Nevada gaming win flat for August

Tuesday, Oct. 13, 1998 | 11:32 a.m.

SUN CAPITAL BUREAU

CARSON CITY -- August wasn't a good month for Nevada casinos as gross revenues fell by .21 percent compared to a year ago, the state Gaming Control Board reported today.

Board spokesman Russell Guindon said there was one less Friday this August compared to a year ago, causing part of the decline. And there was a combination of a decline in betting on pre-season football and players winning more than a year ago.

Casinos statewide reported win, computed before business expenses and taxes, totaled $685.1 million.

Downtown Las Vegas clubs suffered an 11.2 percent decline in gross win to $52.8 million, Guindon said, calling it a "very bad month." Revenue from table games fell by 27.9 percent and the slot win dropped by 3.8 percent.

On the Las Vegas Strip, gross revenue was off by 1.9 percent to $318.1 million. While slot revenues rose 5.7 percent, game and table win fell 8.3 percent. Guindon said the sports pool on the Strip was down by $6.7 million. And football win was off by $4.5 million.

North Las Vegas continued its pattern of double digit growth but not as strong as in previous months. The casinos accounted for $15.3 million in win, up 10.4 percent. There was a 15.1 percent rise in slot revenues but table win dropped 15.8 percent. North Las Vegas, said Guindon, is more of a slot market than a table and game area.

The Boulder Strip's revenues jumped 13.6 percent to $41.1 million. But The Reserve hotel-casino is included this year and was not counted last year. Slot win jumped 17.9 percent, but table revenues fell 10 percent.

After four straight months of growth, Laughlin casinos reported revenues of $35.8 million, down 5.1 percent.

The board said casinos in Washoe County fell to $94.9 million, off 2.8 percent; South Lake Tahoe gross win jumped 22.9 percent to $37.5 million but that's compared to a weak August 1997; Carson Valley recorded the fourth straight double digit increase with $7.6 million in revenue, up 10.1 percent and Elko-area casinos posted $17.3 million in gross revenue, up 5.2 percent.