‘Pawn Stars’ Boss Rick Harrison Blames ‘COVID Hangover’ for Las Vegas Struggles
Posted on: September 2, 2025, 10:51h.
Last updated on: September 2, 2025, 12:01h.
- Rick Harrison says Las Vegas must adapt to appease customers’ frustrations
- The “Pawn Stars” boss blamed COVID-19 for the city getting greedy
“Pawn Stars” boss Rick Harrison, the owner of the famed Gold & Silver Pawn Shop on S. Las Vegas Blvd. north of the Strip, is weighing in on Sin City’s recent struggles.
Harrison has called Las Vegas home for most of his life. His father, Rich Harrison, aka “The Old Man,” opened the family pawn business in 1981. The Harrisons gained fame when the History Channel launched the reality series based on the pawn shop in July 2009. It ran for 23 seasons and 652 episodes.
Harrison knows Vegas, and he believes the city’s current state of affairs is largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As Casino.org has been reporting, many guests have expressed their frustrations with resort and parking fees, new charges, many of which are hidden or not disclosed upfront, tighter odds on slots and table games, higher minimums, and the reduction of many amenities and perks that have left many unsatisfied, disappointed, and turned off.
I think it’s the COVID hangover. For a couple of years, everybody here was just making crazy COVID money. The government was giving everyone money left and right. Everybody had tons of money to spend. People were taking trips to Vegas,” Harrison told Fox News Digital.
“I know the Strip has a lot fewer people on it,” Harrison said of today’s climate, adding that he’s had to “bus people in” to keep his store busy.
‘Financial Darwinism’
Harrison blames the casinos for getting greedy, specifically those on the Strip.
“They’ve gotten a little insane with their prices. I’ve heard from so many people who say they go to check out and there’s $500 in stupid fees on their bill,” Harrison continued.
Harrison is encouraging visitors to call their preferred casino hotel before booking a room to get a complete breakdown of what the final price will be, inclusive of all fees. Casinos, however, are now legally required to include all resort fees in their advertised upfront rate, a change that came in May with the Federal Trade Commission adopting its Junk Fees Rule.
Harrison says Strip casinos must adapt to appease consumers, many of whom are more than frustrated and now no longer perceive Vegas as a value but a place where they’re continually nickel and dimed.
“It’s financial Darwinism. The casinos either need to evolve and make their customers happy, or they will die,” Harrison opined.
Concerning Data
Strip casinos posted a strong showing in July, with gross gaming revenue rising 5.6% to $749.1 million. Downtown Las Vegas casino win was up 3.6% to $74.4 million, and GGR for Clark County as a whole was more than $1.15 billion, a 3.2% gain on the prior year.
Although gaming was up, visitation in Las Vegas decreased by 12%. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority reported that about 423,200 fewer visitors were in Southern Nevada last month than were in July 2024.
Average nightly room rates were down 3.4% both on the Strip and throughout Las Vegas, respectively, to $165 and $155.
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