In February 2023, Nevada casinos collected nearly $1.24 billion in gaming revenue, which was a record high for the month, according to the Nevada Gaming Control Board. Southern Nevada accounted for most of the increase, with casinos throughout Clark County collecting a combined $1.08 billion in gaming revenue, led by the Strip, where casinos earned almost $712.5 million, an increase of 18.9 percent from a year ago. However, in Northern Nevada, casinos in Washoe County saw a nearly 8.1 percent year-to-year revenue decline to $76.8 million, with Reno casinos reporting a 10.4 percent revenue drop to $54.5 million. Overall, statewide gaming revenue is up 14.5 percent from 2022’s record $14.8 billion mark.

Fertitta Entertainment, a company owned by Golden Nugget casino owner Tilman Fertitta, is acquiring Hard Rock Lake Tahoe from Paragon Gaming. The purchase price was not disclosed. Fertitta Entertainment plans to transform the hotel-casino into a Golden Nugget-branded casino, pending approval from Nevada gaming regulators. Fertitta said in a statement, “This acquisition represents a significant opportunity for us to expand our footprint into the Northern Nevada marketplace.” The property sits on 24 acres adjacent to Lake Tahoe and across from Bally’s Lake Tahoe, and is one of four hotel-casinos in the South Lake Tahoe market.

Hard Rock International has received approval from Clark County to build a new guitar-shaped hotel tower on the Las Vegas Strip. The tower, 37 floors in height, will hold 600 hotel rooms for guests and will replace the existing volcano location at The Mirage, which Hard Rock plans to phase out eventually. The new hotel will feature nearly 1.44 million square feet of space, including a casino floor, restaurants, and stores. Hard Rock International is known for its focus on music and currently owns and operates 238 cafes and rock shops, 34 hotels, and 13 casinos globally.