How Las Vegas Visitors Really Spend Their Money

Everyone who visits Las Vegas is different. Some come for vacation, while others are in town for a convention.

Each has their own preferences and priorities while they’re here. One person on vacation might hit the tables, while someone else might spend the day hopping from one dayclub to the next, indulge in an extravagant dinner, catch a show, and never gamble at all.

Meanwhile, business travelers in town for a convention might be so busy that their only free time is dinner, drinks, and a coffee shop with Wi-Fi. Only about 8% of visitors are in Las Vegas for a convention, but they typically spend more on non-gaming businesses like bars and restaurants than leisure travelers thanks to those expense accounts.

Las Vegas really does have something for everyone, and that’s what makes it such a great destination for both work and play. There’s no single type of visitor, but we can get a good idea of how people spend their time and money when they’re here.

The annual Las Vegas Visitor Profile only surveys a small sample of the 42 million people who came to town in 2024, but it does a solid job of painting a picture of the average visitor. Looking at how they spend their time and money helps explain why casinos focus on certain amenities and types of guests.

Gambling budget and behavior in Las Vegas 🎰

Las Vegas has evolved from being just a gambling destination to a place people visit for both business and pleasure — with a little gambling on the side. This isn’t a new trend. Non-gaming revenue has outpaced gambling revenue on the Vegas Strip since 1999. Plus, with online casino gaming at their fingertips, it's no wonder that visitors are forgoing in-person gambling.

• In 2024, 78% of visitors gambled during their Vegas vacation, but only 7% came specifically to gamble. Since casinos are now all over North America, just 4% of first-time Vegas visitors came primarily for gambling.
• Gamblers often assume everyone spends like they do at the tables and machines, but the numbers tell a different story. In 2024, the average gambler spent just 2.5 hours per day gambling.
• Their budget per trip was $820.15, which was up slightly from $787.54 in 2023 and a big jump from $591.06 in 2019.
• The average stay in Las Vegas last year was 3.4 nights and 4.4 days. That means the average gambler spent just $186.40 per day.
• It shouldn’t be surprising that older gamblers, who’ve built up some wealth over the years, are more comfortable spending it in Vegas. On average, Generation X spent $873.35 gambling per visit — more than any other age group.
• That compares to $786.93 for all other demographics. Millennials also outspent the youngest Generation Z, with a $767.91 gambling budget versus $575.01.

According to the survey, gamblers in 2024 were more likely to be younger, single, have a higher income, and be visiting for vacation. Most were repeat visitors who stayed at a hotel on or near the Strip. They also spent more across the board — on hotel rooms, food and drinks, shows, sporting events, and even local transportation.

Non-gaming spending in Las Vegas 🥂

Nearly nine out of ten visitors (87%) said they were “very satisfied” with their trip to Las Vegas in 2024. More than half (54%) said the experience exceeded their expectations.

For the third year in a row, visitors spent more on food, drinks, and shopping. People are noticing the rising prices at bars and restaurants, but they’re showing up ready to make the most of their vacation or work trip. 

In 2024, casinos on the Vegas Strip brought in a larger share of revenue from hotel rooms than from any other category.

Visitors continue to pay higher hotel room rates 🏨

According to the small sample of visitors surveyed for the annual profile, the average nightly room rate in 2024 was $179.10. That’s up from $108.82 in 2021, just a year after the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Meanwhile, data reported by casino operators to the Nevada Gaming Control Board showed average rates of $206.12 on the Vegas Strip and $104.65 in downtown Las Vegas. There’s often a gap between how casinos account and report revenue and what guests pay, so that tracks.

Joining a casino rewards program is free, and most properties offer a small discount just for signing up. The more you spend, the better the perks, but don’t overlook the easy savings you can get just by signing up.

Spending on food, drinks rising quickly 🥢

Anyone who’s visited Las Vegas more than once over the past decade knows food and drink prices have been steadily climbing.

In the early 2000s, a beer was just a few bucks on the casino floor. Now the cost is $10 or more, depending on the casino. Similarly, that expensive steak that used to cost around $50 has jumped to nearly $100.

The comparisons could go on forever, but the data on how much visitors are spending on food and beverages in Las Vegas confirms what we’ve all seen firsthand. Here’s a breakdown of how much visitors spent over the past five years (with a break in 2020 due to the pandemic):

There’s no sign of prices slowing down at Las Vegas bars and restaurants. If customers are willing to pay, businesses will keep raising prices.

Just like New York, Orlando, Toronto, or any city with a major tourist crowd, if you want prices that feel a bit more normal, get away from the Vegas Strip or downtown. The further you go from the tourist hotspots, the closer you get to prices that resemble everyday North America.

Gen. Z loves to shop in Las Vegas 🛍️

Las Vegas not only has malls attached to casinos, but there are some excellent outdoor shopping districts all over town. Both have their place, but shopping in a casino mall is a great way to beat the heat on the Vegas Strip during the extreme temperatures of July and August.

When it comes to shopping during a Vegas vacation, Gen X and Gen Z couldn’t be more different. Gen X tends to spend more on gambling, while Gen Z spends more on non-gaming activities. In fact, Gen Z spends more on shopping than any other demographic.

In 2024, Gen Z spent an average of $444.72 shopping while in Las Vegas. Millennials spent $263.78, and Gen X spent $271.78.

They also spend more on entertainment 🎙️

Since Gen Z isn’t spending much on gambling, they have more discretionary income to splurge elsewhere during their trips to Las Vegas. Along with shopping, Gen Z is spending more on entertainment than any other age group — and it’s a significant difference.

In 2024, Gen Z spent an average of $93.54 on entertainment and show tickets, far outspending Millennials ($62.76) and Gen X ($55.53).

Overall, visitors spent $67.91 on entertainment in 2024. Surprisingly, this is the one category where spending actually decreased. In 2022, entertainment spending peaked at $117.29 per visit.

This seems counterintuitive, given that Las Vegas boasts some of the highest ticket prices for concerts and residencies in North America. However, it makes “Vegas sense.”

Covers Expert Analysis

Much of the spending on entertainment can be attributed to more bars and lounges offering free live music. The money spent in these venues tends to fall under the food and beverage category, rather than entertainment.

Marc Meltzer, Casino Writer