Nevada Poker Report August 2017: Fewer Tables But Revenue Continues To Rise
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The good news is, Nevada’s poker rooms continued their trend of growing revenue, despite fewer rooms and a shrinking number of poker tables. Efficiency is a good problem to have, and at the moment, Nevada poker rooms seem to have it in spades.
Top line numbers
The number of poker rooms and poker tables in Nevada were down year-over-year, but the state’s remaining rooms saw revenue increase once again.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board counted 63 poker rooms and 603 tables in August 2017, compared to 67 poker rooms and 655 tables in August 2016.
Despite the loss of two rooms (a three percent decline) and a significant loss of tables (a full eight percent), total poker revenue was up over four percent YoY in August.
Statewide poker revenue was $8,235,000 in August 2017, compared to $8,565,000 this year.
On a per table average, August 2017 outperformed August 2016 by a wide margin; clear evidence of the efficiency the state’s poker rooms seem to be aiming for:
- August 2016 table average: $12,572
- August 2017 table average: $14,204
Poker rooms and tables trends in 2017
- January 2017: 65 poker rooms and 596 poker tables
- February 2017: 67 poker rooms and 600 poker tables
- March 2017: 66 poker rooms and 596 poker tables
- April 2017: 64 poker rooms and 586 poker tables
- May 2017: 62 poker rooms and 724 poker tables
- June 2017: 62 poker rooms and 731 poker tables
- July 2017: 63 poker rooms and 724 poker tables
- August 2017: 63 poker rooms and 603 poker tables
Poker in Clark County
In August, the number of poker rooms in Clark County (which includes Las Vegas) was 38, with those rooms boasting a total of 486 tables. That is a substantial decline from the 42 rooms and 534 tables Clark County had last August.
Clark County accounts for the vast majority (over 90 percent) of all poker revenue in Nevada. In August, Clark County poker rooms generated $7,600,000 of the $8,565,000 poker dollars collected by the states casinos and card rooms.
The rooms in Clark County (which includes Las Vegas and the Strip) are bigger:
- Average size of a poker room in Clark County: 16.1 tables
- Average size of a poker room outside of Clark County: 4.76 tables
and generate more revenue per table:
- Average monthly value of a Clark County poker table: $15,638
- Average monthly value of a poker table outside of Clark County: $8,248
Poker on the Las Vegas Strip
Zooming in even closer, The Strip accounts for most of the poker dollars coming out of Clark County, and therefore most of the poker dollars in Nevada.
The Strip only has 18 poker rooms, but it accounts for nearly half of the state’s poker tables: 285 in August.
Revenue-wise, The Strip poker rooms tallied over $5.3 million of the $8.6 million collected statewide.
Nevada poker rooms by the numbers
The largest poker rooms in Las Vegas are mainly found on the Las Vegas Strip:
- Venetian (The Strip) – 37 poker tables
- Bellagio (The Strip) – 37 poker tables
- Orleans (Las Vegas off-strip)- 35 poker tables
- Wynn (The Strip) – 28 poker tables
- Aria (The Strip) – 24 poker tables
- South Point Casino (Henderson) – 22 poker tables
- Green Valley Ranch Casino (Henderson) – 22 poker tables
- Red Rock Casino (Summerlin) – 20 tables
Historical data and trends of poker in Nevada
Here’s a look at several key poker metrics from the UNLV Center for Gaming Research, which has been tracking the number of poker rooms, tables and revenue since 1992:
| Year | # of Rooms | # of Tables | Total Revenue | % Change YoY |
| 1992 | 92 | 564 | 74,701,000 | -2.57 |
| 1993 | 89 | 571 | 70,814,000 | -5.20 |
| 1994 | 93 | 586 | 71,667,000 | 1.20 |
| 1995 | 92 | 574 | 66,520,000 | -7.18 |
| 1996 | 82 | 539 | 64,485,000 | -3.06 |
| 1997 | 77 | 490 | 61,509,000 | -4.61 |
| 1998 | 76 | 526 | 58,873,000 | -4.29 |
| 1999 | 70 | 546 | 63,244,000 | 7.41 |
| 2000 | 68 | 473 | 63,064,000 | -0.28 |
| 2001 | 65 | 475 | 59,673,000 | -5.38 |
| 2002 | 57 | 386 | 57,791,000 | -3.15 |
| 2003 | 58 | 383 | 68,276,000 | 18.15 |
| 2004 | 79 | 484 | 98,862,000 | 44.80 |
| 2005 | 96 | 701 | 140,224,000 | 42.00 |
| 2006 | 106 | 886 | 160,929,000 | 14.77 |
| 2007 | 113 | 907 | 167,975,000 | 4.38 |
| 2008 | 113 | 913 | 155,724,000 | -7.29 |
| 2009 | 114 | 905 | 145,580,000 | -6.54 |
| 2010 | 109 | 920 | 135,200,000 | -7.13 |
| 2011 | 104 | 872 | 131,877,000 | -2.46 |
| 2012 | 99 | 809 | 123,253,000 | -6.54 |
| 2013 | 88 | 774 | 123,891,000 | 0.56 |
| 2014 | 79 | 736 | 119,904,000 | -3.18 |
| 2015 | 76 | 681 | 118,023,000 | -1.57 |
| 2016 | 73 | 661 | 117,753,000 | -0.18 |