Wendover clubs total gaming win fell just under three percent in July for the fourth straight month this year.
According to Fridays report from the Gaming Control Board Wendover Casino’s posted a total gaming win of $13.8 million down almost three percent or a half a million dollars from July 2012.
Despite a strong Utah economy Wendover casinos reported their fourth straight decline and sixth downturn of total gaming win in seven months according to Friday’s report from the Nevada Gaming Control Board.
“Several of the casinos have cut back their big comps and pulled back from the flight program,” said Chief Gaming analyst Michael Lawton. “As this year progresses we should see some favorable comparisons.”
“Win” is a gross figure, with no operating costs or other expenses deducted. And it’s casino revenue only _ separate from hotel, restaurant or bar revenues generated by the resorts.
While win indicates a casino market’s profitability another statistic “play” is an indicator of how casino workers are fairing. With some casino workers dependent on tips for up to half of their total income, play, the amount of money wagered by gamblers is a good indicator of how much casino workers received in tips and how many gamblers are actually in the casino.
June slot win in Wendover was up 1.1 percent to $11.3 million. Slot play was down 1.0 percent to $201.1 million . Slot hold increase to 5.61 percent from 5.5 percent recorded in July 2012.
Win from table games and sports betting was down significantly by 17.7 percent to $2.5 million. Play was down 6.1 percent to $12.8 million. Hold declined from 22.29 to 19.54 percent.
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Casinos in the rest of Elko County saw total gaming win fall 1.64 percent to $8.5 million. Slot win was down 2.6 percent to $7.6 million. Slot play was up 0.6 percent to $105.4 million. Slot hold fell from 7.44 percent to 7.2 percent.
Win from table games and sports betting was up by 8.31 percent to $840,000 million. Play was down 2.1 percent to $3.5 million. Hold increased from 21.87 to 24.2 percent.
For the rest of the state gaming win fell 7.9 percent compared with the same month in 2012. This was the third month in the past four there has been a decline.
Win on the Las Vegas Strip fell 14.4 percent compared with the same month in 2012.
“It was really not a good month, but it was a tough comparison,” said Michael Lawton, senior research analyst for the board.
Baccarat win statewide fell by $71 million, contributing in large part to the decline.
In July 2012, the baccarat win rose 112 percent — the fourth-highest win on record. This year, baccarat win plummeted 37 percent.
And the casinos lost $2.7 million to players who cashed in their tickets after the National Basketball Association closed its season in June.
Lawton said the advent of online poker contributed to a 3.3 percent increase in poker win. There had been a five-month decline this year in poker until an 8.5 percent gain in June.
In talking about the tough comparison, Lawton said that in July 2012, the win for the state rose 17 percent and was up by more than 27 percent on the Strip, which see more than 50 percent of the gambling action in the state.
The 7.9 percent decline statewide came after a 4.8 percent drop in June.
Statewide, the win, before expenses and taxes, totaled $925.7 million compared with $1 billion in July 2012. But the win was the second highest this year.
Other markets in Clark County also recorded a downturn. Downtown Las Vegas was off 4.4 percent, North Las Vegas fell 11.8 percent, and Mesquite was off 6.6 percent.
But Laughlin saw a 5 percent gain, the Boulder Strip was up 4.1 percent, and the balance of Clark County rose 3.5 percent.
On the Strip, blackjack fell 4.4 percent and craps play dropped 20 percent. But roulette jumped 62.2 percent. The sports pool was off 159.6 percent and slot win fell 0.9 percent.
The gaming win in Washoe County increased 3.2 percent, the fifth increase in the past six months. After a 24.3 percent decline in June, clubs at South Lake Tahoe reported an increase of 9.2 percent. The gross win in the Carson Valley clubs was off 3 percent.
The state collected $61.7 million in gaming percentage fees, or a 9.4 percent decrease from the same period a year ago.
