Harrah's and MGM Mirage both destroyed Wall Street projections. The stocks were up 1.6% and 1.2% respectively.

This tells me two things:

1) Harrah's made a good aquisition in Caesars.
2) Gambling is an elastic industry: No matter what, people will throw their money away in casinos.

Gambling seems to be in industry on the up at present - I'm not sure what the situation is in the USA, but here in the UK we're seeing casinos encroach further into general life, and bringing their profits with them.

Same here Brian. Now casinos - especially in Vegas - make it easy for you to bring your kids. They have all sorts of programs and activities to keep kids busy while Mommy and Daddy gamble junior's tuition money away.

I wonder how much of their current growth has to do with increased activity on their big Vegas properities and how much is from expanding their market in other places.

I think the big US Casino companies are one to keep a close eye on, even for the long-term because if they ever do enact legislation to allow them to participate in online gambling it is going to send them all through the roof.