Given that slot machines are still a hit, Stevens said he’s seen an influx of traffic at his other hotel, Circa Resort & Casino, by bringing in ETGs. “Some of this really has to do with how good these new electronic table games are and how good some of these new high-limit slot machines are,” he said. “Remember, there are a lot of different games that had their eras and their run, whether it’s in Vegas or anywhere around the world,” said Derek Stevens, pictured above. “Remember, there are a lot of different games that had their eras and their run, whether it’s in Vegas or anywhere around the world,” he added. “I think things continue to change. I remember that at one point in time, people played sic bo a fast-paced dice game with Asian origins,” said Stevens.
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Bill Hornbuckle, president and CEO of MGM Resorts International, and Keith Smith, president and CEO of Boyd Gaming Corp., told business leaders at a recent Vegas Chamber conference that the city’s tourism and hospitality industry remains fundamentally strong. Anthony Lucas, professor of casino management at UNLV and a former gaming industry executive, said weaker international visitation played an outsized role in the annual numbers. Hotel occupancy dipped slightly to 80.3 percent, with Strip occupancy down 3.2 percent and downtown Las Vegas dropping 3.5 percent, while average daily room rates fell 4.7 percent on the Strip and 5.9 percent downtown. According to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, 38.5 million people visited the city in 2025, down 7.5 percent from 2024. The year-end gaming totals remained steady even as overall visitation and other key tourism metrics went down.
- Stevens said Circa has found a niche by being “very sports-oriented,” with the resort and casino drawing in crowds for recent events.
- Earn Rewards like comp nights, Free Play, and entries into exciting sweepstakes by playing free mobile games.
- The tourism decline has been attributed to a combination of factors, including the impact of tariffs, the seasonal summer slowdown, and a surge in online gaming.
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Steve Hill, president and CEO of the LVCVA, shared a similar message the day prior when the city’s year-end visitation numbers were released. They stressed that Las Vegas’ unique combination of world-class entertainment, restaurants and experiences will continue to draw visitors, even amid temporary slowdowns. Both executives highlighted upcoming conventions, major special events and new entertainment offerings as reasons for optimism in 2026.
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The Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGB) announced that on a statewide level, gaming revenues were $1.33 billion, which is a 3.5% increase from June 2024. “The June gaming numbers were just released and not everything is terrible.” The latest statistics have confirmed the social chatter that Las Vegas tourism has hit a “dramatic low,” with some even calling Vegas an experience of the past. Circa Casino & Resort CEO Derek Stevens tells Fox News Digital that reports claiming tourism is falling in Las Vegas are “a bit exaggerated” — and shared his prediction for Sin City in the next six months. Warmer days are back, and it’s officially time for guests to break out their swimsuits as Caesars Entertainment dives into pool season.
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“I think in six months, I would believe that Vegas tourism and our economy overall will be in a much better place,” predicted Stevens. “I think some properties may be feeling it more than others, but I think that’s something you’re going to see in any type of tourist destination … It doesn’t mean that every sector is necessarily down.” Stevens said he believes the lack of international visitors right now may be due to the overall global economy and exchange rates.
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For the latest Las Vegas casino and gaming industry news and headlines visit reviewjournal.com. According to the release, Circa Resort & Casino, the D Las Vegas and Golden Gate Hotel & Casino have produced over 15,000 visitors from Canada since the program’s initial launch, resulting in more than 2,700 hotel room bookings. Las-Vegas.Events is an independent, city-based guide to concerts, theater, and live events in Las Vegas. Join our newsletter now to stay up to date on all Las Vegas events, plus the occasional special offer and discount code! “I think in six months, I would believe that Vegas tourism and our economy overall will be in a much better place,” said the CEO of a Vegas resort company. Las Vegas is facing a pronounced tourism decline, with just 3.1 million June visitors this year — an 11.3% drop from last year.
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A stretch of Boulder Highway will close overnight this week to accommodate crews as they implode the Eastside Cannery’s hotel tower.
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You can always take advantage of the amazing sightseeing and people watching in Las Vegas but be sure to make time to explore these equally fun options for FREE! Beloved Canadian sons and classic rock legends Burton Cummings and Randy Bachman have announced an extensive U.S. headline tour, performing as The Guess Who for the first time in 23 Continue Reading Clark County Nevada has over 2 Million residents and they welcome over 32 Million visitors each year. Stevens said dealers from Golden Gate were relocated to their other casinos, Las Vegas or Circa. He added that that is what table games would be like. There were 3,089,300 visitors to Las Vegas this July compared to over 3.5 million last year.
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- “I think in six months, I would believe that Vegas tourism and our economy overall will be in a much better place,” predicted Stevens.
- December proved particularly challenging on the Strip, according to Chad Beynon, senior gaming, lodging & theatres analyst at Macquarie Equity Research.
- “Remember, there are a lot of different games that had their eras and their run, whether it’s in Vegas or anywhere around the world,” he added.
- Las Vegas is facing a pronounced tourism decline, with just 3.1 million June visitors this year — an 11.3% drop from last year.
December proved particularly challenging on the Strip, according to Chad Beynon, senior gaming, lodging & theatres analyst at Macquarie Equity Research. “There is every reason to be optimistic about the future as news of our death has been greatly exaggerated,” she said. Belarmino added that year-over-year comparisons were difficult because 2024 was a unique year for Las Vegas, which featured “robust convention” attendance and “outstanding events,” such as the Super Bowl, that were not replicable in 2025. The Las Vegas gaming industry avoided a noteworthy downturn, and experts say the end-of-year numbers reflect a healthy market that has moved past the post-pandemic surge and has entered a more tempered phase.
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The result was a 7 percent decline in slot revenue and a 5 percent decrease in table games revenue for the month. Downtown Las Vegas casinos also posted a new annual high in 2025, generating more than $951.2 million, up 2.1 percent from the former record-setting $931.3 million in 2024. Nevada’s nonrestricted casino licensees won $15.8 billion from gamblers last year, a year-over-year increase of 1.2 percent over the previous record of $15.61 billion set in 2024, according to the state Gaming Control Board.
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Epic events and incredible deals are sent to your inbox, so you’ll be the first to know about this season’s best shows, concerts, and sporting events. Explore the Las Vegas events calendar for the hottest concerts, shows, sporting events, music festivals, and more.There are so many significant events in Las Vegas that you can’t possibly take them all in, but you will undoubtedly find something that will blow you away and spark your curiosity. After a law student crashed his rental car at a power substation near Boulder City, terrorism experts agree that Southern vegas casino app Nevada could see more such events. The Athletics will kick off Big League Weekend and their spring training games against the Los Angeles Angels this weekend with a fan fest in Downtown Summerlin. Local Las Vegas Valley breaking news from Nevada’s most reliable source.
Most recently, the Golden Gate Hotel & Casino announced it will be forgoing live dealers, shifting to electronic table games (ETG). There were 3,089,300 visitors this July compared to over 3.5 million last year, while occupancy on the Strip dropped 7% from 86.5% last year. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) recently released its numbers for July visitors, noting a 12% drop from last year.
The three properties, which are all owned by gaming executive Derek Stevens, began offering Canadian guests USD$1 value for every CAD$1 spent on January 22, regardless of daily exchange rates at the time of stay. Stevens said Circa has found a niche by being “very sports-oriented,” with the resort and casino drawing in crowds for recent events. Strip casinos generated $827.7 million in gaming revenue for the month, down 6 percent year-over-year. Las Vegas Strip and downtown casinos closed out 2025 with a slight uptick in gambling revenue despite a significant drop in visitors and signs of pricing fatigue among customers, according to public data and industry analysts. We also cover up-to-the-minute news stories regarding gambling, poker games, online gaming, and much more. Derek Stevens, Golden Gate Casino owner & CEO in Las Vegas, told Fox News Digital the hotel has replaced live dealers with entertainment gaming systems as tourism plunges.
The former Poker Palace in North Las Vegas won’t have poker or any table games, but it will take horse-racing bets at the new Boomer’s Sportsbook there. In addition, one player hit six jackpots in one day for a payout of $206,700 at an off-Strip casino. One of the Strip’s largest casino operators might be attracting attention from potential buyers, a new report suggests.
Smith echoed Hornbuckle’s confidence, saying there is “a core demand for Las Vegas,” and visitors are still spending money. “The reality is occupancy is down 3 percent, and visitation is down,” Hornbuckle said, before adding, “We are as solid as a rock. Despite the slowdown in 2025, top casino executives expressed confidence that Las Vegas will rebound in 2026. Total occupied room nights declined nearly 6 percent, according to the LVCVA. The contrast suggests gaming revenue could have been even higher if tourist counts had held steady. A lower-than-average slot hold of 7.2 percent, which Beynon noted was below the long-term average of 8 percent, offset a 1.4 percent increase in slot volume, while baccarat volume rose 1 percent but faced tough hold comparisons.
“I think some properties may be feeling it more than others, but I think that’s something you’re going to see in any type of tourist destination.” (iStock) “Clearly, there are some concerns with regard to international tourism,” said Stevens. The Harry Reid Airport has shown a decline, dropping 4.1% compared to the same time last year, according to the website. “On the other side, there’s definitely some pretty significant concern about … flights into the city.” “In specific pockets, like where we at Circa Las Vegas are located in downtown — I think people feel there’s maybe a little better value. Things were really booming,” said Stevens. “I think some of the data in Las Vegas indicates that some of these stories are a bit exaggerated,” a Vegas casino owner told Fox News Digital.
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