Gambling revenue rises in Laughlin

John Stearns The Arizona Republic Feb. 12, 2005 12:00 AM Laughlin casinos cashed in with their best year for gambling revenue in 2004, proving resilient to expanded competition from Indian casinos in Arizona and Southern California. The casinos won almost $595 million from gamblers, a nearly 8 percent increase over 2003, according to figures released Friday by the Nevada Gaming Control Board. Gambling revenue growth has averaged 1.2 percent annually the past decade. The house win represents the amount left after payouts but before taxes and expenses. It's a fraction of the $8.6 billion that gamblers wagered. advertisement "I think we have weathered the storm (of expanded Indian gambling) very well; we just have so many things that are going on" in the area, said John Lind, senior vice president of finance and administration for the Ramada Express Hotel and Casino, which is operated by Phoenix-based Aztar Corp. He believes the market is poised to boom, driven by regional development and casino company reinvestments. Laughlin gets 23 percent of its visitors from Arizona and employs more than 14,000 people. Most live in Bullhead City. Last year was the first full year of Laughlin data since Arizona tribes added Nevada-style blackjack in February 2003 and began increasing their slot machines. While Laughlin's 2003 blackjack revenue fell 5.2 percent from 2002, the game bounced back handsomely in 2004. Laughlin casinos won $30 million at blackjack, up 2.6 percent from 2003, according to Frank Streshley, a Gaming Control Board analyst. The improving economy drove most of the gains statewide, Streshley said. While Indian casinos seem to decrease the number of visits to Nevada for some gamblers, people introduced to gambling in Indian casino markets appear to be offsetting the losses, Streshley said. In essence, Indian gambling states are creating gamblers for commercial gambling states like Nevada. Lind sees validity in that. "Gaming is becoming available more and more to what the Laughlin target market is, Southern California and Arizona," he said. "People are more aware of it. They like the critical mass of having a number of casinos to choose from when they come to Laughlin." Sheila Morago, executive director of the Arizona Indian Gaming Association, congratulated Laughlin, adding, "This shows that the gaming industry is continuing to grow, and Indian gaming is just happy to be a part of it."