Nevada Casinos Experience Best April Ever, Statewide Gaming Revenue Tops $1.15B
Posted on: May 31, 2023, 12:20h.
Last updated on: June 1, 2023, 04:36h.
April 2023 was an April unlike any other for Nevada casinos. Statewide gross gaming revenue (GGR) last month totaled upwards of $1.15 billion, the highest monthly casino win for any April in Nevada history.
April ’23 marked the 26th consecutive month where statewide GGR exceeded $1 billion. Before the unprecedented run, Nevada’s longest 10-digit monthly gaming revenue streak was just eight months, which was set from October 2006 through May 2007.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) revealed Wednesday that state casinos combined to win $1.159 billion in April, a 3% improvement from April 2022. Robust slot play of $837.9 million, a 4.2% year-over-year gain, fueled the higher revenue.
Table games across the Silver State were essentially flat, as the $321.8 million won on the felt represented a 0.8% decline from April 2022. Oddsmakers fared well; their win jumped 28% to $32.4 million. Handle, the total amount risked on sports, was $598 million.
Las Vegas Sustains Momentum
Clark County’s run of winning at least $1 billion a month came to an end at 11 months in April, as casinos in the county fell short of the 10-digit threshold at $994.9 million. But Las Vegas and the Strip continued to expand its gaming revenues.
Casinos on the Strip saw GGR grow more than 5% to $624.7 million. Downtown Las Vegas casinos won $74.5 million, an 11% spike from April 2022.
Gaming revenues elsewhere in the county went south. Clark County casinos not on the Strip, downtown Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Mesquite, Laughlin, or Boulder reported a GGR of $131.1 million. That represents a 6.3% drop.
Gaming win on the Las Vegas Strip continued to drive the statewide increase, as gaming win excluding the Strip decreased by $5,000 and gaming win in Clark County excluding the Strip increased by just 1% or $3.3 million,” said Michael Lawton, the NGCB’s senior economic analyst.
Blackjack fared well on the Strip, as those tables won more than $74.1 million, a 6% increase. Craps saw GGR surge more than 25% to $28.5 million.
Roulette wheels generated $28.5 million, representing a 14% year-over-year drop. Baccarat, the game of choice among Asian gamblers, generated GGR of $42.6 million, 11% lower than April 2022.
Visitors Return
Southern Nevada continues to benefit from the ongoing return of travelers.
While the general public returned in droves in 2021 and last year as pent-up demand fueled record GGR across the state, the convention segment is only now beginning to return to 2019 levels.
Through April, visitor numbers haven’t yet been revealed by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Bureau. Harry Reid International Airport officials said the number of arriving and departing passengers surged 13% to more than 4.8 million travelers last month.
However, April represented a bit of a slowdown, as year-to-date passenger traffic at Las Vegas’ primary airport is up almost 22% through April.
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As someone who is on The Strip and/or Downtown Vegas daily, I'm split on how I feel about this. For one, it's good for all those working in the gaming and hotel industries to have so much money coming into our city. But on the other hand, I can't remember playing slots as tight as the ones currently on Las Vegas Blvd a d Freemont St. With the casinos pulling in consistently over a billion every month, you'd think they could loosen up their slots just a bit during the week for the locals. Then tighten them back up for those from out of town on the weekends. It's as difficult as ever to get a handpay. Over two years since I hit my last one. As someone who has been in one of these casinos every day since, that is just ridiculous. And says a ton about how tight the machines are. Or just how much bad luck I have personally. Ha.