Las Vegas tourism plunge leaves casino workers ‘on call’ and struggling for shifts — while CEOs save millions

Tourism is no longer booming in Las Vegas — and casino workers are paying the price.

With visitor numbers sliding, many employees are going weeks without a single scheduled shift, even though they haven’t been officially laid off.

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Tourists spent $55.1 billion in Las Vegas last year, according to the city’s Convention and Visitors Authority, with 41.7 million people flocking to the Strip [1]. But the lights are starting to go out. July visitation fell 12% compared with a year earlier — the seventh straight month of decline — and that slowdown is hitting the people who rely on steady tourist traffic to cover rent, groceries and bills.

For Caesars employee Sonya Owens, that reality has been brutal. She told KTNV Las Vegas that she hasn’t been called in for a shift in two months, despite being on the schedule as “on call.”

“Bills backed up, and you know I just got to find something permanent,” she said, adding that this isn’t the first time she’s endured long gaps without work [2].

While workers like Owens are left scrambling, casino executives have avoided the same hardship. By keeping employees technically on staff but off the schedule, companies have sidestepped layoffs, leaving workers in limbo without income or security.

Tourism slump hits more than paychecks

When Sonya Owens first joined Caesars, her schedule was steady with three to five shifts a week. Now, she says she’s lucky if her phone even rings. The unpredictability has her questioning whether the job was worth it at all.

“If this was the situation, I would have never started,” Owens said.

That’s the reality of being “on call”: unpredictable schedules and no guaranteed paycheck. While that uncertainty leaves workers scrambling to pay the bills, it can be a win for employers. By keeping staff on call instead of issuing layoffs, casinos have a flexible labor pool they can tap when crowds surge for a big-name event and scale back when the tourists head home.

It’s not just about wages, either. Scheduling practices also affect benefits. Under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), employees who average 30 hours a week may qualify as full time and gain access to health coverage [3]. But employers often use “measurement periods” to decide who’s eligible.

For example, Walmart measures part-time associates over a 60-day period to see if they average at least 30 hours per week — a system that can leave on-call workers falling short of the threshold for health benefits [4].

And that loss isn’t minor. According to an analysis by KFF, average health spending hit $14,570 in 2023 [5]. For workers already juggling fewer hours and rising living costs, missing out on coverage only deepens the financial strain of Las Vegas’ tourism slowdown.

An MGM spokesperson said the company hasn’t reduced its overall workforce and noted that staffing schedules are always tied to seasonal trends and guest demand. Caesars has yet to issue a comment.

Read more: There’s still a 35% chance of a recession hitting the American economy this year — protect your retirement savings with these 10 essential money moves ASAP

Your hours aren’t guaranteed — but your backup can be

Beyond the strain on current staff, the slowdown is discouraging newcomers.

Kimberly Antes, who’s searching for work in the sector, said even longtime employees are being pushed down the list. She pointed to a friend who lost steady shifts after five servers were laid off.

“And they laid off 5 of the regular servers. Therefore, she’s now pushed all the way down to the bottom of the list, has not worked in 3.5 weeks,” Antes said.

If you work in a tourism-driven city, your schedule and income can swing with the seasons. That makes it essential to protect yourself on two fronts: benefits and budgeting.

First, review your health coverage options. If your hours drop below full-time, check whether you can get coverage through a spouse’s plan, the ACA marketplace or even short-term health policies to avoid gaps [6].

On the financial side, the best defense is preparation during the good months. Start building a small emergency fund specifically for slow seasons; even $25 to $50 a week can create a buffer to help cover expenses when your hours are cut.

Budgeting with the off-season in mind can also help. Try living on a leaner version of your paycheck during peak months and set the extra aside. Pairing smart budgeting with a dedicated safety net means you won’t have to rely entirely on the next tourist rush to stay afloat.

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[1]. Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority. “LVCVA Research Center”

[2]. KTNV. “Las Vegas tourism decline leaves casino workers struggling to find shifts”

[3]. IRS. “Identifying full-time employees”

[4]. Walmart. “Becoming eligible: part-time and temporary associates”

[5]. Health System Tracker. “How has U.S. spending on healthcare changed over time?”

[6]. USA Government. “How to get insurance through the ACA Health Insurance Marketplace”

This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.