Louisiana's commercial casinos pulled in $246.2 million in May, an 8 percent year-over-year increase that leaned heavily on a surge at Bally's Baton Rouge. The Baton Rouge casino logged a standout jump after trading its cramped riverboat footprint for a new landside complex late last year, a single-property boost that shook up the monthly rankings across the state's gaming districts.
The Louisiana Gaming Control Board's monthly figures put the May total at $246.2 million, up 8 percent compared with May 2025, according to CDC Gaming. The report continues a run of choppy month-to-month results as several operators pivot into expanded land-based properties.
Bally's Baton Rouge, formerly the Belle of Baton Rouge, moved into a permanent landside complex in December after an extensive renovation. In a press release via Bally's Corporation, the company characterized the project as a major rebuild that added hotel rooms, dining options and expanded gaming space. Industry reporting shows the property generated roughly $6.2 million in May, a 591 percent leap from the prior-year comparison, as reported by Eastern Herald, a pop that meaningfully amplified the statewide gain.
Regional winners and losers
Lake Charles held its spot as the state's largest single market in May with $86.4 million in revenue, while the Shreveport-Bossier corridor posted the strongest district-level increase, according to the state data. Among standout properties, L'Auberge du Lac reported $31.4 million and Golden Nugget Lake Charles booked $30.1 million, based on Louisiana figures reviewed by CDC Gaming.
Sports wagering: handle up, hold down
Sportsbooks took in about $318 million in wagers in May but reported $45.9 million in revenue, a 3 percent year-over-year decline tied to a lower hold percentage. That combination, a bigger handle but slimmer margins, indicates that sportsbooks wrote more tickets but earned less per dollar wagered, according to Eastern Herald.
What to watch next
Nationally, the American Gaming Association's State of the States report pegged U.S. commercial gaming revenue at a record $78.62 billion in 2025, a backdrop that helps explain why so many operators are pouring money into brick-and-mortar upgrades (American Gaming Association). Louisiana's recent gains are coming as the state continues to study, but has not yet approved, commercial online casino gaming, keeping growth centered on land-based projects and local tourism, industry trackers note, according to PlayUSA.
Operators and regulators will be eyeing June's numbers to see whether the Baton Rouge bump sticks or settles into a more typical post-opening range. For now, May's report shows how one landside conversion can move statewide totals and why those monthly updates matter to cities and parishes that count on gaming tax revenue and tourism dollars.
