Golden Gate, the oldest hotel in downtown Las Vegas, will remove all live table games by the end of August 2025, reducing the number of downtown casinos with live tables to 11. Main Street Station's tables will remain open only on weekends.
Key Takeaways
- Las Vegas’ oldest hotel will remove all live table games by the end of the month.
- Golden Gate has been slowly removing table games since 2020.
- Employees will be moved to its sister sites.
The change follows the earlier removal of Golden Gate's live craps tables. The casino confirmed that electronic table games, potentially in a stadium-style format, will replace the pit. Employees affected by the change will be reassigned to sister properties Circa and The D or other departments within Golden Gate.
Golden Gate has gradually reduced its table game offerings since the pandemic, first removing several tables at the back of the pit and later replacing a craps table with electronic games. Visitor traffic at the property has been visibly slower since Circa opened across Fremont Street in 2020.
The hotel has no on-site amenities, and its only restaurant closed in 2017.
In 2019, the Las Vegas market had 81 casinos with live table games. Following pandemic-related closures and operational changes, that number will drop to 67 by late September when Poker Palace closes its doors.
Rising operational costs, particularly labor for games like craps, have driven many casinos to eliminate low-limit tables. Industry observers expect the trend of removing live tables to continue at a pace of about two properties per year.
Tourism decline highlights broader challenges for Las Vegas casinos
Golden Gate's phase-out of live table games reflects the larger Las Vegas dilemma of declining visitor traffic. According to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, only 3.1 million individuals visited the city in June, down 11.3% from the prior year.
Industry leaders and observers have mentioned increased costs, changes in viewing patterns, and generational shifts among contributing factors.
Conservative analyst Robby Starbuck pointed out that younger adults are more likely to go to Las Vegas for conventional casino-style wagering, but they turn to online wagering sites instead. The US internet wagering industry was worth $12.68 billion in 2024, and through mobile devices, users have hundreds of choices without ever having to leave home.
There are generational gaps regarding alcohol use as well, and surveys have shown that younger adults are more likely to abstain from alcohol use. The percentage of persons in their 20s who abstain from alcohol more than doubled from 2001 through 2019, and recent data demonstrate that more than a third of adults under 35 refrain from alcohol use.
This shift could impact revenue from one of Las Vegas' core hospitality offerings.
Hotel performance has also declined, with occupancy rates down 6.5% and average daily room rates falling 6.6% to $163.64. In a further sign of market slowdown, a planned 43-story hotel and casino project on the Strip has been placed on https://www.covers.com/industry/tilman-fertitta-halts-vegas-strip-casino-plans-over-wynn-conflict-august-2025, leaving the site as a parking lot.
