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Closing the Book on 2025

Casino revenues in Maryland slumped last month, down 2.5% to $160 million. At least Horseshoe Baltimore had something to crow about, leaping 12% to $15 million. Rocky Gap Resort was also up, plus 1.5% to $4 million and validating Century Casinos‘ turnaround talk. MGM National Harbor (above) dove 7% to $68.5 million and chief rival Maryland Live was flat at $59 million. Ocean Downs dipped 3% to $7 million and Hollywood Perryville was 2% off to $7 million.

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Sorta Doing the Right Thing

For the second time in a month, we have a major civic leader diving under the table instead of making a firm decision. After dithering for seven months, Maine Gov. Janet Mills (D) opted to let LD 1164 become law without her signature. Not exactly Profiles in Courage stuff. Why is this bill important? Because it opens up the Pine Tree State to iGaming, via the four tribes of the Wabanaki Nation. Three of them are aligned with Caesars Entertainment and one with DraftKings. Pouting on the sidelines are a variety of interested parties, including FanDuel, BetMGM and Fanatics, all of whom find themselves on the outside looking in.

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The Good, the Bad and the Ugly in Florida

As we reported elsewhere, the state of Florida has a serious problem with illegal casinos. Lawmakers have been generally unwilling to take this bull by the horns. One laudable exception is state Sen. Clay Yarbrough (R). Following the lead of state Attorney General James Uthmeier, Yarbrough is looking to seriously upscale the penalties on those who operate rogue slot parlors.

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What Will I Do for Bonnie?

Bob Dancer

Author’s Note: When I originally wrote this, I was planning to quit gambling January 1. Since then, I’ve changed my mind about that, as I wrote in my 12/23 blog. When I was still in my “I’m going to quit gambling” mode, several readers asked me what I was going to do after I quit. Since many gamblers will be quitting, I decided to run this one anyway.

Before we were married, I told Bonnie that I was not a guy who would give her presents on traditional days (birthday, anniversary, Christmas, etc.) but I often received gifts from casinos which I would pass along to her, and she wouldn’t be shortchanged gift-wise. Although this initially struck her as odd, and not at all what she was used to with her first husband before he died, she decided she could put up with that.

When Bonnie comes along with me on casino trips (which is my hobby, not hers), often I find a way to reward her. When we went to the ROW in Reno, we’d each get $400 in Resort Credit a month, which Bonnie usually spent at one of the gift shops, and sometimes they had purse or jewelry giveaways which she enjoyed. She found herself well “taken care of.”

At Harrah’s Cherokee, we each got $200 in spa credit a month and most of our trips crossed monthly boundaries, so she would have two $400 spa days every trip, which we usually took four times a year or so.

Every additional casino I play at gives me something she can enjoy — whether it’s gift shop credit, free shows, meals, or whatever.

During our 11 years together, we’ve spent an average of three weeks a year cruising on NCL in balcony suites courtesy of casino largesse.

While in Las Vegas, I get free meals to the tune of $1,500 a month or so. In addition to feeding Bonnie, she has some in-town and out-of-town relatives, and we regularly treat them too. 

I didn’t provide this list to say, “See, what a nice husband I am” or “See how rich I am.” I provided it to indicate that when I stop gambling, all of these goodies will be going away. Some will linger awhile until the casinos figure I’m not coming back, but eventually they will all terminate. Casinos aren’t in the business of providing goodies to former players. 

I may periodically receive a “come back again” present from a casino. Going in to collect those things without playing at all is the surest way to stop receiving them in the future.

So, what will I do to keep Bonnie happy? The answer is some version of, “I haven’t figured it out yet.” It would probably cost $40,000 a year or more to give Bonnie what she’s used to receiving “for free.” While I still have some revenue from non-gambling sources and some accumulated capital (which I’m used to thinking of as “bankroll”), spending money on things I used to get for free requires developing some new habits and procedures.

Bonnie is not a greedy lady. She can understand why casinos won’t be giving us as much in the future. But still, she is used to a certain standard of living, largely supplied by me, and that was part of an implied contract when she agreed to marry me. Taking all that away from her is like a form of punishment she did nothing to deserve. Nor did I “screw up” somehow to cause this problem.

Bonnie brought assets into the relationship — some of which provide an income stream. I’ve paid for the bulk of expenses because I had both more assets and more income — and got a lot of things “for free.” We’ll probably shift to a more equal sharing of expenses. How we will do that, and how she will react to that, is unknown at this point. We haven’t had that conversation yet.

We’re both relatively frugal and figuring out how to do this is a puzzle to solve together. We’ll work it out somehow. We’re nowhere near destitute. We’re old enough that our assets will probably outlast us. (Hopefully. Unless the doomsday clock strikes midnight.) And the relationship works well for both of us. 

This is one of my blogs with more questions than answers. But that’s all I have for now.

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Our Favorite Las Vegas Happy Hours of 2025, According to the Happy Hour Experts

Top Las Vegas happy hours of 2025

It’s officially 2026, but before we race ahead to what’s next, we wanted to take a moment to look back at the happy hours that defined 2025. From longtime favorites to standout finds we couldn’t stop talking about, these were the spots we returned to again and again.

We leaned on a trusted circle of food writers, hospitality insiders, and local voices who know where the value really lives. The happy hours that delivered on flavor, value, and experience in a year that reminded us why this ritual matters. Here are their favorites plus, the top happy hour categories our audience couldn’t get enough of last year.

1. Basilico Ristorante Italiano – Southwest Vegas

Expert pick: Al Mancini, NeonFeast.com
Al Mancini didn’t just like Basilico’s happy hour — he practically moved in. Offered daily from 4–6 p.m., this Southwest standout delivers refined Italian comfort at happy hour prices. Mancini’s go-to? The Cavatelli with Sausage Ragù and Sottocenere cheese for $10 — plus the kind of Wednesday-only $1 oyster deal that makes you cancel other plans. Classic, consistent, and quietly one of Southwest Las Vegas’ best-kept secrets.
👉 https://happyhourvegas.com/happy-hour/basilico-ristorante-italiano

2. Lotus of Siam – Flamingo Road

Expert pick: Anthony Curtis, LasVegasAdvisor.com
When Anthony Curtis calls a happy hour a value, people listen. Lotus of Siam’s weekday happy hour (Mon–Fri, 3–5 p.m.) offers some of the restaurant’s most beloved dishes for $7, plus $4 sake. Curtis notes that a recent visit for two rang in at just $49 — proof that world-famous Thai food doesn’t have to come with Strip pricing. This is elite-level cuisine hiding in plain sight.
👉 https://happyhourvegas.com/happy-hour/lotus-of-siam

3. Rebellion Pizza – Anthem

Expert pick: Bob Barnes, Food & Loathing
Rebellion Pizza earns Bob Barnes’ loyalty for two big reasons: serious New York–style pizza and an unmatched commitment to local beer. The Anthem location boasts the largest selection of Southern Nevada–brewed beers in the Valley, and its weekday happy hour (2–5 p.m.) seals the deal with $5 massive slices, $7 drafts, and half-off appetizers. It’s neighborhood-friendly, fiercely local, and exactly what happy hour should be.
👉 https://happyhourvegas.com/happy-hour/rebellion-pizza-happy-hour

4. Herbs & Rye – Off-Strip

Expert pick: Rachel “The Real” Diehl, Hospitality Insider
For anyone who’s ever missed happy hour because life got in the way, Herbs & Rye is the answer. Rachel Diehl loves that happy hour runs all day, every day, eliminating clock-watching entirely. Expect half-priced full plates of pasta and steak paired with one of the most creative cocktail programs in Las Vegas. Show up when you’re hungry — the deal is always on.
👉 https://happyhourvegas.com/happy-hour/herbs-and-rye

5. Nacho Daddy – Downtown Las Vegas

Expert pick: Shelley Berkley, Mayor of Las Vegas
When a happy hour earns its own city proclamation, you know it’s doing something right. Mayor Shelley Berkley is a fan of Nacho Daddy’s $5 happy hour margaritas — so much so that December 18 was officially declared “Nacho Daddy Day” in Las Vegas. With daily happy hours from 11 a.m.–6 p.m. and again from 9–11 p.m., this Downtown staple proves that fun, flavor, and value never go out of style.
👉 https://happyhourvegas.com/happy-hour/nacho-daddy-downtown-vegas

6. Echo & Rig – Summerlin

Expert pick: Andrew Morgan, Happy Hour Vegas
Echo & Rig is my personal go-to because it nails the sweet spot between quality and value. Where else can you order one of everything on the happy hour menu for about $15? Summerlin’s weekday happy hour (3–6 p.m.) features $3 cocktails, $4 steak & eggs, and a butcher-driven menu that feels indulgent without the indulgent price tag.
👉 https://happyhourvegas.com/happy-hour/echo-rig-happy-hour/

Popular Happy Hour Categories of 2025

Beyond individual venues, our audience made their preferences loud and clear in 2025. These were the most-visited happy hour categories on HappyHourVegas.com and a reflection of how people were actually dining and socializing in Las Vegas last year.

7. Weekend Happy Hours

Happy hour isn’t just for weekdays anymore. Weekend happy hours surged in popularity as locals and visitors looked for flexible ways to socialize without committing to full dinners or late nights. Brunch-adjacent, pre-show, and early-evening deals ruled 2025.
👉 https://happyhourvegas.com/weekend-happy-hours/

8. Reverse Happy Hours

Late nights deserve love, too. Reverse happy hours typically after 9 p.m. became a go-to for hospitality workers, night owls, and anyone who prefers cocktails after the crowds thin out. Vegas is a 24-hour town, and our audience clearly drinks accordingly.
👉 https://happyhourvegas.com/reverse-happy-hours-las-vegas/

9. Happy Hour Deals

Value matters. With rising menu prices everywhere, our readers gravitated toward clearly defined deals. Dollar oysters, $5 cocktails, half-off menus, $3 tacos and more. The kind of offers that feel like a win the moment the check arrives.
👉 https://happyhourvegas.com/happy-hour-deals-las-vegas/

10. Rooftop & Foodie Happy Hours

Views and flavor closed out the top spots. Rooftop happy hours let people soak in the skyline without paying nightclub prices, while foodie happy hours attracted diners chasing chef-driven menus, seasonal ingredients, and creative small plates. In 2025, people wanted experience and taste, not just a cheap drink.
👉 https://happyhourvegas.com/rooftop-happy-hours/
👉 https://happyhourvegas.com/foodie-happy-hours/

Looking forward to 2026 Las Vegas Happy Hours

Happy Hour Vegas now tracks 500+ happy hours, organized by category, location and menu, making it easy to explore and discover the right happy hour for any location or occasion. If 2025 taught us anything, it’s that happy hour isn’t a trend, it’s how Las Vegas eats, drinks, and connects.

And, as we move into 2026, we’re excited for new menus, new chefs, new experiences, and plenty of new happy hours worth discovering. Las Vegas never stops evolving, and we’ll be right there tracking the deals, tasting the bites, and sharing the spots that are doing it right. We look forward to raising a glass with you and bringing you along for another great year of happy hours in Las Vegas. 🥂🍸

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2025 Restaurant Recap, Part 3: Off-Strip Casinos

Las Vegas restaurant openings in 2025 didn’t tell a single story. So rather than offering a traditional year-end list of the “Best New Restaurants,” I’m taking a look at what the year’s most significant openings reveal about larger dining trends. (If you’re looking for “Best Of” lists, I publish more than 100 of them at Neon Feast.)

In the first two parts of this series, we saw how restaurant openings on and off Las Vegas Boulevard in 2025 reflected very different dynamics. On the Strip, casino resorts stunned diners with openings that redefined just how luxurious a Las Vegas restaurant can be. In the suburbs, established pockets of culinary excellence matured while new ones emerged, delivering both everyday dining and special-occasion restaurants across a wide range of prices.

That split created an opportunity for neighborhood casinos to attract diners across income brackets who had grown weary of traveling to the Strip for nights out. Several responded with aggressive revamps and reboots of their culinary lineups.

Summerlin: Suncoast and JW Marriott/Rampart Casino

For years, Tivoli Village and Boca Park dominated the dining scene on the outskirts of northern Summerlin. In 2025, two neighborhood hotel-casinos emerged as serious contenders for the area’s best dining destinations.

Suncoast launched a major renovation in late 2023 that brought William B’s Steakhouse and Taste of Asia to the resort. As the project continued through 2025, the property temporarily closed its beloved pancake spot, Du-Par’s, for several months to accommodate a full renovation. All of this while Brigg’s Oyster Co. lured in customers with some fantastic oyster specials that fluctuated throughout the year.

Pearls and Nom Wah

Not to be outdone, Suncoast’s next-door neighbor — the JW Marriott Las Vegas and Rampart Casino, aka The Resort At Summerlin — embarked on its own renovation, adding significant new dining options. In 2025 alone, the resort introduced two celebrity chefs, one New York City institution, and a total of five new restaurants.

Celebrity chef Fabio Viviani made the biggest splash, rolling out three concepts in less than four months. Ai Pazzi, an upscale Italian restaurant, and Pearls Oyster and Crudo Bar opened in July, the former replacing Spiedini Fiamma. They were quickly followed by the casual ai Pazzi Pizza.

Chef Fabio Viviani

Recognizing the growing popularity of approachable dim sum, the resort looked to New York City, landing Nom Wah Tea Parlor. In September, the Big Apple’s oldest dim sum restaurant — founded in 1920 — opened its first Las Vegas outpost along the hotel-casino’s restaurant row. The following month, celebrity chef Shawn McClain opened a second location of his popular off-Strip wine bar, Wineaux, at the JW.

Notably, these additions have not disrupted the resort’s most popular existing restaurants. Hawthorn Grill, Jade Asian Kitchen, The Market Buffet, and the Earl Grey Café continue serving loyal followings alongside the new arrivals.

Station Casinos

Station Casinos, long regarded as the gold standard for off-Strip casino dining, shifted much of its focus to the valley’s outer edges in 2025. While 2024 centered on the debut of Durango Resort and major moves at Green Valley Ranch, the past year emphasized neighborhood taverns and renewed attention to the Boulder Highway corridor.

Leticia’s Boulder Station

The company opened its second Seventy-Six Tavern location early in the year along Aliante Parkway in North Las Vegas. Meanwhile, Boulder Station continued upgrading its culinary offerings with the addition of Leticia’s Cocina and Cantina by chef Leticia Mitchell, along with the return of the unlimited salad bar at The Broiler Steakhouse.

Looking ahead, the Vegas-born Good Pie brand is hard at work on a state-of-the-art pizzeria at Red Rock Resort. The property is also preparing for the return of Hearthstone Kitchen after a nearly three-year absence. And food lovers are anxiously awaiting news of what Durango’s second phase will bring.

The Rio

With its location just off Las Vegas Boulevard, the Rio has long marketed itself to both tourists and locals. In 2025, it reinforced that local connection by giving prime real estate atop its main tower to James Trees.

The result is High Steaks, a modern steakhouse designed to recapture the spirit of old-school Vegas at prices that appeal to both local diners and value-conscious visitors.

Left toHigh Steaks Team, Left to Right: Joe Swan (Executive Chef), Araceli Hedum (Executive Sous Chef), Todd Tooms (Assistant General Manager), Nick Rossiter (Sous Chef), Christina Phat (Pastry Chef), Tylor Kezar (General Manager), Christine Lugo-Yergensen (Floor Manager), James Trees (Chef/Partner) CREDIT: Angelo Clinton/High Steaks Vegas

The Bigger Picture

All of these moves suggest that off-Strip casinos no longer see their restaurants as simple amenities for their regular gamblers. Instead, they’re increasingly positioning themselves as destinations in their own right, for guests in all income brackets.

For more on restaurant trends in 2025, please check out:

2025 Restaurant Recap, PART 1: Strip Casinos

2025 Restaurant Recap, PART 2: Neighborhood Restaurants

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F1 Lays an Egg

Tourism to Las Vegas fell 5% in November and flattened Las Vegas Strip gambling revenues along with with it. Casinos should be grateful that the fewer players they’re getting are spending more. Strip gambling houses grossed $784 million the month before last. (The Nevada Gaming Control Board snuck the numbers out on New Year’s Eve.) Although miscellaneous Clark County casinos were flat, most everybody else prospered. Downtown dens were up 10% to $87 million, the Boulder Strip saw a 20% leap to $79.5 million and North Las Vegas was up 4.5% to $25.5 million. Along the borders, Laughlin jumped 11.5% to $38 million, Mesquite climbed 10.5% to $18 million, while Wendover was 4.5% to $24 million.

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How Ya Dough’n


BLVD is the new three-story retail complex on the Strip across from City Center that replaced the old Hawaiian Marketplace. It’s a slick-looking destination that spans 700 feet of Strip frontage and includes 400,000 square feet on three floors, including a large rooftop terrace (the “Overlook”). It appears more prominent than it actually is so far, with only eight stores (ABC, Abercrombie and Fitch, Adidas, H&M, JD, Lululemon, Pandora, and Puma); Puma has three interactive experiences on the second floor. The world’s largest In N Out Burger is under construction on the roof.

The only eatery at BLVD so far is How Ya Dough’n Pizzeria, also the only open business on the third floor; it launched in mid-December. Curious about BLVD, In N Out, and How Ya Dough’n, we visited on the pizza place’s first day. You walk to the south end of BLVD, where an escalator delivers you to the third floor; you meander a bit around to the front of the terrace until you come to the pizzeria.

The huge two-story In N Out Burger has a ways to go; other in-progress storefronts on the third floor appear to be more food outlets. As of now, however, How Ya Dough’n is it up there. When In N Out opens, people will walk by the pizza, but currently, it’s far off the beaten path and we wonder how long it can survive the status quo.

The back story is a young couple in south Florida, marooned by the pandemic, started making pizzas for family and friends; when they “discovered” sourdough, it was the game-changer and they opened their first location in Boynton Beach. The BLVD venue is their fourth.

Three menus over the cash register are all the same: small and hard to see (no paper menus when we were there to get a closer look). Also, bring your credit card — no cash accepted. They sell only pies, no slices; the 12-inch has four. The two kinds of pizzas come with tomato sauce and the usual cheese, pepperoni, and meatballs, while the no-sauce are just cheese and toppings, such as pistachio, mushrooms, garlic/honey, and sausage. The 12-inchers are $14-$20, the 16s are $28-$30 — gourmet pizza prices.

They also sell four salads and “hot stuff,” wings and meatballs (all $16-$18).

We got a 16-inch half-pepperoni and half-meatball. Three of us agreed that they were a bit stingy with the toppings. Also, the big-sell sourdough crust, apparently super-popular in south Florida, was decent, though barely sour, especially compared to Yukon Pizza’s 120-year-old starter dough (where the most expensive large is $22; see LVA 6/23 for our review). How Ya Dough’n’s $29 ($36 with tax and tip) was definitely a Strip tab. Finally, we walked in, but if you have to pay for parking, add $20 to the bill and it’s yet another example of stunted value and questionable quality in Big Casino Land.

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Bobby Vegas — The Smart Money Dance

Bobby Vegas: Friends Don’t Let Friends Play Triple-Zero Roulette

A very interesting article (for me anyway), just posted in The Economist on the lengths smart money bettors go to once they’ve been ID’d. Mostly referring to UK betting, there’s plenty of info for U.S. bettors too.

I don’t consider myself “smart.” Possibly enlightened. Maybe swimming with the smarts, happy being a catfish, a scuffler.

When North Carolina opened sports betting, like any half-conscious advantage player, I took every sign up, netting over $1,000 (then used my NFL futures strategy, which I’m told is NOT smart, though I won three out of four seasons, then stopped).

But what really struck me in the article wasn’t just the inventive covers smarts used to avoid detection and get their bets in (like using beards, especially whales), but how thoroughly the books could detect and ID a square or a smart by the first bet, or sooner.

Did you use a debit card (square, good) or e cash? (smart, bad). Male? Or female? (Bad.) Type of bet placed? When was it placed? At posting? Bad. Are your bets smarter than the house’s from day one? (Very bad.)

Though illegal in some states, the smarts’ bets were restricted immediately.

The continuing automation of gaming makes it harder every day to implement advantage plays. It becomes increasingly important not just to play smart, but also coy or with covers. Or both. Using every advantage you can.

A Huntington Press book on blackjack strategy focused on how to effectively throw off the house by making certain bets that LOOKED square, but barely affected the player’s edge. Taking the minimal loss in edge was worth it compared to the reduced house heat.

In sports betting, a simple strategy is to throw in parlays. They’ll leave you alone.

There are areas in electronic game software that appear to deploy additional randomization when the software detects betting patterns particularly in e-roulette.

When e-roulette first came out, many games were deployed without software pattern-detection settings. Certain bias patterns occurred that could be exploited — for almost two years. Eventually, the house turned on the pattern-detection software, probably because the game wasn’t earning “enough.” Then when you played that same machine, as soon as a betting-pattern bias was detected, the ball speed changed. End of pattern.

Reading the manufacturers’ manuals revealed that the software was implementing “cheating-prevention” techniques almost as bad as old-school magnets.

I’m deploying strategy. So are they. Mine’s advantage play. There’s is illegal. Beyond calling Gaming Control, there was little I could do to stop it, except continue my relentless pursuit of advantage play … elsewhere.

They want losers. Period. In reality, I’m neither a square nor a smart. Just a scuffler. My goal? I don’t like to gamble. I like to win money. Play as long as possible, win some and lose as little as possible. The house doesn’t like that either.

Example: Just came back from a week in Vegas. My trip was free. The secret? Stay under the radar.

The adventure continues.