Nevada stats disappoint…again

November 2010 statistics on Nevada land gambling have turned out to be disappointing, recording a 5.9 percent decline and reducing hopes that the worse may be over for the gambling state.
According to Associated Press reports, what was seen as a three-month rally of bigger winnings by Nevada casinos came to a halt in November, when casinos won $822 million, or 5.9 percent less when compared with November 2009.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board said the state collected almost $49.8 million in taxes based on casino gambling revenues for the month – down 12.7 percent from a year ago.
Analysis of the numbers shows the $2.2 billion wagered on table games in November fell by $171.1 million, while the $8.5 billion pumped into slots dropped by $286 million from the same month in 2009.
Even the baccarat numbers – traditionally a high roller game favoured by Asian punters – were down by $129 million or 18.6 percent at $567 million, the news agency reports.
Mike Lawton, a Gaming Control Board analyst noted: “The bottom line, it was a real tough comparison month, we knew that.” He added that excluding baccarat, the statewide fall was 3.3 percent, or $25.9 million. Table hold — the percentage won by casinos — was 11.19 percent in November, down from 12.57 percent in 2009.
Mark Strawn, an analyst with Morgan Stanley, called the report “disappointing relative to recent investor expectations.” In a note to investors, he projected revenues on the Las Vegas Strip would “…continue to tread along trough levels” but may show signs of seasonal improvements in early 2011.
Resorts on the Las Vegas Strip reported winnings of $454.3 million, down 4.1 percent from November 2009. Strip resorts account for about half of statewide casino win revenues and are a key indicator on the health of the state’s volatile tourism industry.

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