However, it’s not all good news for the rest of the state. While Las Vegas is surging, 450 miles away, northern Nevada continues to struggle against tribal casinos “siphoning off the drive-up market along key highways from Northern California” says Frank Fahrenkopf, president of the American Gaming Association.
At least over in Pennsylvania – the industry’s third largest market – business is doing well overall. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board reports annual gross gaming revenue topped $3 billion for the first time. That’s an increase of 21.6% when compared to 2010.
Not all of the 22 casino-approved states in the US have reported their 2011 revenue figures, But so far – up until November last year – unaudited data by the American Gaming Association shows a reported total of $32.56 billion revenues meant the industry was running 2.3% ahead of the first 11 months of 2010. With that, the trend of 2011′s association figures has industry observers cautiously optimistic in the aftermath of a casino operator’s worse nightmare – the recession.