Thank you for the series on dayclubs. Very informative about a scene I knew nothing about. My question can probably be applied not just to Vegas but other destinations as well, but I'm very curious about where these 20-something GenZers get $5,000 to rent a cabana on a Saturday afternoon. They're probably spending more in a day, what with the hotel room, restaurants meals, and nightclubs after the dayclubs, than I made in a month when I was their age! How is it possible?
Yes, this question is applicable to every destination in the U.S. and even abroad. So it's not Las Vegas-specific.
We also know that we run the risk of lapsing into intergenerational friction, a trap that has played out repeatedly throughout recorded history (known as the "kids these days" effect), in which an older generation believes that a younger one is entitled and lazy, narcissistic, impulsive, disrespectful of tradition, lacking in practical communication skills, radically progressive, and with GenZ specifically, tech-addicted and isolated. (For brevity's sake, we won't get into what the younger generation believes about the older one.)
All that said, we took on this question because we too were curious about where GenZ 20-somethings get the money to party in Las Vegas like it's ... 1999. Here, presented as objectively as possible, are our findings.
While many, if not most, GenZ 20-somethings and Millennial 30-somethings work in standard entry-level corporate and service roles, a significant portion monetizes the creator economy, freelancing, and thrift-flipping online.
blending traditional salaried jobs with the gig economy, frequently "income stacking" by holding multiple jobs or digital side hustles.
The "Side Hustle" Economy: Nearly half of young adults make money outside of traditional 9-to-5 work, making Gen Z five times more likely than Baby Boomers to hold multiple jobs. Many use platforms like Upwork or Fiverr to freelance skills like graphic design, video editing, and social media management.Content Creation & Social Commerce: A notable percentage earns a living directly through social media via ad revenue, brand sponsorships, and affiliate marketing. Others resell vintage clothing, sneakers, and collectibles on apps like Depop or Poshmark.Traditional Employment: Despite the gig-work trend, the majority still rely on primary wages from typical industries such as retail, hospitality, tech, and entry-level corporate positions, frequently combining these with part-time gigs to combat the rising cost of living.
Anyway, here's what I found about GenZ. Many just have rich parents. These kids can fire up $100 bets at roulette when their folks pay their rent, car payments and car insurance, and student-loan payments. If they work, that money pays for food, gas, and various entertainments. Other kids, of course, are maxing out credit cards, financing their high-roller weekends with debt. Some actually do make a lot of money -- in tech, online businesses, financial trading, influencing/content creating, etc. For those who don't earn quite that nice a living, they trade better cars, clothes, furnishings, etc. for these Vegas experiences. And a few are celebrating special occasions and figure YOLO.
And here's another wrinkle on it. Social media puts the spectacle right in front of us. Fifty years ago when I first started going to Vegas, I might have seen the wealthy crowd for a few minutes while walking through a casino. Today, your phone can show you an endless stream of the most extravagant 1% of visitors, making it seem like everyone is living that way.
