Gulf Coast Casinos Brace Themselves for Hurricane Season

By Jane Shaw Senior Editor Updated: 05/31/2021

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Gulf Coast Casinos

After suffering hugely last year during hurricane season, casinos along the Gulf Coast are once again preparing for the possibility of severe damage as this year’s hurricane season approaches. Casinos along the coast in both Louisiana and Mississippi took a battering last year, and with hurricane season set to begin in June, they are now preparing themselves for what might come.

The season lasts for six months, and casinos are eager to take steps to protect the properties, employees, and patrons as much as they can. Some may even have to close their properties based on advice from officials who monitor hurricanes.

Casinos Need to Be Prepared

As the destruction caused last year shows, casinos in these areas need to be prepared when it comes to protection against the impact of the hurricanes. Advice from the state gaming commissions is offered to help them to prepare and decide on the most appropriate course of action.

Allen Godfrey, executive director of the Mississippi Gaming Commission, said that as the season got closer the commission will:

…start communicating with the operators for action that may be taken. Should the decision be made to actually close the casino, then the operators start removing patrons, dealing with the cash, and securing the premises and running reports.

According to Godfrey, when casinos reopen, visits are made by officials from the commission to ensure everything has been done in accordance with guidelines for opening. There are 26 commercial casinos in the state in total, with a dozen of them being located along the Gulf Coast.

Riverboat Casinos Also Preparing

Preparations for the up-and-coming hurricane season are also being made by riverboat casinos in Louisiana. Officials are working closely with the casinos to ensure that the right measures can be put into place to minimize the risk of damage.

There are 13 riverboat casinos in total in the state, along with four racinos and a single land-based casino. Some of the riverboat venues experienced a lot of damage last year because of the severity of the hurricanes, and officials are keen to do all they can to reduce the risks this year after what has already been a devastating year for casinos.

One Problem After Another

Many casino officials will be preparing themselves for yet another huge problem as the season fast approaches. It seems to be one problem after another lately, with the hurricane season from last year coupled with a global pandemic causing huge issues.

As the pandemic eases off, hurricane season is here once again, which has given casinos along the Gulf Coast little time to recover. This has had a huge toll on the industry within the two states.

Last year saw two deadly hurricanes batter the Lake Charles area, with Hurricanes Delta and Laura both having a huge impact. In fact, data shows that a record number of storms hit the Gulf Coast last year, and this had a huge negative impact on the casino industry in the two states.