The country is not yet in the clear in regards to the coronavirus pandemic. Although there have been measures to curb the disease, the U.S. has a long way to go. But, even so, the U.S. casino industry just completed the second quarter of the year by scooping $13.6 billion in revenue.
This shows the industry is on the right track to creating the best year ever. Moreover, players and gamblers are returning from lockdowns to play in land-based casinos. If everything goes smoothly, the revenue generated from casinos will increase beyond $43.6 billion.
According to the Associated Press, casinos revenue for 2019 was $43.6 billion. It was the best year for the industry. The revenue collected in the first six months of 2021 is a whopping $25 billion, which is more than half that of 2019.
The American Gaming Association reported that all gaming floors in various states are working in full capacity. There are 25 states with commercial casinos. The casino revenue in 22 of the 25 states has significantly increased compared to 2019’s second-quarter totals.
Nineteen states of the 25 performed better than they did in 2019, between January and June. There is no need to use 2020 figures as the numbers were affected by the coronavirus lockdowns. Casinos were closed for months leading to a shuttered industry.
People Are Gambling Again
Vaccination started earlier this year. Some of the people that wanted the vaccine were casino players who felt cooped up in their houses. Most of these have been vaccinated to return to playing at land-based casinos. One player, known as Gene Brandon in Ridgefield, Connecticut, said he was going to casinos because he is vaccinated. Before the spread of the coronavirus, Gene visited casinos twice a month.
Yet, being vaccinated has not stopped Gene from wearing a mask while going to a casino. He says he does it to reduce the chances of contracting the virus and transmitting it to those not vaccinated. He especially wants to prevent spreading the virus to children under 12 years.
Another player going by the name Mike Wolk Sr. is also fully vaccinated. Mike has diabetes and prostate cancer.
But, he enjoys playing poker at a land-based casino at least once a week for eight hours straight. Although he does not wear a mask while visiting a casino, he noted that he is concerned about the spread of the disease.
Las Vegas Is Still a Hotspot for the Virus
Following the relaxation of the COVID-19 restrictions, some states saw an increase in airline passengers and tourists. It led to an increased gaming revenue collection and overall revenue.
For example, the opening of the $4.3 billion Resorts World Las Vegas in summer saw around 20,000 visitors come in. The hotel-casino is the most expensive in Nevada’s history. A large number of visitors in Las Vegas with a low vaccination rate is worrying.
In fact, this has led to health officials in Hawaii, Los Angeles, and Chicago, warning its citizens of visiting southern Nevada due to the increasing number of new infections.
Nevada has had 367,709 coronavirus cases and 6080 deaths. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that there had been at least 1000 new cases in the last ten days. Yet, the area is doing well in contributing to the overall casino revenue collection.
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