The US is a nation of gamblers, be it in property and stocks if not on the turn of a card. But while punters are returning to the tables as the economy recovers, they are still betting less than before. Daily gambling revenues on the Las Vegas strip – the flagship row of casinos in the biggest gambling destination – are down by a fifth from their 2007 peak. Recent strong baccarat revenues suggest that Asian consumers are doing their bit, but two companies illustrate the problems that are lingering after a fit of expansion and investment.
美國是一個賭徒之國——無論是在房地產、股票,還是紙牌上。但盡管隨著經濟復蘇,賭客們已開始重返賭臺,他們玩得還是比以前小了。拉斯維加斯大道(Las Vegas Strip)是全球最大賭城眾多旗艦賭場的所在地,其每日的博彩收入較2007年巔峰時期下降了20%。近期強勁的百家樂收入,表明亞洲賭客在貢獻自己的力量。但下述兩家公司證明了擴張與投資熱潮之后遺留下來的諸多問題。