Louisiana’s state-licensed casinos won nearly USD 218 million from gamblers in August, with USD 54.3 million of that generated in the New Orleans area alone, State Police reported Tuesday at the Louisiana Gaming Control Board meeting in Baton Rouge.

The statewide figure represents a roughly 2.3 percent increase over the same month the year before, when revenue was USD 213 million. But casino revenue is down about 6.4 percent from July, when the state’s riverboats, racetrack slot machines and Harrah’s New Orleans Casino won USD 232 million. Harrah’s, the state’s only land-based casino, produced month-over-month and year-over-year declines. Last month’s USD 30.5 million haul was 6.2 percent less than the casino won in July and down 13.6 percent from last year’s winnings.

The state’s 13 riverboats collected nearly USD 154 million last month, down from the USD 164 million won in July. Slot machine casinos at four of the state’s racetracks won USD 33 million in August, a 12.2 percent increase over the same month the previous year, when three racetracks earned USD 29.6 million.

Revenue fell at both the Boomtown Casino in Harvey and Kenner’s Treasure Chest casino. Winnings at the West Bank riverboat plummeted to USD 12.2 million in August, 12.2 percent less than the previous year. The Treasure Chest generated USD 9.4 million in revenue, a 2 percent drop from the year before.

Slot machines at the New Orleans Fair Grounds won USD 2.2 million in August, 11 percent less that it won from customers in July. The Fair Grounds did not have slot machines in August 2007.