The latest statistics confirm the social chatter that Las Vegas tourism has hit a dramatic low, with some even calling Vegas an experience of the past.

Only 3.1 million people visited Sin City in June, down 11.3% compared to last year, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA).

Social media users have called out the high prices of everything from dining to parking, citing these and other reasons for staying away.

Robby Starbuck, conservative activist and host of “The Robby Starbuck Show,” says it is not just prices that are keeping people out of Vegas.

“Now nearly everyone under 40 who bets seems to do it online,” Starbuck said.

“I don’t know one person under 40 who goes to Vegas regularly to bet or play slots,” he added.

“This trend will continue with younger people because, honestly, our minds are wired differently.”

The U.S. online gambling market in 2024 was estimated at $12.68 billion, according to Grand View Research.

Starbuck said generational differences also could be pushing down the popularity of visiting Las Vegas.

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“Another differentiator is that older generations focused on real-life interaction, while younger generations feel just as content with parasocial online experiences,” he said.

“The Vegas marketing image is one centered on slots and showgirls, two things young people have no interest in,” said Starbuck.

He added: “The typical casino feel and marketing just won’t be as successful with young people who have 40 options to gamble on their phones from the comfort of their own home.”

An additional generational difference, Starbuck pointed out, is that younger generations are ditching the bottle.

“Younger generations drink alcohol at lower rates than older generations did at their age. That’s going to have a material impact on the Vegas business model if young people drink less,” he said.

The number of people in their 20s who chose to abstain from alcohol more than doubled between 2001 and 2019, going from 9% to 22%, according to a 2019 National Drug Strategy Household survey. And a recent Gallup survey found that roughly 38% of adults under age 35 now identify as fully abstaining from alcohol.

In addition, more than a quarter of Gen Z respondents felt “very concerned” about the potential health effects of drinking alcohol, according to Civic Science.

The hotel industry is also feeling the burn of fewer visitors.

Occupancy rates dropped 6.5%, while average daily room rates have lowered to $163.64 – down 6.6%, according to the LVCVA.

Meanwhile, a 43-story hotel and casino has been put on an indefinite pause, SF Gate reported.

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The property has a prime location on the Vegas strip and will remain an empty lot for parking for now.

Starbuck said he’s been to Las Vegas a number of times in his life and doesn’t see himself visiting again unless there is a change.

“If it feels like a place where I can see the future and bring my whole family, then you’ll see me in Vegas again,” he said.

“Without that kind of transformation, Vegas is in trouble in the coming decades,” he predicted.

“If Vegas wants to win with young people in the future, it’s going to have to transition to a must-see destination that makes you feel like you have just entered the future.”

Fanatics Sportsbook Plans To Launch Online Statewide, Open Retail Sportsbooks Serving Kansas City and St. Louis Markets –

Today, Fanatics Betting and Gaming announced that it is partnering with Boyd Gaming Corporation in the state of Missouri.

Under the terms of their multi-year agreement, Fanatics Sportsbook will operate mobile sports betting under Boyd’s sports betting license in Missouri. The companies will open Fanatics-branded retail sportsbooks at Boyd’s Ameristar Casino Hotel Kansas City and Ameristar Casino Resort and Spa St. Charles, located near St. Louis. Fanatics plans to launch its online and retail betting products with the debut of regulated sports wagering in Missouri this December, contingent upon receipt of all required regulatory approvals.

Upon launching this December, sports fans across Missouri will be able to download the Fanatics Sportsbook on iOS and Android and begin their Fanatics experience. Winning Hits Different in Missouri on Fanatics Sportsbook with up to 10% FanCash back on every bet, win or lose; Fair Play™ injury protection; and events and experiences that only Fanatics can pull off.

The Fanatics Sportsbook retail locations at the two Ameristar casinos in Missouri will cater to guests looking to enjoy the ultimate sportsbook experience, offering legal betting markets for all major sports including professional and college football, basketball, hockey, baseball, tennis, soccer, golf, MMA, boxing and more. All development and trading of sports betting markets will be done in-house by Fanatics.

For more news and information on the pending launch of legal sports betting in the state of Missouri, follow the Fanatics Sportsbook social channels on X @FanaticsBook and on Instagram @FanaticsSportsbook.

Must be 21+. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER

As a state lawmaker, Zohran Mamdani generally opposed plans to open full-scale casinos in New York City. In June, when he walked past a billboard showing betting markets for the city mayor’s race, he even quipped that “gambling is haram,” an Arabic word meaning forbidden.

But on Wednesday, Mr. Mamdani said that he did not intend to use his newfound political clout as the Democratic mayoral nominee and the race’s front-runner to try to stop the arrival of casinos that are widely considered a fait accompli.

Speaking alongside the leader of a union pushing the gambling expansion, Mr. Mamdani told reporters that while he still had doubts about the casinos backed by corporate giants, he respected the views of state voters who had approved the downstate gambling expansion more than a decade ago.