Gambling revenues are up all over for AGA. In Q2, gaming earned a whopping $13.6 billion in revenue. The previous Q1 of this year had also registered a good performance. In 2019 Q3 (pre-pandemic), the revenue was $11.1 billion.
AGA President Bill Miller is very optimistic about the future. In Q2, Nevada casinos were leading the pack with $3.46 billion in wins from gambling. Commercial gambling has already generated $24.8 billion in the first six months of 2021. This is an improvement on the total annual revenue of $30 billion last year. 2019 was the highest ever gaming revenue recorded, with $43.6 billion in earnings. But if 2021 progress can maintain its current trend, gaming may well be able to cross the 2019 record this year.
Physical casinos have contributed the most to 2021 earnings, with almost $11.8 billion coming from the retail locations that opened from April through June. Almost 75% of casinos initially re-opened with only 505 capacity, but by June, almost all of them were back to a 100% capacity.
Miller feels that the US gaming industry has started its process of recovery from the instability of the pandemic months. But international tourists and conventions are not back yet in Las Vegas. Sports stadiums and entertainment venues in Vegas are also not yet running at full capacity.
The new delta variant of the Covid virus is also re-igniting fears of a new lockdown. Miller is encouraging people to get vaccinated. Industry experts believe that vaccinations and a decrease in infections had made it possible for people to step out for gambling during the spring of this year. But they are not sure how people will react to the new surge in infections. Some feel that players who are vaccinated will continue with their daily visits, but others fear empty casinos and no customers.
Miller, however, wants to leave the pandemic behind and is hoping to host a Global Gaming Exposition in Las Vegas this October in both online and offline mode. Only time will tell whether the pandemic situation in October will allow for such plans to continue.
