Las Vegas Strip Gambling Revenue Rises 29% on Baccarat Surge

Las Vegas Strip gambling revenue increased 29 percent to $623.5 million in January on a surge in baccarat play, adding momentum to the recovery for the largest U.S. casino market.

Revenue for all of Clark County, including the Strip and downtown, increased 22 percent from a year earlier to $925.5 million, the Nevada Gaming Control Board said today in a website statement.

A surge in baccarat linked to the Chinese New Year drove the gain, according to Mark Lipparelli, board chairman. January also benefited from the Consumer Electronics Show, the Shooting, Hunting & Outdoor Trade show and better-than-expected attendance at the World of Concrete convention, Union Gaming Group LLC said today in a note. The Chinese New Year fell on Jan. 23 this year.

Excluding baccarat, statewide revenue for the month increased 4 percent, Lipparelli said in an interview. That is about in line with the 3.7 percent gain so far for the fiscal year that began July 1. January revenue, at $1.04 billion, was the highest monthly total since September 2008, he said.

Casino stocks rose. MGM Resorts International (MGM) gained 2.9 percent to $13.80 at the close in New York trading. Las Vegas Sands Corp. (LVS) rose 2.3 percent to $55.29 and Wynn Resorts Ltd. (WYNN) added 0.9 percent to $123.39.

Strip revenue increased 5.7 percent to $3.65 billion through seven months of the fiscal year, the state said.

To contact the reporter on this story: Rob Golum in Los Angeles at rgolum@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Anthony Palazzo at apalazzo@bloomberg.net