KHTS Radio Santa Clarita Radio – Santa Clarita News
One of the biggest entertainment destinations for Californians, both from the South and North has always been Las Vegas. It simply seems like an achievable feat to simply hop into the car and drive on one of the highways to get to the promised wonderland of gambling, luxury hotels, and straight-up fun.
However, over the years that understanding and perception of Las Vegas as an entertainment hub have decreased significantly. The younger generation living in California rarely has the excess income to allow themselves a trip to Vegas. Most of the expenses are calculated for food and rent with very little remaining as a deposit to the savings account.
Evidence for decreasing popularity
According to 2018 data, more than 31% of visitors in Las Vegas came from California. That number has dropped to just 23% in 2019, meaning that 2020 is going to be even lower. Some are predicting the same drop to just 15% if the economy continues to be an issue for young Americans.
But this doesn’t mean that the gambling habits of Californians are decreasing. The very same reasons they’d take the couple hours to drive to Vegas still remains in the minds of most gaming enthusiasts, it’s just that they’d rather be a lot more affordable and comfortable while doing it, which is why most of the interest is now shifting towards online gaming rather than offline casino hopping in Nevada.
Similar issues in other countries
This is not something that the US is facing alone, there are dozens of countries that are seeing major decreases in offline casinos from their populations. For example, Norway which has pretty much nationalized the gaming industry in the country is seeing fewer and fewer people attending these venues.
Although this may seem like a job well done in terms of preventing people from gambling their paychecks away, it’s actually quite the disaster. You see, these online casinos in Norway have managed to attract most of the gambling population of the country, meaning that the decreasing number of offline gamblers is actually not changing. It’s just transitioning into the online space.
What this means is that instead of retaining the same number of players in a government-controlled offline industry and make sure that the revenue is spent on something important, the government has allowed players to transition into online companies that are more focused on profit, thus abandoning the whole reason why they nationalized the industry in the first place.
This could be serious
As the financial situation of the younger generation gets worse and their affiliation with online services gets better, there is always a likely outcome that many will resort to online gambling on unregulated websites and therefore risk losing what little they have in the first place.
Furthermore, it means a terrible loss of jobs in Las Vegas due to low revenue and the loss of interest from California, a state where most of the high rollers come from.
Should both Nevada and California remain quiet while this trend continues to develop, there’s a serious chance of having more broke young people due to both gambling and loss of jobs in gambling.
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Whoever wrote this story/byline is just dumb.
Where is the empirical data to show that young people (under 25) have decreased their trips to Las Vegas? If anything, it’s the reverse. More young people than ever before are making that trip to Las Vegas, especially those turning 21.
Young people are going to spend their money on whatever it is that makes them feel good. Whether that’s the latest iPhone bulging in their pants, parties, marijuana, food, clothes, school, cars, drugs – young people spend money! I also want those young people to spend their money at my stores!
I would say that a large percentage of young people are going and have gone broke taking out student loans that were not necessary. Most colleges and universities do a poor job in counseling their students as to why they SHOULD NOT take out student loans. An exception – our very own College of the Canyons has a different approach and actually requires students to have counselling BEFORE signing away for ANY student loan. All colleges and universities should make advance counselling a requirement.
Notice my words at the beginning…NOT NECESSARY.
As for Las Vegas, yes, travelers have seen huge increases in the costs of hotel rates and restaurants. When the economy is hot as it is currently – supply and demand exist in a capitalist society – Las Vegas being no different. With the increase in the number of conventions and group/tour vacationers that visit Las Vegas, prices have been on a tear upward over the last 7 years.
The majority of the casinos in Las Vegas have bargaining agreements (union contracts) in place which also drives up the costs as to what consumer/business pay to stay, eat and gamble at many of the casinos.
Smart consumers will go elsewhere for the gambling “experience” such as Laughlin, Reno or even some of the California casinos that have re-imaged their locations into mini-resorts – usually at a much lower price point. Those from California who have reduced their trips to Las Vegas are most likely price sensitive and/or don’t believe that Las Vegas is the bargain that it was in previous years.
The demand for travel and hotel rooms to Las Vegas is still there – it’s that the travelers are arriving from different and more distant destinations – whether that’s other ares of the U.S. and Canada, along with Asia, Europe, Mexico and South America. Today, Las Vegas has more nonstop flights to/from European cities than ever before. Also, Las Vegas has always been and continues to be a top destination for those from Hawaii.
Let’s not forget, which city in the U.S. has the most hotel rooms? It’s not New York. It’s Las Vegas, followed by Orlando, Chicago and Washington, D.C.
As far as on-line gambling – let Congress change the regulations and open it up. Of course, you can expect the casino companies and their owners to lobby against any change in the banking regulations that prohibit the processing of payments made when gambling using the internet.
Bottom line: how many people do you know locally that turn 21 and still take that big birthday trip over to Las Vegas? Other than those for religious convictions – many soon to turn 21 year olds in the Santa Clarita Valley still make that turning of age trip to Las Vegas.
SO_CAL_RETAIL_SLUT
Vegas used to be great, when the Mafia owned it!! Now, the filthy, greedy corporations squeeze every penny out of visitors, at every turn!! Some greedy even charge for the privilege of parking!! DISGUSTING!! The 4-8 hour drive not worth it!! Even though the more local Indian casinos are closer—they’ve gotten greedy with drinks & room rapes!! When we go to a casino, we’re suppose to lose, so, why rub salt into it with greedy drink, etc. prices!??!
You’re right about the parking. Unless you have some kind of “elite” status, parking at most of the Las Vegas casinos now charge a ridiculous fee to park. Disneyland and Disney World are no better, $25.00 a day – unless you have an annual pass that includes parking.
At Disney World, they have recently increased the daily fee to park when staying at any of the Disney-owned hotels – ranging in price from $15 to $25 per night. Valet is only $33 per night…scam
SO_CAL_RETAIL_SLUT
Greed, Greed, Greed !!! The worship of Mammon!!