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Talk of the Town

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CASINO NEWS 7-16-08 President La Casino Association: Riverboat Industry Needs State Relief
Wednesday, Jul 16, 2008 11:33am

SHREVEPORT, LA (By: Tom Pace, Executive Editor, Talk of the Town) BREAKING: CASINO NEWS 2pm 7-16-08 Louisiana's riverboat casinos are facing "...a tough summer," says Wade Duty, President of the Louisiana Casino Association. His warning is based on higher gas prices, coupled with increasing competition from Indian Casinos in Oklahoma, and he sagging economy. Click here to listen to Duty's "1-on-1" interview with Tom Pace from"The Talk of the Town."

Duty was one of the featured speakers at the 2008 Travel Outlook Conference, Monday, July 14th, in Bossier City...presented by the Shreveport-Bossier Covention & Tourist Bureau, and Co-Sponsored by the Shreveport-Bossier Hotel and Lodging Association.

Duty predicts that for the state's casinos, "...the end of the easy road is in sight," adding, "Beware of the Indian Casinos in Oklahoma." Duty says they are offering more and bigger Gambling Casinos (mainly because the state of Oklahoma does not tax the Native American gaming reservations, nor do they have any restrictions on size of facilities, and limits on the number of slot machines, like Louisiana does.)

As far as gaming goes in northwest Louisiana, Duty says the "The boats are here to stay in Shreveport-Bossier," but, he warns "...the state taxes (about 26% state & local) are a major factor," they are having to consider in their long-term marketing and planning.

In fact, according to the latest numbers for June of 2008, Duty says Shreveport-Bossier Casino revenues are down 10.7% this month.