The revenues accrued from gaming in the state of Nevada have rebounded from the dismal results of March. There has been an overall gain of 6.2 percent for the state as a whole, when compared to the figures of April 2011. Last year, the total win was recorded at $855 million. Big gains have been recorded for Clark County, Washoe County, South Lake Tahoe, and Elko County. The double digit fall in gaming revenues for the month of March 2012 has been more of an anomaly. The state has been recording gambling gains in nearly six out of the last seven months.
What can these gains be attributed to? Some of the gains were definitely of a technical nature. Some part of the revenue for March was carried forward to April, as the month of March ended on a Saturday. The reopening of the Plaza Hotel and Casino in downtown Las Vegas was responsible for a part of this gain created.
April 2012 witnessed gains in all the Clark County markets. The gains in downtown Las Vegas went up 25 percent. North Las Vegas reported a gain of 42 percent, as compared to the previous year.
The statewide gaming win for the fiscal year starting July 1, 2011 to April 30, 2012, reported an increase of 2.5 percent. The signs are quite evident. The online gaming sector is showing signs of gradual recovery, as Las Vegas is moving out of the effects of the chronic recession that hit the US economy.
One trend that does not fit in the other positives in the industry is a slight drop in the number of visitors to Las Vegas for the month of April. This dip in the number is the first in the last two years. The decrease in numbers, however, has been more than offset by significant gains in slots and improvement in revenues for table games. More and more people from the Asian market are showing their preferences for baccarat, and this card game is becoming increasingly important to casinos catering to the Asian game lovers.
Nevada, as a state, is also inching along to make online poker legal, which would also have an impact on the revenues from gaming for the state. The casino companies in Nevada are ready for intra-state online poker, though are being pulled back due to the lack of a federal measure.
Only recently, Bally Technologies became the first company to get a recommendation from the Gaming Control Board of Nevada for issuing the very first interactive gaming license. The recommendation would be passed onto the Gaming Commission for final approval, followed by a final phase of technology inspection. Many other businesses are also interested in participating in online poker, if it becomes legal.