Las Vegas Strip Ends Four-Month Skid, Gaming Up One Percent in June
With gaming revenue on the Las Vegas Strip ending a four-month decline, June marked a welcome recovery for the most important sector of the US gaming business.
Gross gaming revenue (GGR) on the Strip increased 0.9% year over year to $765.3 million, according to a report released by the Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) on Wednesday. Revenue reductions in February, March, April, and May were offset by a minor improvement in June compared to 2024.
Many casino companies and their investors are upset about the four-month lull on the Strip. According to a research published this month by Casino.org, the leisure sector is mostly to blame for the bad mood toward the Las Vegas Strip.
In terms of gaming, at least, June defied the norm. Slot machines helped the Strip last month, as their GGR increased by 10% to $420.2 million.
With revenue from roulette, craps, and blackjack all down more than 20% year over year, slots easily offset the significant losses tables suffered each year. With the exception of Ultimate Texas Hold'em, all table games recorded decreased revenue.
Sportsbooks recorded GGR of $20.4 million, up 47% from a year ago, making oddsmakers another bright point.
Due to robust local markets, GGR increased 3.5% to $1.33 billion throughout the state. According to Barry Jonas, an analyst at Truist Securities, the local market saw a 10% increase in June and a 4% increase in the second quarter.
GGR increased 10.5% to $73.2 million in downtown Las Vegas, one of the notable markets. Reno saw a 6% increase to $67.8 million, Boulder saw a 19% increase to $87.3 million, and Laughlin saw a 7% increase to $40 million.
Nevada's GGR has decreased by over 1% during the last 12 months, to about $15.63 billion.
Visitor Counts Drop
Operators of casinos in Las Vegas expect that June marked the beginning of a successful second half of 2025. However, with increased overhead and expenses for nearly every facet of a resort's operations, a less than 1% increase in GGR isn't much.
Las Vegas needs a lot more tourists if it wants to increase its casino earnings. Last month, they failed to show up.
According to the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority (LVCVA), 3,094,000 tourists visited in June, an 11.3% decrease from June 2024. 374,600 individuals attended the convention, an almost 11% decrease.
"The LVCVA said the June numbers reflected “the broader backdrop of persistent economic uncertainty and weaker consumer confidence.”
With average room rates falling to $164 citywide and $174 on the Strip, hotel occupancy in Las Vegas decreased 6.5% to 78.7%.
There have been 1,536,500 fewer visitors to Las Vegas for the first half of 2025, a 7.3% decrease from the previous year. Revenue per available room, or RevPAR, is about 8% lower, while average nightly room rates are 5.5% lower.
Grounded Air Traffic
Air traffic was also lower in June, according to statistics from Harry Reid International Airport. The main airport in Las Vegas reports that 4.72 million people arrived in June, a decrease of more than 6% from the previous year.
As a result, the number of passengers arriving and departing this year has decreased by 4.1%. In the first half of 2024, Harry Reid International handled 1,191,377 fewer passengers.
In June, domestic air travel slowed 6.1%, while overseas travel fell about 10%.
