Nevada Poker Revenue Up as Tourist Figures Break Records

October 28th, 2016 | by Brian Corlisse

Nevada poker rooms enjoy a profit increase in September thanks to booming travel figures. (Image: aria.com)

Nevada poker enjoyed a revival in September, reversing the downswing the state endured in August, 2016.

In what’s been a turbulent year for Nevada poker rooms, September saw a reversal of fortune for the Nevada’s live and online poker rooms.

Back in August, the state’s 65 live poker rooms and two online platforms raked $8.24 million.

That figure represented a 3.23 percent year-on-year drop and moreover, it marked the latest in a series of highs and lows for the state.

May Leaves a Hole in the Balance Sheet

On the positive side of things, June and July were exceptionally busy. Thanks to the World Series of Poker (WSOP) and the general allure of Vegas in the summer, the combined takings over the two months hit $28.47 million.

That win was good for a combined year-on-year increase of 9.51 percent, but other months haven’t been quite as profitable.

Despite May typically being a busy month with players arriving in preparation for the WSOP, takings were down by 13.92 percent to $8.8 million year-on-year. In addition to this drop, smaller losses in January, March and August have contributed to a 0.3 percent revenue decrease for the year to October 1.

Fortunately, as the end of the year approaches, the Nevada Gaming Control Board has reported that September was a positive month.

An $8.44 million win was good for a 1.47 percent increase on the same period in 2015. One reason the latest report saw an annual improvement could be the steady influx of players visiting the state.

Vegas Visitor Numbers on the Upswing

McCarran International Airport has reported that it’s processed more than four million arrivals for the past five months. Aside from being a record, the travel figure suggests Las Vegas is still a popular destination for international travelers.

In fact, when you look specifically at the strip’s poker revenue, September 2016 saw a 0.2 percent increase compared to 2015. In real terms, the slight increase is certainly nothing to get excited about.

However, with revenue failing to achieve any sort of consistency this year, operators will be happy to cling onto any piece of positive news they can get.