What Impact Do NFL Games Have on Casino Traffic and Revenue?

April 23, 2024 by Staff

What Impact Do NFL Games Have on Casino Traffic and Revenue?

If you are in Pittsburgh, and you want to play roulette or other casino games, then you’ll likely want to head over to Rivers Casino. The thing is, you might want to schedule your visit for a day when the Pittsburgh Steelers aren’t playing at home. You see, Rivers Casino is located right beside Acrisure Stadium, and the casino floor gets quite busy after Steeler's home games. At times like this, you should play roulette online instead unless you enjoy large crowds.

As it turns out, most NFL stadiums are located in close proximity to casinos. According to the American Gaming Association, 80% of NFL teams are based within an hour’s drive of one. The following teams are located within walking distance of a casino.

  • Pittsburgh Steelers
  • Los Angeles Rams
  • Los Angeles Chargers
  • Baltimore Ravens
  • Detroit Lions
  • New Orleans Saints
  • Las Vegas Raiders

These gambling venues get particularly busy after the home teams play their games. If you think about it, this is bound to happen when you consider how the average NFL game attracts nearly 70,000 fans. Even if just a small percentage of those attendees visit, we’re still talking about thousands of people. Of course, not all of them visit the nearby casinos to gamble. Some go for a meal or to do some shopping while others stay the night at the casino’s hotel or take in some of the nightly entertainment. At any rate, NFL gameday is good for business.

It's also worth noting that many of these casinos also have sportsbooks in them. As such, they bring in fans who want to place bets before the game starts. If they are lucky, they will return to the sportsbook after the game to cash in their winners. Many will even stick around and place more bets. Sure, all of this can be done online, but a lot of sports fans enjoy visiting a physical sportsbook. 

While there aren’t any freely available statistics on exactly how NFL games affect casino traffic and revenue, you can see it for yourself. All you have to do is go to one of the casinos located near an NFL stadium after a game. Then visit that same casino when the home team is playing on the road. Even then, you’re bound to see increased traffic in the sportsbook.

This isn’t strictly an NFL phenomenon. Other major sporting events and things like trade shows and concerts also provide casinos with a flood of patrons. In 2023, Taylor Swift played to crowds of 70,000+ for six straight nights at SoFi Stadium. That’s over 420,000 people. Seeing how Hollywood Park Casino is within walking distance, it’s safe to say that the casino and other venues in the facility made a few extra bucks.

If you are an NFL fan who likes to partake in casino gaming, then visiting almost any NFL city will do. The only exceptions are Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Charlotte, Jacksonville, and Memphis. Even then, you shouldn’t have to drive much more than a couple of hours to find one. It’s just that those casinos don’t feel the impact of NFL crowds as much. 

Conclusion

A lot of folks who go to NFL games like to gamble. And while many of those people focus on their sports bets during the games, they are also likely to enjoy other types of gambling like casino games. As such, it’s no surprise that casinos near NFL stadiums see an increase in traffic and revenue after the football game’s over. Furthermore, the vibrancy of NFL game days contributes significantly to the festive atmosphere at nearby casinos, making them entertainment hubs. This increased foot traffic not only boosts casino profits but also enriches the local community economically and socially. Therefore, the symbiotic relationship between NFL games and casino venues is undeniably beneficial.