What’s behind all the recent layoffs at casinos? — CDC Gaming

Reports of layoffs at various Las Vegas casinos have been popping up for several months now, raising questions about whether the gaming industry is nearing an end to the post-COVID economic boom.

Experts and executives say the staff adjustments are strategic, part of a long-term shift toward greater efficiency and profitability in a post-pandemic market.

But with some operators reporting solid financial returns and major reinvestment projects still underway, the recent layoffs raise a pressing question: Why are some of the city’s largest casino operators reducing their workforce, even as overall demand for Las Vegas remains relatively strong?

“This seems to be part of a long-term trend to try to keep leaner operations that began during the (Great) Recession,” Amanda Belarmino, an assistant professor at UNLV’s William F. Harrah College of Hospitality, said.