Nevada began a new fiscal year with a modest increase in gaming win, according to state gaming regulators.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board reported Thursday that the state’s 453 casinos won $1.4 billion in July, a 2.1% increase from July 2025. The Las Vegas Strip posted a 3.6% increase, reporting $776.3 million in gaming revenue.
In addition to the better-than-expected numbers posted by Strip casinos, overall gaming win in Clark County, which includes downtown Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, Laughlin, the Boulder Strip, and Mesquite, gained 1.5% increase to $1.2 billion.
Casinos on the Strip were helped by a large table-game drop in July, according to a gaming industry analyst.
“In terms of Las Vegas Strip volumes, slot handle was up 4.8% year over year (reaccelerating June’s plus 1%) … while table drop was up by an impressive 24% year over year, reflecting baccarat volumes up 43% year over year (ex-baccarat, table volume was up 15% year over year), J.P. Morgan analyst Daniel Politzer wrote in a note to investors.
“July table drop was the highest of 2026, likely driven by a strong entertainment calendar; historically, July was among the seasonally softest months for table drop,” Politzer wrote.
Barry Jonas, an analyst with Truist Securities, said he still view the “overall market as resilient.”
“We note the month did have an extra weekend from a calendar perspective, which flip-flops in August (minus one day),” Jonas wrote in a research note. “We continue to believe in our Strip recovery thesis though expect some choppiness in the near term.”
Southern Nevada casinos posted mixed results in July, according to the Control Board. North Las Vegas gaming win was up 3.4% to $25.4 million, with Laughlin posting a 0.1% increase to $41 million and Mesquite was down 0.5.% to $15.1 million.
Downtown Las Vegas gaming win was down 8.6% to $68.5 million, the Boulder Strip was off 2.5% to $82.6 million, and the balance of Clark County dropped 1.2% to $164 million.
In northern Nevada, communities in Elko County posted the highest percentage gains in the state, with gaming win up 15.1% to $24.4 million in Wendover, up 13.5% in the Elko County to $36.8 million, and 10.3% to $12.4 million in the outlying areas of the country.
Sparks reported a 9.5% increase in gaming win to $17.2 million; Reno posted a 1% increase to $76.8 million, North Lake Tahoe posted a 5.6% decline in July to $2.9 million, and the rest of Washoe County reported an 11.8% increase to $8.8 million.
The Carson Valley area, which includes Carson City, Garnerville, Minden, and all other areas of Douglas County except South Lake Tahoe, posted a 1.1% gain to $12.5 million last month.
Nevada collected $98.5 million in August, based on the taxable revenue generated in July. The NGCB said tax collections represented a 3.4% or $3.3 million increase compared to July 2025, when the taxes collected were $95.2 million.
Las Vegas tourism rises, conventions decline
Las Vegas tourism posted an increase in July, even as convention attendance declined, according to new figures released Thursday.
The region welcomed about 3,171,600 visitors last month, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) reported. That’s up 2.7% compared to July 2025. Year to date, Las Vegas has welcomes more than 22.7 million visitors.
Despite the increase in visitation, convention attendance in July declined 5.6% to 262,700. Jonas noted that “improvement in leisure demand helped offset a seasonal lull in conventions.”
“That said, convention attendance was lower … year over year, largely reflecting normal show rotations and calendar timing differences,” Jonas wrote.
The Association of Woodworking & Furnishing Suppliers Fair, with 11,000 attendees, was held elsewhere this year, while the CHAMPS trade show and its 24,000 attendees took place in August, Jonas wrote.
Hotel occupancy rose 1.1% year over year to 77.2% but was down from 78.3% in June. Currently Las Vegas has 150,608 hotel rooms with a year-to-date occupancy rate of 81.3%.
The average daily room rate in July was $157.45, up slightly from $156.35 in June, with a year-to-date average of $188.04.
