Las Vegas casinos mark return to business with record-breaking July

After a difficult year, Las Vegas’s casinos have exploded back into business, recording a record-breaking month in July.

Nevada recorded $1.36 billion (€1.15 billion) in revenue during July, as gamblers returned to Vegas en masse after a year dominated by COVID-related restrictions on travel and leisure.

These numbers were so impressive they even appear to have surprised the state’s regulator.

“We weren’t anticipating these types of numbers”, said Michael Lawton, senior analyst at the Nevada Gaming Control Board.

“July was a perfect storm for gaming win in terms of special events, the month having five weekends, Resorts World’s first full month of operations and a very unusual baccarat month.”

The month is the fifth in a row that gambling in the sector brought in over $1 billion.

House winnings by Nevada casinos increased by 21 per cent month-on-month to hit $794 million (€672.84 million), representing a 47 per cent increase from July 2019, before the pandemic.

Table, counter and card game winnings totalled $486.2 million (€412 million), meaning an increase of 48 per cent compared to July 2019, and the second-highest ever recorded in the state.

Slots remained the most popular form of gambling in the state, generating $873.7 million (€740.37 million) during the month, up from $868.1 million (€735.5 million) in June.

By region, Clark County, home to Las Vegas city, brought in $1.16 billion (€980 million) in revenue during the month, and the Las Vegas Strip contributed some $409.6 million (€347.10 million) to the monthly total.