Baccarat winnings boost Las Vegas Strip's 5.6% growth in July gambling earnings

Nevada's gaming industry saw a varied performance in July 2025, with some cities experiencing growth while others faced declines. According to recent data, the statewide gaming revenue for July 2025 was $1.35 billion, marking a 4% increase from the same month in 2024.

In the bustling city of Las Vegas, casinos recorded a 5.6% increase in gaming revenue compared to July 2024, totaling $878 million. The Strip, in particular, saw a significant boost, with casinos reporting $749 million in revenue, up from $709 million a year ago.

Baccarat continued to be a major contributor to this growth, with revenue reaching $114.5 million, a substantial increase from $64 million a year ago. However, it's worth noting that the baccarat drop fell by 10% in July 2025, but the hold was 17.5%, up from 8.8% a year ago.

Despite the baccarat success, non-baccarat table gaming revenue saw a nearly 9% decrease in July 2025 compared to the same month in 2024. Slot coin-in, on the other hand, showed a positive trend, with an increase of 3.5% ($19.2 million) in Downtown Las Vegas, and a 5% rise in handle for slots on the Strip.

Downtown Las Vegas experienced a positive month, with total game and table win reaching $20.7 million, up 1.2%, and slot win totaling $53.7 million, an increase of 4.6%. Games drop in the area also increased by 7.5%.

However, not all cities in Nevada saw growth. South Lake Tahoe had a strong month with $37.6 million in revenue, a 21.5% increase from $31 million a year ago. In contrast, Laughlin saw a 7.1% decrease, with revenue of $40.9 million, down from $44.1 million a year ago.

Reno and Mesquite, however, bucked the trend, with Reno showing a 9.93% increase to $76.1 million, up from $69.2 million, and Mesquite recording a 9.8% increase to $15.1 million, up from $13.7 million.

Unfortunately, Las Vegas casinos serving local residents experienced a rare decline of 1.5% from $279.7 million to $275.4 million. Slot revenue for these casinos rose 1.2%, but table revenue fell 13.9%, and table drop dropped nearly 9%.

In other parts of Nevada, no specific data is available about which cities showed an increase in casino income in July 2025 or the percentage increase. North Lake Tahoe, for instance, saw a 15% decline in revenue, while Sparks and North Las Vegas experienced growth.

Despite the gaming revenue gains, tourism numbers in Las Vegas have been declining over the past 12 months, with Strip gaming revenue falling 3% from $9.06 billion to $8.78 billion. This decline in tourism could potentially impact the future performance of the gaming industry in the city.

In conclusion, while Nevada's gaming revenue showed a positive trend overall in July 2025, the performance varied across different cities and gaming types. The continued growth in baccarat revenue and the mixed results in non-baccarat table gaming and local casinos serve as interesting points for further analysis.