At $538 million, last month’s Strip gambling revenue fell 9%. Slot win was 1.5% up on 5.5% more coin-in. However, baccarat win plunged 27% on 20.5% less wagering. Non-baccarat table games were down 19% on 11% less betting. Strip casinos faced a tough comparison with October of last year and will have another one this month, going against a 10% jump overall in November 2018, fueled by a 53% (!) baccarat surge. Locals play was steady, with 2% greater revenue despite flat slot revenue on 1% more handle.<\/p>\n
Downtown<\/strong> grossed $68 million, a 7% gain, the Boulder Strip<\/strong> was flat at $78.5 million, North Las Vegas<\/strong> slipped 3% to $26.5 million, miscellaneous Clark County<\/strong> was up 5% to $111 million and Laughlin<\/strong> skidded 5.5% lower to $44.5 million. Reno<\/strong>‘s $53 million gross was good for a 2% gain while Lake Tahoe<\/strong> jumped 14% to $19.5 million. The Strip’s declivity was driven in part by a 21% falloff in convention attendance, although overall tourism was up 4%, including a record-setting\u00a0 4,609,318 airline passengers. Room rates were 5% down on 6% less revenue per room. Time to break out a new round of resort fees! (Whoops. Better not give Big Gaming any ideas.)<\/p>\n * It’s a done deal. Mobile sports betting will come to New Hampshire<\/strong>\u00a0and DraftKings<\/strong> will be the provider<\/a>. In return, it forks an eyebrow-raising 51% of its revenue to the state. (Gaming companies complain about high taxes but only after they agree to pay them.) Said Gov. Chris Sununu<\/strong> (R) said,\u00a0\u201cWe are partnering with a world-class company to provide a first-rate customer service experience. With today\u2019s vote, everyone will now be able to bet on Tom Brady<\/strong> and the New England Patriots<\/strong> in time for this year\u2019s Super Bowl<\/strong>.\u201d Added New Hampshire Lottery<\/strong> Executive Director Charlie McIntyre<\/strong>,\u00a0\u201cWe are working directly with DraftKings to implement a sports betting system that both engages players, while also ensuring all appropriate safeguards are in place.” Neighboring Massachusetts<\/strong>, meanwhile, is stalled. Several competing bills are forming a scrum in the Lege.<\/p>\n * It pays to be a casino employee represented by the Culinary Union<\/strong>\u2014literally. In response to a query about holiday pay, the Culinary’s Bethany Khan<\/strong> said, “Culinary Union members get paid for the holiday even if they don’t work and if they do work, they get paid double for that day.” Sweet!<\/p>\n * Speaking of the holidays, the Las Vegas Monorail<\/strong>\u00a0will be operating nonstop from 7 a.m. on December 31 to 2 a.m. on Jan. 2, giving inebriated tourists a safe route back to their hotels (the Las Vegas Strip<\/strong> will be closed to vehicular traffic for roughly 12 hours). Just one minor complaint: The Monorail will be charging $1 per ride. Since it’s trying to discourage drunk driving, couldn’t the Monorail comp the service? It’s the least it could do. And whatever happened to that Mandalay Bay<\/strong> route extension? It seems to have gotten lost in the melee of helter-skelter MGM Resorts International<\/strong> property sales.<\/p>\n Jottings<\/em>: Happy 80th birthday, Tina Turner<\/strong>. Her saga of survival and eventual triumph should be an inspiration to us all … Sir Richard Branson<\/strong> is making a play for the British national lottery. Current provider Camelot<\/strong>‘s contract is up for renewal and Branson will be making his second bid, a 2000 winning gambit having been voided in court … Poker pro Dennis Blieden<\/strong> could be looking at as many as 22 years in the big house. He pled guilty to siphoning money from firm StyleHaul<\/strong> to fuel his gambling habit. It’s a familiar saga, although it rarely involves Internet influence-peddlers … Washington State<\/strong>‘s Macau Casino<\/strong> firm is out $1.2 million in reimbursement to gaming regulators, who had to look into money-laundering allegations at casinos in Tukwila<\/strong> and Lakewood<\/strong>. The probe lasted three years, hence the hefty payment. A casino employee is also charged with engaging in loan-sharking, complete with threats of violence. Seven gaming licenses have been revoked and four more may be.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" At $538 million, last month’s Strip gambling revenue fell 9%. Slot win was 1.5% up on 5.5% more coin-in. However, baccarat win plunged 27% on 20.5% less wagering. Non-baccarat table games were down 19% on 11% less betting. Strip casinos … Continue reading