Oaklawn, Southland wagers down in April

After two months of record or near-record gambling numbers, the two casinos in Arkansas saw lower wager totals at its electronic gambling games. Still, the numbers are far above year-ago levels.

In April as its live horse racing season drew to a close, Hot Springs-based Oaklawn reported electronic games of skill (EGS) wagers of $76.8 million. That figure is up nearly 40% from a year ago. Payouts for the month topped $71.6 million.

At Southland in West Memphis, coin-in from EGS wagers cleared $138.8 million, a 59% rise from the previous April. Payouts exceeded $130.2 million during the month.

April’s totals were the third highest month in Oaklawn history, while Southland’s numbers were fourth highest since electronic casino-style gambling began in November 2006.

Year-to-date, EGS wagers at the two casinos reached $918.67 million, just shy of the billion-dollar mark.