Strip, Nevada gaming income rises in August regardless of financial slowdown fears

For the second straight month, a handful of Strip casinos dealing high-end baccarat video games boosted Nevada’s gaming market and offered a counter to myriad headlines declaring Las Vegas useless.

The Strip recorded its second consecutive month-to-month gaming income improve throughout August, reporting $679.4 million for the month, the Gaming Control Board stated Friday. The 5.5 p.c improve almost matched July’s 5.6 p.c soar, which was additionally attributed to baccarat outcomes.

Strip baccarat income grew 51.1 p.c in August to $114.1 million. While wagering on the sport was down greater than 14 p.c, casinos held 18.5 p.c of all bets, in comparison with 10.5 p.c final August.

“Baccarat obviously buoyed [the] August headline numbers, showing the ongoing resilience of Las Vegas Strip gaming,” wrote J.P. Morgan Securities gaming analyst Daniel Politzer.

On the Strip, slot machine income was $100,000 lower than a 12 months in the past, whereas desk sport income minus baccarat declined 1.4 p.c. 

Through August, Strip gaming income is up 1 p.c in comparison with the identical eight months of 2024.

Deutsche Bank gaming analyst Steven Pizzella advised buyers in a analysis word that Strip outcomes have been exceeding expectations, “although the underlying metrics are still painting somewhat of a mixed picture.”

Read extra: Headlines say Vegas is useless. What’s truly happening is extra difficult.

Meanwhile, August marked the seventh consecutive month of declining passenger quantity at Harry Reid International Airport. Tourism totals for the Strip and Southern Nevada are anticipated to be launched later Friday by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. 

The visitation outcomes gained’t replicate the authority’s latest ‘Fabulous’ promoting marketing campaign, which started after Labor Day weekend.

Statewide, August turned out to be a powerful income month for casinos all through Nevada. Only two reporting markets — the unincorporated areas of Clark County and North Lake Tahoe — confirmed declines. Downtown Las Vegas had an 8.4 p.c gaming income improve, Laughlin was up virtually 11 p.c and Reno was up 4.9 p.c.

Statewide, gaming income elevated 5.5 p.c to $1.22 billion, which was the second-lowest single-month whole this 12 months, trailing $1.21 billion in February.

In a analysis word revealed Friday morning forward of the announcement, CBRE Equity Research analyst John DeCree advised that Las Vegas visitation might face challenges into 2026.

He wrote the Strip’s regular “slow summer” has been “exacerbated by negative geopolitical sentiment from Canada and Mexico, immigration control concerns from Southern California, and reduced flight capacity from Spirit Airlines.”

Spirit, which had been Reid Airport’s second busiest passenger service behind Southwest Airlines, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy safety for the second time this 12 months on Aug. 29. Spirit noticed a 46.3 p.c drop in passenger quantity in the course of the month and is down 32 p.c by August.

Reid Airport’s passenger quantity of greater than 4.5 million passengers was a 6 p.c drop in comparison with a 12 months in the past. Through eight months, the airport has seen a 4.5 p.c general decline in passenger totals.

Southwest reported a 4.2 p.c improve in passengers throughout August and is up 1 p.c for the 12 months.

International journey was down 3.7 p.c in August and is off 2 p.c from a 12 months in the past, due primarily to a continued freefall in passenger quantity from the three Canadian-based airways with direct service to Las Vegas. 

Through eight months, WestJet passenger visitors is down 34 p.c in comparison with 2024. Air Canada is off 32 p.c and Flair, which didn’t have any flights to and from Reid in August, is down 62.5 p.c for the 12 months.

This story will likely be up to date with Las Vegas tourism outcomes for August.