Las Vegas Strip sees gaming win increase in December

Statewide, however, the news wasn't as good. The gaming win fell 3.2 % for the month. "We have just finished the most difficult year in gaming history and in a period where some data points are positive and some are negative," said Bill Bible, director of the Nevada Resort Association that represents Strip Casinos. Bible said he doesn't see a quick turnaround. "The road ahead is a long hard one," he said. For 2009, statewide gaming revenue fell to us$ 10.3 billion, a 10.4 % decrease from 2008.

Frank Streshley, chief of tax and licensing for the board, said "This is the fourth decline this decade, after never declining in a single calendar year." The board started compiling figures statewide in 1955. But he said that the second half of 2009 was stronger than the first six months. He said Strip casinos had a strong New Years, which was a three day weekend. And CityCenter and the Aria casino opened December 16.

December gaming win in downtown Las Vegas fell 12.3 %, the 19th straight month of a decline. Gross win was down in North Las Vegas casinos by 25.1 % in December; 11.6 percent in Laughlin for the 25th consecutive month; down 19.8 % on the Boulder Strip; lower in Mesquite by 7.5 % for the 11th straight month and off 13 % in the balance of Clark County.

The board said the gross win in Baccarat on Strip Casinos reached us$ 155.6 million, up 101.9 % from December 2008. Baccarat on the Strip now accounts for more than half of the win from card games. For the year, Baccarat on Strip casinos rose 26.6 % after a decline in 2008 of 15.9 %. Baccarat statewide accounts for 8-9 % of the total win. Bible said the big increase in Baccarat reflects the weak dollar. It's a great bargain for foreign gamblers, he said.

Gross win on the Strip slot machines fell 2.9 % in December. But there were increases of 8.3 % in the take in the penny machines; 3.5 % on Megabucks; a 17.9 % gain on the $5 machines and a 2.3 % jump in play on the multi-denominational machines.Bible said slot machine play is the "bread and butter" of casinos. The lower amount reflects high unemployment, foreclosures and businesses shutting down.

For the year, casinos in downtown Las Vegas reported a 10.1 % drop in gaming win; North Las Vegas casinos rose 1.2 %; Laughlin was off 13.7 %; revenue in Boulder Strip casinos fell 5.8 % for the year; Mesquite dropped 16.5 % and the balance of Clark County dropped 14 % in 2009.

The board said it collected us$ 33.5 million in taxes, a 6.6 % decline compared to the same month of 2008. Streshley said Washoe County casinos won $804.2 million, the lowest amount since 1989. It was 13.4 % lower than in 2008.

South Lake Tahoe casinos posted a win of us$ 226 million in 2009, down a record 25.7 % over the previous year. Carson Valley casinos reported a win in 2009 of us$ 102.1 million, off 8.5 %. Elko County casinos won us$ 168.4 million during the year, down 8.4 % from 2008.