Gaming bouncing back at Stateline casinos

November was another strong month for the Stateline casinos, which saw a 23.75 percent increase over the same month in 2019.

The casinos raked in $17.14 million, bringing the fiscal year total to $106.5 million, according to the Nevada Gaming Control Board. That’s only 3.33 percent down for the fiscal year starting July 1.

Casinos in the East Fork and Carson City townships saw a 1.83 percent increase to $8.94 million. The combined take for both localities was $48.47 million, up a half a percent from last year.

Douglas merchants reported a 13-percent jump in taxable sales during October, according to figures released this week.

Douglas County merchants brought in $75.8 million up from $67 million during the same month last year.

General merchandise stores, including the county’s two Walmarts and the Target, led the charge with $10 million in sales up 16.2 percent.

The county’s restaurants and bars also saw an increase during October, up 5.6 percent to $9.9 million. The county’s building boom continued in October with $5.9 million in building materials, garden equipment and supplies sold.

The county’s unemployment rate dropped a percent, due mainly to the erosion of its labor pool.

The rate dropped from 6.6 to 5.6 percent, according to figures released Wednesday by the Nevada Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation.

While there are around 300 fewer jobless workers on the rolls, there was also a 400-worker decrease in the number of the employed.

That led to the labor pool shrinking about 700 people, according to the state.

While the number of jobless reflects solely Douglas residents, the employment numbers show how many people work in the county, regardless of where they live.

Douglas has the sixth highest unemployment rate in the state, with neighboring Carson City at 5.8 percent and Lyon County at 6.4 percent.