Regional US casinos cash in as gamblers shun pricey Vegas trips

Stephanie Stacey in London and Taylor Nicole Rogers in New York
Published Sep 22 2025

Casinos around the country enjoy an unexpected revival as the Nevada hotspot falls victim to the spending slowdown

Regional US casinos are benefiting at the expense of Las Vegas as gamblers cut back on expensive vacations to the city, in another symptom of the growing consumer caution sweeping the US. Gross gaming revenue — the difference between sums wagered and the winnings paid out — was up 5 per cent in July and 6 per cent in August at casinos outside Nevada, compared with the same months in 2024, according to published state gaming reports collated by Barclays Research. Brandt Montour, an analyst at Barclays, said the outperformance of regional casinos has come “at the expense” of those in Las Vegas, where the number of domestic and international visitors, particularly from Canada and Mexico, is declining. Almost 8 per cent fewer people visited Las Vegas in the year to July compared with the same period in 2024, according to figures from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. John Restrepo, an economist at Nevada-based research firm RCG Economics, said frustration is increasing over the rising costs of a holiday in Vegas — from high parking and resort fees to $30 cocktails…