Understandably , the caliber of the entertainment in Las Vegas is much higher than that at a regional casino , and it makes sense then that entertainment might distance itself from retail . But the addition of the pool , spa and sportsbook suggests opportunities for regional casinos to provide experiences that guests are seeking when they visit Las Vegas . Las Vegas ’ weather makes for a lengthy pool season , and its nightclub-centric visitation allows for the transformation of a “ pool ” into a “ day club .”
But looking at the large disparity between those who had used the pool on a trip to a Las Vegas casino in the last three years and those who had used the pool on a trip to a casino locally in the last three years , we see an opportunity to provide a higher-caliber , resort-oriented pool experience at larger regional casinos .
For the chart below , we restricted to “ core ” gaming guests , those whose daily gaming budget exceeds $ 500 ( we expect a $ 500 budget to approximate $ 100- $ 200 ADT ). We expected to see a gap in the younger crowd , those whom we know are drawn to the experiential pool parties in Las Vegas . Surprisingly , what we actually see is a gap in the 30-plus crowd , a gap that extends to even our oldest guests .
Sportsbook
With the Supreme Court ’ s overturn of PASPA in 2018 , sports betting has been at the forefront of gaming expansion nationwide . Sportsbooks are a viable amenity today in several states , and within the coming years we expect more than half of U . S . states to legalize the game . We see vast interest in sports betting .
In prior work on the topic , we found 40 percent of respondents likely to make at least one sports wager in the next 12 months if it were legal , regulated , and accessible in their area . While this may seem high , we ’ ve spoken to many seemingly unlikely bettors who say they ’ d bet on their college team ’ s rivalry game , on a game they are attending , on the Super Bowl , on an NCAA tournament bracket contest , and so on .
Additionally , in the current survey , 18 percent of respondents list sports betting as one of their top three reasons to visit a Las Vegas casino , and 4 percent of respondents identified sports as their primary form of gaming when they visit Las Vegas . Sports bettors skew younger and male , a decidedly different demographic than the traditional slot player . And with the bulk of the betting volume being mobile ( where allowed ), sportsbooks are truly amenities and should be designed as such .
Movies and Bowling
I live in Las Vegas . In typical Las Vegas fashion , the movie theaters and bowling alleys I go to are in casinos . Movies and bowling are usually a family outing for me , so they aren ’ t accompanied by gaming . On the other hand , I do take into account my ability to earn and burn comps when selecting my destination , thereby tying my movie theater and bowling decisions into my gaming decisions .
This didn ’ t resonate with the survey respondents , however , when we asked about their behaviors and expectations . Only 12 percent had been to a movie at a casino in the last three years , and only 8 percent had bowled at a casino . Moreover , only 16 percent expected a casino to offer a movie theater , and only 12 percent expected a bowling alley . Even fewer expected that they ’ d be able to use comps on movies and bowling .
Echoing my own experience , less than 5 percent of moviegoers and bowlers reported being likely to game on the same trip . While this doesn ’ t make movie theaters or bowling alleys poor choices of amenities to add , it increases the need for a strong integration with the loyalty program to really make the connection between gaming and the amenity . Programming the outlet with adult-only events may also increase the gaming crossover .
Dining
In the age of the celebrity chef , we ’ d be remiss not to discuss dining as an amenity , and the survey delivered a few interesting findings . First , we asked about “ food court ” -type dining , “ sit-down casual ,” and “ fine dining ,” in an effort to avoid the more common industry terms like QSR and fast casual . Thirty of the 500 respondents informed us via free response that we had omitted “ buffet ” as an option , and they felt that a buffet was an important part of their casino experience . While 6 percent sounds small , it is a very large number to agree unprompted via free response , which many respondents skip anyway . Casino-goers love a good buffet .
Additionally , when asked whether the addition or update of dining options would cause respondents to change their casino visitation , 21 percent said that
2019 CASINO STYLE 33