A depressing article (depending on how you look at it) published this week tells how Nevada casinos went into the red in 2009 for just the second time in their history. You always hear how video games and alcohol are recession proof, and I just assumed since casinos more or less include components of both that they’d piggy back on that statement. Alas, not even the casinos are immune to the cold grip of the economy.

The quick 411 is that Nevada’s 260 (!) major casinos lost about $7 billion. The article blames your usual suspects – Wynn, Mirage…who took the brunt of the blow, so to speak.

Immediately, gamblers worldwide are wondering what this means. Ultimately, nobody outside of the casino industry really cares whether the casinos are making money, except when the answer affects their gambling experience. And I’d expect just that as we move through 2010.

What can we expect? Contrary to what you might think, casinos such as The Bellagio are more willing to go overboard to please the gamblers. A happy gambler is a steady flow of money – you can bet that’s what they’re thinking. So that means better and more frequent comps, right? Possibly, sure. Seems like a logical place to start. Once word spreads, not only will they retain the people who stuck around, but they’ll hopefully attract new wallets through the door. After all, who can resist a free buffet after losing $300 in 20 minutes, right?

Now, there are regulars to the scene who will jump at the chance to say this has less to do with the economy and more to do with the oversaturation of the casino market. Anytime you run too wild with a good thing (think basketball cards), value drops and people tend to lose interest and get confused in the endless choices they’re bombarded with. Sometimes keeping it simple and, yes, profitable, is the way to go.

Is there any validity to that claim? Tough to say, but it would be an eye-opening coincidence that it’s just starting to catch up to the industry now, for only the second time in history, which also happens to be the worst year of the recent recession. So you can draw your own conclusions. As for me, I’ll take my free vodkas and keep plugging away.