The Returns Are Returning To Vegas
Has the online casino fad finally reached its peak? Have online gamblers decided that it’s time to crawl out from under their quilts, put on some fancy threads and shimmy back to brick and mortar casinos? The numbers coming from the Nevada Gaming Control Board certainly make us think that the online honeymoon might, finally, be on the wane. The Las Vegas Strip is calling punters home, and with a rise in revenue of 12.2% in October alone it seems that the punters are heeding the call.
The Numbers Look Good
Let’s look at the numbers. First of all, that 12.2% rise in revenue means that profits have reached $593.4m on the strip. When we look at the state-wide revenue for land-based casinos in October the numbers show a 7.5% increase from last year. This means that the total revenue generated in Nevada for October 2018 is $1.06b!
So the bright lights of traditional casinos are drawing players back in, and perhaps the idea of a little human contact has suddenly become appealing after all that alone time. But what are they spending their hard-earned dollars on? Let’s break down that one billion dollars into games. Slot games still rule the roost when it comes to earnings, with $693.5m generated in October, but it’s the table games category that shows the steepest increase in terms of percentages. The revenue generated from table games has risen by 10.8% when compared to October of 2017, whereas the slot game’s revenue has only risen by 5.7%.
Players Want a Seat at the Table
It’s not surprising that the table games in land-based casinos are seeing the biggest increase in numbers. If players are heading back to Vegas for a little human interaction, where better than at the blackjack table? Blackjack, in fact, has seen a huge popularity boost. Earnings from the blackjack table have increased by 40% to reach $125.5m. Roulette is another extremely fun game to play while immersed in the electric atmosphere of the casino floor, and this game of chance has also seen a jump of 21.5% to hit $40.4m. Interestingly, the only card game that hasn’t shown an increase in revenue is baccarat. Baccarat was made famous by the likes of James Bond, and it’s a game that still appeals to high-rollers who like to take big risks, but numbers show its revenue has actually fallen by 13%.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board have also released numbers concerning sports betting, and here there has been a considerable downturn on the revenue graph. Punters spent $3.4m less in October 2018 than they did in October 2017, with both basketball and football taking a hit.
All Dressed Up and Ready To Go
It’s safe to say that the popularity of online casinos is still rising to astronomical heights. But these numbers do suggest that even though online gambling is finally seeing the legal light of day in the USA, punters haven’t completely turned their backs on the land-based casinos they know and love.
