New ‘Visa Integrity Fee’ Is a Concern for Troubled Las Vegas
Officials express concerns that the new ‘Visa Integrity Fee’ could see struggling Las Vegas endure further suffering.
Las Vegas continues to struggle to fill its 150,000-plus hotel rooms. ©Getty
Key Facts:
- The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority CEO criticises new $250 Visa Integrity Fee.
- Las Vegas saw a 12 per cent decline in visitor numbers during July.
- Vegas hotels are offering amazing deals to combat the slump.
Las Vegas, which has seen its visitor numbers plunge for six consecutive months, is bracing itself for further turmoil with a new ‘Visa Integrity Fee’ coming into place on October 1, 2025.
The new charge, an eye-watering $250, must be paid by visitors to the US who are from non-visa waiver countries such as Mexico, Argentina, India, Brazil and China. The fee will come on top of the cost of a ‘Form I-94’.
Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act – which already has gamblers and poker players up in arms – has also increased the cost of completing the electronic ‘Form I-94’. Designed to prove an individual’s right to legal entry and status, its cost will rise from $6 to $30 on September 30.
Ironically, while Canadian airlines Air Canada, WestJet and Flair have declared an 18 per cent decline in inbound Las Vegas passenger volume, visitor numbers from Mexico, Argentina and Brazil – nationalities set to be hardest hit by the new ‘Visa Integrity Fee’ – are markedly up in 2025.
Soon, some individuals who are citizens of non-Visa Waiver countries will need to pay $442 to enter the United States. According to the ESTA website, the ‘Electronic System for Travel Authorisation’ application fee for ‘B-1/B-2’ travel under the ‘Visa Waiver Program’ (needed by most UK visitors) has already increased from $21 to $40.
Vegas Loses Big in July Visitor Numbers
Steve Hill, CEO of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA), which compiles visitor statistics for the city, has criticised the $250 visa fee for travellers from non-waiver countries. He also points out that long processing times will suppress demand.
Hill’s organisation recently announced that Las Vegas saw a 12 per cent decline in visitors during July compared to a year ago. The city hosted about 3.1 million people, according to LVCVA data.
City officials are taking solace in players’ losses. Nevada casinos retained $1.36 billion from gamblers in July, up 4 per cent on July 2024’s figure. The Las Vegas Strip, with a 5.6 per cent gain ($749 million), led the way. Downtown Las Vegas’s gross win was up by 3.6 per cent.
It is noteworthy that the Bureau of Labor Statistics states, in the 12 months ending in July 2025, the US Consumer Price Index increased by 2.7 per cent on an unadjusted basis. This figure reduces overall gambling gains in real terms.
Amazing Offers To Keep the Rooms Full
In June, a World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) analysis of the economic impact of tourism in 184 countries revealed the US was the only country forecast to see international visitor spending decline in 2025.
Its calculations will have factored in potential Las Vegas hotel room spend. Figures are sparse, but the phrase “nosedive trajectory” has been used to describe revenue from Nevada’s hotels outside of gambling activities.
To halt the decline, the number of offers directed at potential Las Vegas visitors has increased in both number and generosity. A case in point is a promotional offer unveiled by Caesars Entertainment earlier this week.
For $300 tax-included, Caesars will now sell you a two-night ‘Las Vegas getaway package’ featuring accommodation on the Vegas Strip (at Harrah’s Las Vegas, The LINQ Hotel or Flamingo), provide a $200 food and beverage credit (redeemable at more than 100 dining and lounge spots across Caesars’ Strip resorts) and waive its resort fees.
