LA Times Blurb - Gambling losing its appeal in Las Vegas

At least that's the headline. The article goes on to say:

"Only 4% of first-time visitors said their primary reason for visiting Las Vegas was to gamble, compared with 14% for repeat visitors."

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Quote: JohnnyQ

At least that's the headline. The article goes on to say:

"Only 4% of first-time visitors said their primary reason for visiting Las Vegas was to gamble, compared with 14% for repeat visitors."

More

20 years ago casinos still had a mystique. When we went to a manager's conference in AC in 1996 nobody could wait, one manager's salesforce labeled their quarters they were having him play. Now it is just a big yip-yip-yahoo. As late as the mid-1980s it was big to even know someone who went to Vegas. If you lived in the east you went once in your life if you ever went.

Now it is just a discount plane ticket and room on hotels.com.

Quote: AZDuffman

Quote: JohnnyQ

At least that's the headline. The article goes on to say:

"Only 4% of first-time visitors said their primary reason for visiting Las Vegas was to gamble, compared with 14% for repeat visitors."

More

20 years ago casinos still had a mystique. When we went to a manager's conference in AC in 1996 nobody could wait, one manager's salesforce labeled their quarters they were having him play. Now it is just a big yip-yip-yahoo. As late as the mid-1980s it was big to even know someone who went to Vegas. If you lived in the east you went once in your life if you ever went.

Now it is just a discount plane ticket and room on hotels.com.

Boy, your insight really rang a bell with me. My folks went to Vegas about every other year for a week or so in the late 60's through the 70's, met up with California friends who knew some of the ranking owners/managers of the properties, got treated like kings, and came back with amazing stories. I'm quite sure the childhood mystique of Vegas lingers in my interest in playing/visiting there and colors my experiences and enjoyment.

I am part of the 14% and was part of the 4% when I first went to Vegas. I find it better for my life in general if I do not go locally and save my gambling for vacations (it just so happens most of my non-Vegas vacations include a casino).

AZ's right about the discount plane ticket. My total out of pocket from WAS (IAD,DCA,BWI) for a weekend trip can be under $500 outside of gambling ($200 nonstop rt, maybe $300 for better flight times). I took 6 Vegas trips last year and still saved enough to feel comfortable, might be upping it this year, and although I might be considered well off, I am in no way rich. Vegas can actually be a "thing" for most people in the country with a white collared salary job.

I work with a large group of people (800+) and many have never been to vegas or only been once. When I return from each trip, everyone that knows I just went wants to hear stories of my trip. It seems like they want a reason to make that trip we all take for granted as a regular part of our life.

Have to give the ploppies a fairer shake. Send a few home with money and a story. Until that comes back, interest in gambling by the civilians will falter.

I only go to gamble, have never gone for
any other reason in 40 years. The only
reason I don't go as often is, I can
go to 7 casinos in a radius of 90min
from my house now. 7 years ago
there was only one. Before 97 there
wasn't any.

For me, I go to:

1) Gamble
2) Have a very reasonably priced Vacation at an interesting place
3) Sight-see ( Sometimes. I have been to Red Rock Canyon, Valley of Fire, Hoover Dam, North Rim of Grand Canyon, Zion, and Bryce on various LV trips ).
4) See a show. But that is more so now thanks to myVegas and new Diamond status at CET.

This is pretty much in order of importance to me. 1 & 2 are pretty close. #4 is definitely my lowest priority.

We do gamble a lot, but our dollar does not last as long...so we are also doing other things more and dropping the gambling budget to cover the costs of whatever else we do...

Slot paybacks appear to have changed for the worse. I think we notice it. Maybe not. It just doesn't seem to be as fun!

http://gaming.unlv.edu/reports/nv_slot_hold.pdf

http://ggbmagazine.com/issue/vol-13-no-11-november-2014/article/the-tipping-point1

Some may say it isn't much, but a 10% increase in the hold and "penny" machines being total fakes (in that they pay as penny machines but collect as dollar or more machines most of the time because there is no way to be less than a quarter; usually more than that) make the experience of slotting not last nearly as long.

I had no idea how true this was until I joined a Facebook group called "Everything Las Vegas".
There are thousands of members it seems like. People talking about their upcoming trip, last trip. some there already.
And 95% of them don't gamble. Somebody posted the question: "Why do you go?" The predominant answer was shows, clubs and pools.
Some said to drink. WTH? I can drink at home.

People ask how do you get these comps people talk about. When you tell them they mostly have to gamble they are disappointed. Because they don't gamble very much, if at all.

I'm with EB on this. I only go to gamble. The only show I've seen is Penn and Teller and that's only because it was comped and we were staying there.

I was very surprised. We're going again next month. And only to gamble. There are no other plans.

1. Food
2. Entertainment
3. Gambling / sightseeing

Quote: texasplumr

I'm with EB on this. I only go to gamble. The only show I've seen is Penn and Teller and that's only because it was comped and we were staying there.

That's funny, the only show I've seen in
the last 10 years is P&T. I didn't care
for it.

Lots of people drive from SoCal for the
pools and club scene, not for gambling.
I don't even eat out if I'm there alone,
I'll get take out and eat it in my room
most of the time. I go to the buffet in
the Fremont and GN some, but I really
don't like eating around strangers, it's
always seemed weird to me. It's because
we never ate out as kids, ever. I was
in my late teens before I ever went to
a restaurant, so it seems like an odd
custom to me.