LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Last year was a record period for gambling in the United States, according to a report from the American Gaming Association.
Commercial gaming revenues — including from non-tribal casinos — topped the $60 billion mark for the first time, according to the report, which was released Wednesday by the trade association. The figure was up 14% from 2021, which was a record at the time.
Locally, casinos on the Strip accounted for $8.2 billion of those revenues, which made the famed Las Vegas tourist corridor far and away the top gaming market in the country.
Next was Atlantic City, which pulled in $2.8 billion in gaming revenues in 2022.
Statewide, Nevada casino operators claimed $14.8 billion in gambling revenues last year, an annual record.
Bill Miller, president of the association, called the 2022 numbers "phenomenal" during a conference call with reporters Wednesday.
Once tribal casino revenues are released for last year, Miller said he expects the combined gaming revenue figure to balloon to over $100 billion for 2022.
"Some folks thought we couldn't replicate the 2021 results," Miller said. "We didn't...we exceeded them."
When casinos in Nevada do well fiscally, the state also ends up as a winner.
Casinos in the Silver State reported a gaming win total of just over $1.3 billion for December, which, in turn, meant the state collected nearly $67 million in gambling taxes and fees for its general fund that month.
While the revenue figures have been head-turning, Miller said there are still issues facing the gaming industry as it continues to navigate the near year.
"I would say that CEOs in our industry are most concerned right now about labor shortages and supply chains," Miller said. "The labor shortage continues to be a real issue overall in the travel and leisure space."
