The robust comeback of the gaming industry has been a key contributor to Nevada’s post-pandemic economic recovery. The gaming recovery that began in 2021 is a long way from early 2020, when Nevada closed all casinos for 78 days amid the emerging pandemic. Gross gaming revenues across the state have not only surpassed pre-pandemic levels, they are on pace to set new annual records in 2022.

Following a year-long lull due to the pandemic and related response, Nevada gaming caught fire in March 2021 and hasn’t cooled since, eclipsing $1 billion in monthly revenue for a record-setting 18 consecutive months. In 14 of those months, the monthly\ total surpassed the pre-pandemic high. The takeoff in gaming activity coincided with the rollout of vaccines, the easing of casino operating restrictions, the rebound of travel and a new round of household stimulus payments. The billion-dollar streak helped push total gross gaming revenue in the 12 months through August 2022 to a record $14.6 billion. As 2022 headed into its final quarter, statewide gross gaming revenue was on track to beat the $12.0 billion collected in 2019 and the annual record of $12.9 billion set in 2007.

Nevada’s gross gaming revenue performance has been driven by a surge in slot machine play, which accounts for about two-thirds of all gaming revenue. In the 12 months through August 2022, slot machine revenue totaled an all-time high of $9.8 billion statewide, a 19.2 percent increase from the $7.9 billion total in 2019. Revenue from traditional table games excluding baccarat also experienced a sizable increase over the same period. Revenue for table games excluding baccarat totaled a record-high $3.6 billion in the 12 months through August 2022, 19.3 percent higher than the $3.0 billion collected in 2019. Baccarat, which tends to be more volatile compared to other table games, reported a 12.2 percent increase in revenue from $1.1 billion in 2019 to $1.2 billion in the latest 12-month period.

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