Players continue to gamble, but spending less money

SAN DIEGO, California -- As reported by the San Diego Union-Tribune: "Despite plunging home values and rising unemployment, people are still going to San Diego County casinos – they're just
  not spending as much.

"Many casino operators are putting off or canceling big expansions and reducing their staffs. Some see an opportunity to stand out by sprucing up their restaurants, while others are pitching prize drawings, cheap buffets and $4.95 prime rib.

"It seems that those efforts are paying off. A recent J.D. Power survey of customers of large Southern California casinos found people are happier with gambling halls in San Diego County than in Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

"Some managers are optimistic that the county's economy has hit bottom in the past few months.

"But the bottom line is undeniable: As gamblers spend less, profits shrink or disappear, hitting the tribal governments that run the region's 10 Indian casinos..."