Brief: Riverboat win down

NEW ORLEANS -- Gamblers lost $108.6 million at Louisiana's 13 float casinos in January, just slightly under the $110.3 million tally rung up by the riverboats in December.

As usual, the four floating casinos in the Shreveport-Bossier City market won the most with $48.3 million, followed by Lake Charles-Westlake with $25.3 million, the New Orleans area with $25.1 million and Baton Rouge with $9.9 million.

The state's tax share for the month was $20.1 million.

Industry analyst Larry Pearson, publisher of the Riverboat Gaming Report, said the figures for both months follow a pattern that is becoming established in the state. Peaks in revenue can be expected in March and July, he said.

"July is a good summer month," Pearson said. "It's been said that March is a good month because a lot of people are getting income tax refunds and some of the money is going into the riverboats."

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