BMM qp strip CI
Sep25.indd 1 STATESIDE Nickles and Dimes
Summer has officially ended, and those wonderful lazy, hazy days appear to be over. Sharon Harris, however, is way too busy to sit and watch the summer sun set just yet…
9/9/25 10:09
I
have finally moved into my new house and am close to selling my old home. Fingers crossed it works out; it’s been a grueling experience, and one that I don’t want to repeat anytime soon. Heading into fall, as usual, the gaming industry is chock full of news - some good and some not-so-good. Let’s get the negative news out of the way first.
For several months, reports have surfaced that Las Vegas has suffered a significant downturn in visitation and tourism numbers. How? Why? The promise of Las Vegas has always been that if they kept building beyond anyone’s imagination, the people would surely come. And, they have for generations.
But, after a fairly successful post-Covid comeback, many regular and occasional patrons experiencing Las Vegas now often feel “put off”
14 SEPTEMBER 2025
by what they call routine “nickel and diming” them for everything.
For those unfamiliar with the American vernacular, I expect it is similar in your own currency. In other words, instead of just listing a one-shot price, the casinos are incorporating extra charges that add up to hefty totals. One customer, who splits her time living in the San Francisco Bay area and Las Vegas, summed it up in a recent news article. She stated, “If you’re going to raise your rates, then do it. But, I think, consumers, as a whole, are getting tired of being nickel and dimed.”
A Las Vegas Review-Journal feature last spring revealed that once casinos removed coffee makers from hotel rooms, beverage prices skyrocketed. That’s a shame because I always loved that first cup in the privacy of my room.
In many locations, customers are now paying $6 or $7 per cup, $10 for domestic beers, $25 for cocktails made with house quality liquors and at least $30 for fast food/soft drink combo meals. Are they kidding? A hamburger with fries, pizza or hot dog and a drink for more cash than millions earn in an hour?
Many gamblers are reacting with their feet. They are avoiding specific casinos with unfavorable gaming conditions like keeping their $25 table game minimums during slower hours. Why would gaming floor managers leave the tables empty instead of just lowering the bet minimums?
Value is a perception, not a fact. I get that. For example, I hate when a restaurant charges extra for salad dressing or bread. Just add $1 to the entrée and be done with it. Consumers don’t want
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