The House Ain’t Winning This Time

Ain’t this a turn of events? The Nevada Gaming Control Board has seen fit to publish the latest tally on the northern end of the state’s grand enterprise of chance, and lo and behold, the figures ain’t exactly cause for celebration—unless, of course, you happen to be the sort who takes delight in watching the house lose for once.

In Carson City and the Carson Valley, the gaming tables stood their ground like a stubborn old mule, showing but the faintest retreat—a minuscule 0.48 percent drop in February compared to last year. The good people of Carson, Gardnerville, Minden, and their neighboring haunts wagered and lost a respectable $10,297,812, which is a tidy sum by most reckonings, but still, the coffers jingled just a mite less than before.

When it comes to the total across Nevada, the story turns grim. The state’s nonrestricted gaming licensees—those fine establishments specializing in separating fools from their money—reported a “gaming win” of $1,217,662,484 in February. A handsome figure, no doubt, but it’s 9.28 percent short of last year’s spoils. And for those keeping the books over the long haul, the fiscal year’s tally from July to February is also limping along, trailing by 1.14 percent.

And what of the once-mighty shores of Lake Tahoe? The South Shore casinos took a staggering hit, down 17.35 percent, while their North Shore kin found themselves short by 9.34 percent. Reno, that great citadel of neon and nostalgia, watched its gaming revenue slip 6.44 percent, and Sparks fared only slightly better, down 2.65 percent.

In sum, gamblers have either grown wiser or luck has taken an extended vacation–either way, the house ain’t winning this round, and that, dear reader, is a spectacle rare enough to warrant a good, long look.