While 2021 set a national record for casino revenues, Louisiana’s state-regulated gambling halls brought in less money last year than they did pre-pandemic.
The 19 riverboats, racinos and Harrah’s land-based casino brought in $2.38 billion during 2021, a 43.5% increase over the COVID-marred 2020, but down 3.2% from 2019.
The decrease in revenue compared with 2019 was blamed on the impact of hurricanes, according to the American Gaming Association. In August 2020, Hurricane Laura unmoored the gambling barge at the Isle of Capri Lake Charles and significantly damaged the land-based facility the casino was in the process of moving into. The casino has been closed since then.
Hurricane Ida shut down New Orleans- and Baton Rouge-area casinos for several days in August and September.