Casino foot traffic across the United States dropped by 1.7% in November 2025 compared to the same month in 2024.
This continues a trend of fewer people visiting casinos since the pandemic began, with current attendance still 15.1% below 2019 levels. However, despite fewer visitors, analyst David Katz noted in a report that this might not be bad news for gambling revenues. People who visit are spending more money per visit than they used to.
It's a trend we've been following all year long. Katz found a similar trend in previous months. It's a pattern that has been ongoing since the end of last year.
Key Regions Hit Hard by Declines
Las Vegas and Southern Nevada experienced significant drops, with Southern Nevada seeing an 11.3% decrease in June 2025 compared to June 2024.
The Las Vegas Strip also saw fewer visitors. Other regions, such as Atlantic City, Mississippi (Biloxi and Tunica), Louisiana (Lake Charles and New Orleans), Detroit, Philadelphia, and Reno, also reported lower foot traffic and revenue.
How Other States Are Faring
Pennsylvania and Illinois also faced challenges, with casino attendance in Pennsylvania falling by 4.6% compared to last year.
Illinois saw ongoing decreases, partly due to fewer new openings or growth opportunities compared to other areas. In Iowa, casinos in Council Bluffs and Riverside showed some of the biggest local drops, with declines of over 7% in recent months.
The casinos reporting the biggest single property attendance losses in 2025 include several major Las Vegas Strip properties, with Caesars Entertainment and MGM Resorts International both revealing significant declines in revenue and visitor numbers. Caesars reported a 3.7% decline in Las Vegas revenue for Q2 2025, with properties like The Flamingo experiencing steep drops in occupancy and hotel rates. MGM Resorts also reported a 4% decline in Strip revenue, citing fewer major events and lower hotel occupancy.
Outside Las Vegas, South Lake Tahoe casinos registered the largest percentage decline, with gaming win down 23.4% in May 2025 compared to the previous year. In New York, Resorts World Catskills has faced ongoing declines in attendance and revenue since opening, with consistent quarterly deficits and operational challenges.
Other notable drops were reported at individual properties in the Midwest and along the Mississippi River, but the most significant losses were concentrated among large, well-known casinos on the Las Vegas Strip and in South Lake Tahoe.
Areas Showing Resilience and Growth
In contrast, some places like Pennsylvania and Colorado (Black Hawk) have shown resilience or even growth, thanks to new casinos opening up. Even though November 2025 saw fewer visitors compared to November 2024, it was still the third-best month for casino visits in 2025.
Katz pointed out that while fewer people are visiting casinos, those who do go are spending more, showing changes in how people behave and how casinos operate since 2019. This pattern is seen in most regional markets, with some places adapting well due to new casinos and local factors. Overall, the casino industry is adjusting to the new normal after the pandemic.
Try Your Luck at an Online Casino
If you don't want to go to a physical casino, you can try playing at an online casino, as long as you live in a state where they are legal.
Many states now allow people to gamble online, so you can enjoy casino games right from your home. If online casinos aren't legal in your state yet, you can still have fun at sweepstakes casinos. These are special websites where you can play games and win prizes without having to gamble with real money. Just make sure to check your state's rules to see what you can legally do.
