How Are the Locals Casinos Doing Compared to the Strip?

We see all the news about the decline of visitation and revenue on the Strip, but what about the locals casinos? I suppose it's tough to gauge visitation to places like Red Rock and Aliante, but do the revenue numbers give any indication of how the locals casinos are faring compared to the drop on the Strip?

Yes they do. And by comparison, the Strip looks like it's pretty much alone in declining revenue numbers.

For example, Strip gaming revenue in December was down 6%, while the locals casinos enjoyed a nearly 6% increase.

And for full-year 2025, the Strip had $8.8 billion in gaming revenue, basically flat year over year, very slightly up by 0.03% (that's a third of a percentage point or less than $3 million).

Meanwhile, Boulder Strip casinos were up 3.8% ($996 million), downtown 2.1% ($951.2 million), North Las Vegas 4.6% ($298 million), and balance of Clark County 1.2% ($1.9 billion). Altogether, that's an average increase of just under 3% and total revenue of $4.15 billion, almost half the Strip's.

And these are anything but isolated numbers. In fact, the locals market has a 40-plus-year track record of outperforming the Strip in economic downturns (except the Great Recession). Since 1984, annual gross gaming revenue on the Strip declined 11 times compared to six times for the locals market.

For example, during COVID (2020), locals casinos were down 23% compared to 43% on the Strip. In 2013 and 2014, during the recovery from the Great Recession, locals revenue declined less than 0.3% compared with a 2% decline on the Strip.

For the past year or so, Wall Street analysts haven't been able to say enough good things about Station Casinos and Boyd, while they've been somewhat dour about MGM and Caesars. As for 2026, they see more of the same, which has prompted Big Gaming cheerleaders to come out in force, touting the filled convention calendar and strong advance bookings. Time will tell.

No part of this answer may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without the written permission of the publisher.

Have a question that hasn't been answered? Email us with your suggestion.

Missed a Question of the Day?

Have a Question?

Tomorrow's Question

Does the house edge at bingo depend on the crowd size and is it possible to get an edge?

Comments

Kevin Rough Feb-18-2026

Gamble off strip

It can't help the strip that tourists like myself have pretty much given up playing on the Strip since the locals casinos offer much better gambling and don't gouge to the degree of the strip casinos.

Tim Soldan Feb-18-2026

Downtown

It would have been nice to have included information on the downtown joints in the QoD. Are they up or down in comparison?

VegasVic Feb-18-2026

Strip

Once you've seen the strip there is no reason to go there again. Overpriced and overcrowded.  Paying double what a meal is worth because of a name on the front. Lots of really good, fun off strip casinos.  Downtown has some good deals but I can't stand the freak show and ugly canopy.

Dan McGlasson Feb-18-2026

Go to the value

I agree with the other comments.  I am a VP player, and have not played on the strip in many years.  The local casinos bring better pay tables and service.  They still have a house advantage but I can play longer and have a chance to win every so often.  I don't know if the Rio is considered a "locals" casino, but I like staying there (LARGE rooms) and playing there.  It is walking distance to Gold Coast and the Palms, and all three have very payable VP schedules and great service.  Why go to the strip?

vegasnow Feb-18-2026

They ain’t hurting

We have to remember that the Strip has been making money hand over foot since the end of Covid restrictions. The fact that they showed minimal growth in 2025 after a record 2024 doesn’t mean they are suffering.

SCOTT Feb-18-2026

Speaking of value

I get a kick out of watching the head of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority on the local news look into the camera, lie through his teeth and tell everyone the "value" that is to be found in Las Vegas. What a crock.

imthemorgan Feb-18-2026

Greed Bad

Duh.... not hard to figure out.  Resort Fees, paid parking, Cheap buffets gone, table minimums increased.  If the strip casinos would return to what made them great (middle income affordability) their revenues would increase.  People like me (very middle class) can read through all the Bu.....t.  Profit... good.  Greed... bad.

Bob Nelson Feb-18-2026

Tim Soldan - Downtown

Downtown numbers are in the list.  Maybe it was updated but it is in there...

Jon Miller Feb-18-2026

I won't play 6:5 blackjack

That excludes almost every table I see on the strip below $25 stakes, and sometimes including.   Why wouldn't I walk 10 minutes from Paris/Horseshoe to Ellis Island/Tuscanny where I can play $10 blackjack all day at 3:2.   It's a no brainer for my crew.   Just wish the strip casinos would shift back to 3:2 we'd love to play....

Adumb Feb-18-2026

Off strip is the smart play

I just spent a weekend on the strip for the first time in years. It was a great reminder of why I don’t go there anymore. Terrible prices, terrible gambling and, terrible service. Even places that are close to the strip are 10 times better. Caesars and MGM have acted like they have tourists locked in a cage but the smart people are going away from LVB and the numbers are growing. Stop charging $10 for water and offer a fair gamble or they will continue to drive further away.

Llew Feb-18-2026

Strip

The Strip casinos don’t care about relatively small drops in “gaming revenue.”  They are making money hand over fist with high food/drink revenues (including rental fees to outside food vendors), room rates, parking fees, etc. etc. etc.   
And, face it, some people are willing to pay the price for an “upscale” Vegas experience.  Some wouldn’t even consider venturing to “low-scale” Downtown. Others have no clue about what’s available at locals casinos. 
All of the above make it easy for Strip casinos to continue to rake it in regardless of their current gaming revenue.

Scott Shearn Feb-18-2026

Tax Withholding

there was a recent question about Illinois withholding tax.  As of a few weeks ago they are following $2000 new limit to withhold state taxes

Question of the Day - 18 February 2026

Comments