Stark casino, airport numbers show effect of Nevada closures

LAS VEGAS (AP) - Stunning and stark numbers are showing the effect of casino and business closures enacted in Nevada in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

With most businesses and all gambling establishments shuttered through April, state regulators reported Friday that monthly gambling tax revenues were down nearly 100% compared with a year ago.

Gov. Steve Sisolak this week eased closure orders, allowing a second wave of businesses including bars and health facilities to reopen. He said gambling can resume June 4.

But casinos were closed through April, leading to a 99.6% decrease in house winnings tallied by the Nevada Gaming Control Board.

Casino taxes make up a big part of Nevada’s annual budget, and winnings reports are a key indicator of state fiscal health.

McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas on Thursday reported handling fewer than 4% of the number of arriving and departing travelers it saw during April 2019.

State health officials reported Friday that more than 8,200 people have tested positive for COVID-19 in Nevada, and 410 have died.

For most people, the virus causes mild or moderate symptoms that clear up in two to three weeks. Older adults and people with existing health problems can face severe illness and death. The vast majority of people recover.