Nevada casino win drops statewide and on the Strip as Las Vegas visitor numbers plunge

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Casinos are struggling to match last year's pace, and a $1.27 billion statewide win in March is the worst for the month since 2021 when the pandemic was still interfering with tourism.
Statewide, the March gaming win was down 1.11% statewide, and 4.78% lower on the Las Vegas Strip, which fuels more than half of Nevada's winnings. Strip casinos won $681.67 million in March, according to figures released Tuesday by the Nevada Gaming Control Board.
Nevada won a record $1.46 billion in December, but concerns about the economy have emerged in the months since.
LAST MONTH: Nevada casinos retreat from December-January wins, 2024 Super Bowl hype
Year-over-year declines prompted speculation that tourism could be in trouble, and visitation numbers released by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) on Tuesday reinforced that. An estimated 3,386,800 visitors came to Las Vegas in March, down 7.8% from March 2024.
Lower numbers statewide and on the Strip were balanced somewhat by a good month from downtown Las Vegas casinos, which won $85.0 million, up 11.59% compared to last year. Casinos on the Boulder Strip also had a good month at $78.3 million, up 10.23%.
A win of more than $1.25 billion used to be impressive, but March's statewide total only ranks around 25th on the all-time list now. The months ahead will bring reminders that the room count in Las Vegas has been going down, with the April 2024 closing and eventual implosion of the Tropicana (1,470 rooms) and the temporary shuttering of more than 3,000 rooms at The Mirage, which is rebranding as a Hard Rock International resort.
Another factor: Comparisons to previous years have been tough lately, particularly after Super Bowl LVIII was played in Las Vegas and the F1 Las Vegas Grand Prix launched in November 2023.
High rollers at the baccarat tables on the Strip lost more than $73 million in March, but that was 34.27% less than they lost in March 2024. By comparison, baccarat play during the record month of December brought in $197.2 million.
RECORD: Nevada casinos beat all-time record in December, all of 2024; Las Vegas Strip posts 2nd-highest win ever
For the fiscal year (July 1, 2024-June 30, 2025), Nevada is 1.14% behind last year's pace.
Nevada collected $79.3 million in percentage fees so far this month (April 1-26).
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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