Vegas casino numbers tell different story than political claims

Vegas casino numbers tell different story than political claims

The real numbers don’t match the hype

By Brittany Sheehan  

Nevada News and Views

You’ve probably seen the headlines. Democrats are claiming Nevada casinos are struggling because of Trump’s policies. They’re calling it a “Trump slump.” But when you look at the actual numbers, that story falls apart pretty quick.

Nevada casinos for the fourth year in a row experienced record action from gamblers, as gross revenue eclipsed $15.6 billion in 2024. That’s right — record revenue for the fourth straight year. Not exactly what you’d call a slump.

Even more telling? The city known for lavish shows, endless buffets and around-the-clock gambling welcomed just under 3.1 million tourists in June, which was indeed down from last year. But here’s what the politicians aren’t telling you — casinos are still making money hand over fist.

Nevada casinos won $1.36 billion from gamblers in July — a 4 percent increase over July 2024. The Vegas Strip generated $749 million, a 5.6 percent jump. Downtown Las Vegas casinos brought in $74.4 million, up 3.6 percent.

Cancel the funeral. pic.twitter.com/MpC3Tl0Dhp

— Las Vegas Locally (@LasVegasLocally) August 29, 2025

What the Democrats Are Claiming

Let’s be fair and look at what critics are saying. Ted Pappageorge, head of the powerful Culinary Workers Union, called it the “Trump slump.” He said visits from Southern California, home to a large Latino population, were also drying up because people are afraid of the administration’s immigration crackdown.

Mayor Shelley Berkley said tourism from Canada — Nevada’s largest international market — has dried up from a torrent “to a drip.” Same with Mexico. She’s blaming Trump’s tariffs and immigration policies.

The union leader went even further, saying “If you tell the rest of the world they’re not welcome, then they won’t come,” according to PBS reporting.

The Real Problem: Greed, Not Politics

Here’s where it gets interesting. Even Mayor Berkley admits the real problem isn’t Trump. The mayor attributed the price increase to a mix of factors, including a slow economy nationwide, as well as the gaming industry “nickel and diming” people.

Think about that. The mayor of Las Vegas is saying casinos are “nickel and diming” people. That’s not Trump’s fault. That’s businesses being greedy.

The evidence is everywhere. Who wants to pay $26 bottle of water from a hotel minibar (at the Aria) or $25 for dinnerware with room service (at the MGM) or $60 to check-in three hours early (at the Flamingo)? These aren’t government fees. These are casino businesses squeezing every penny they can get.

The Numbers Don’t Lie

If Trump’s policies were really crushing Vegas, you’d expect to see casino profits tanking. But that’s not happening. While visitor numbers might be down in some months, The state’s 307 largest hotel-casinos made $2.6 billion in profits from $31.5 billion in revenue in fiscal 2024.

Sure, net income was down 24.4 percent from the 2023 fiscal year, but total revenue was up 5.5 percent and gaming revenue was up 3.4 percent. That means casinos are making more money but keeping less of it — likely due to higher costs, not fewer customers.

A Pattern of Blaming Trump

This fits a bigger pattern we’ve seen for years. Every time there’s a problem, Democrats blame Trump. Bad weather? Trump’s fault. High gas prices? Trump’s fault. Now they’re saying casino greed is somehow Trump’s fault too.

But smart conservatives know better. When government stays out of the way, businesses succeed or fail based on how they treat customers. If Vegas casinos are losing visitors, maybe they should stop charging $70 for parking and $25 for using silverware.

What This Means for Limited Government Advocates

This story shows exactly why conservatives support limited government. When businesses get greedy and start gouging customers, the free market corrects itself. People stop coming. Revenues might still be up, but eventually, businesses have to change or lose customers to competitors.

“If you have to pay $70 for valet parking, you’re going to find out very quickly people don’t want to pay $70 for parking,” Berkley said. “The gaming industry is pretty smart people, and I think they’ll figure it out without my input”.

That’s how capitalism works. No government intervention needed.

The Union Angle

It’s worth noting that the loudest voice claiming a “Trump slump” is Ted Pappageorge, secretary-treasurer of the Culinary Workers Union, which represents 60,000 workers in Las Vegas and Reno. Union leaders have every reason to blame politicians they don’t like rather than admit their casino partners are pricing people out.

After all, the Silver State has had severe swings since even before it was rushed to statehood in 1864. Vegas has always been boom and bust. Blaming every downturn on politics is just union talking points.

What Happens Next

The free market is already working. Average daily room rates are down 5.5 percent to $185.24, and revenue per available room—a key profitability measure—has fallen by 7.6 percent. Casinos are starting to lower prices because customers are staying away.

Nearly 90 percent of recent survey respondents labeled Las Vegas as too expensive. That’s market feedback. Smart businesses will listen. Dumb ones will keep blaming politicians.

What Conservatives Should Do

Keep supporting policies that let markets work. Don’t bail out businesses that make bad decisions. Let consumers vote with their wallets. And don’t buy into every “Trump’s fault” story the media and unions push.

The real lesson here? When government stays small and businesses have to compete for customers, everybody wins. When businesses get greedy and think they can charge whatever they want, customers go somewhere else.

That’s not a Trump slump. That’s capitalism working exactly like it should.