As tension in the Mideast continues to build, oil prices continue to rise, and the cost of gasoline in fuel dependent countries around the world continues to hover at all-time highs. In the U.S., where Mideast oil dependence is greater than the gas prices themselves, lifestyle changes are often in order.  Take for instance, the local casinos of Las Vegas.  For residents of Las Vegas and Nevada, gambling is so inundated that it has become a regular activity for many locals.

As the cost of gas goes up, so has the number of regular local gamblers in Las Vegas, who must be reconsidering putting a secondary strain on their bankroll incurred by a bad night of casino gambling.  With greater bills in gas and energy, that extra spending money at the nickel slot machines is going away for many local Las Vegas gamblers.

What may be surprising at fist glance, is that the bulk of Las Vegas casino gambling revenue generated by the Strip has not gone down.  However, upon closer look, most of the visitors to casino resorts on the Strip are tourists and out-of-town visitors who rely mainly on cabs, private limo services or their very own two legs and feet. Of course, taxi cab fares can indeed go up as well.  However, studies show that most people consider vacation time to be a God-given right that should be used up no matter the cost. And taking a vacation at a Las Vegas casino resort is the vacation of choice for many.

Although smart gamblers often go out of their way to visit the local Las Vegas casinos and take advantage of the smaller table stakes, better odds, and higher payout percentages that are found at many local sites downtown or relatively close to residential areas, the majority of visitors prefer to soak up the glamour of the Strip.  As for locals casino resorts like the Red Rock, which is giving the best Las Vegas Strip casinos a run for their money, time will tell if they too are affected like their not-too-distant brothers and sisters have been.