written and last updated by
Sam Smith at
19 Sep 2025
Journalist, Editorial Department
The former Hollywood Casino in Baton Rouge, located north of the Louisiana State Capitol, has undergone a significant $85 million renovation and has moved to a land-based location. Following its rebranding, the venue has been renamed The Queen and features more spacious areas for slot machines and table games, as well as new restaurants, lounges, and parking facilities.
The upgrade has yielded impressive results for Bally’s, the parent company of The Queen. In July, the casino generated $8.1 million in revenue and attracted over 122,000 visitors. As a result, it captured more than a third of Baton Rouge's gaming market, which was valued at $22.2 million that month.
The rebranding of Hollywood Casino is part of a broader trend across the state, with operators investing in expansions and upgrades to offer new amenities and achieve high returns. In the first seven months of 2025, the 16 licensed river casinos in New Orleans reported a combined revenue of $1.27 billion, nearly 11% higher than last year's figure of $1.15 billion. A significant contributor to this growth was the opening of Live! Casino & Hotel in Bossier City, which became the state's 15th river casino.
Since 2022, several gaming establishments have transitioned to land-based operations, including Horseshoe Lake Charles, Treasure Chest in Kenner, and The Queen. In December, Belle of Baton Rouge will join this list, having undergone a $141 million renovation and rebranding.
A key driver for these investments has been legislative changes in Louisiana in 2018, which allowed river casinos to move onto land and expand their facilities to include hotels and restaurants. Experts note that operators must continually offer new formats to remain competitive in the increasingly crowded U.S. gambling market.
Notably, the former river casino Emerald Queen has relocated from Tacoma to Seattle following its sale.
