberge Baton Rouge 6.9%. New Orleans-area riverboats were roughly flat, up 0.7% to $22.1 million, as Treasure Chest slipped 3.4% while Boomtown and Amelia Belle gained.

The standout was Caesars New Orleans. The downtown casino reported $25.4 million in gross gaming revenue in September, up 30.4% from $19.5 million a year earlier, and $75.4 million for the quarter, up about 13%. Admissions for the quarter rose 3% to 751,603, so more of the gain came from spending per visit than from foot traffic.

Racetrack slots moved the other way. The four tracks took in $23.2 million in September, down 2.0%, and $76.1 million for the quarter, down 2.5% from $78.0 million. Delta Downs, by far the largest, slipped 2.2% in September, and quarterly admissions across the tracks fell 14%.

Month to month, the picture is softer. Riverboat revenue in September was 2.7% below August, and every Lake Charles property except Golden Nugget fell from the prior month. Gaming revenue often swings from one month to the next, so a single dip proves little, but a strong annual comparison can hide a slowdown inside the quarter. October results are due from the State Police in mid-November.

The figures feed straight into the state budget through fees. Riverboats owed $31.6 million in fees on September revenue and remitted $98.4 million for the quarter, about 3% more than a year earlier. Caesars New Orleans owed $5.3 million for the month, and racetrack slots generated $3.5 million in state tax.

For operators and the businesses around them, the regional split matters more than the statewide number. The Shreveport-Bossier and Lake Charles markets compete for drive-in customers from Texas, and both posted double-digit September gains. At the tracks, falling admissions are a worry for the horse-racing industry, which receives 18% of track slot revenue for purse supplements and the breeders' associations, according to the State Police racetrack report. That deduction came to $13.7 million for the quarter, about 3% less than a year earlier, as track slot revenue fell.

Photo: Michael Barera / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0