![[aggregator] downloaded image for imported item #48515](https://newsview.top/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/las-vegas-tourism-059-1024x576.jpg "Rick Harrison of 'Pawn Stars' says gambling isn't dying even as Las Vegas poker rooms close one by one")
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The drop in Las Vegas tourism has been well-documented, with total visitor numbers down 7.5%.At the same time, poker rooms along the Vegas Strip are closing — raising questions about the appeal of in-person gambling.
Rick Harrison of “Pawn Stars” fame — as well as owner of the Gold &Silver Pawn Shop in Las Vegas �
“We know what the oldest profession is — gambling was probably the second,” Harrison said, laughing.“People always gambled — and plus, you know, in Vegas, it’s just not [about] the gambling.”
LAS VEGAS POKER ROOMS FOLD AS CASINO TOURISM PLUMMETS TO RECORD LOWS
Harrison said Las Vegas hosts certain conventions unlike anywhere else in the world, and people are coming to Sin City for more than just gambling.
“Keep changing it around, see what sticks to the wall, give your customers what they want — and they will keep on coming back,” he said.
Travelers use the slot machines at the Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas on Sept.20, 2025.
The latest poker room to close was Las Vegas Strip, according to the blog “Vital Vegas.”
“However, we will be introducing new gaming opportunities to replace the poker room,” the representative said.
Fontainebleau Resort &Casino, featuring a 150,000-square-foot casino and 3,600 rooms, can be seen here.(George Rose/Getty Images)
He credited Circa Resort &Casino for changing it up.“You go down to Circa [and] there’s go-go dancers dancing behind the blackjack tables.It makes it more fun,” he said.
Nevada’s nonrestricted gaming licensees reported a total gaming win of roughly $1.35 billion in January of this year, dropping 6.55% compared to the same month last year.“You have to think about the customer experience,” said Harrison.(iStock;
Harrison said there’s been a shift in Vegas since back in the day.
“The rooms weren’t expensive.You had great entertainment.[It] wasn’t crazy money.The food wasn’t expensive;they made most of their money off the gambling,” he said.“Nowadays, younger people don’t gamble as much, so you have to change your business model, how you’re going to make money,” said Harrison.
“In the end, you have to think about the customer experience.”
In 2025, there were about 38.5 million visitors, a 7.5% drop from 2024 according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCA).
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Robby Starbuck, a conservative activist and the host of “The Robby Starbuck Show,�com/category/sports/sports-gambling" target="_blank" rel="noopener">in-person gamblingis becoming less popular.
“Now nearly everyone under 40 who bets seems to do it online,” Starbuck said.
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“I don’t know one person under age 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.”
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