More Vegas visitors gambling and spending more on gambling in 2015

Fewer Las Vegas visitors are coming to Sin City primarily to gamble, but more visitors gambled last year and those who gambled spent more on gambling during their stay.

According to the latest Las Vegas Visitor Profile Study issued by the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA), the proportion of visitors who came to Vegas in 2015 primarily to gamble was 10%, down from 12% in 2014 and the third straight year this stat has declined.

Among repeat visitors, 12% came primarily to gamble in 2015, down from 14% in 2014 and 17% in 2013. Just 1% of first-time visitors came to gamble, down from 4% in both 2014 and 2013. However, while 2015’s primary gambling stats were down across the board, they nonetheless represented increases from 2011, as 2013 represented a peak year for this category.

Nearly three-quarters (73%) of Vegas visitors admitted to gambling during their 2015 stay, up two points from 2014 but down six points from 2011. However, the average gambling budget among those who gambled last year came to $578, up from $530 in 2014 and from $447 in 2011.