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Introduction to Nevada Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2019

Nevada slot machine casino gambling consists of 168 casinos of which 73 exist within the cities of North Las Vegas and Las Vegas. Further, there are 93 casinos spread across 27 other Nevada cities including Reno and Lake Tahoe. Also, Nevada has two American Indian tribal casinos located in Laughlin and Moapa.

Nevada gaming regulations have legally established a minimum payout return limit but not a maximum limit. Actual payout return statistics are publicly available as well as quite comprehensive.

This post continues the weekly series Online Resource: A State-By-State Slot Machine Casino Gambling Series, an online resource dedicated to guiding slot machine casino gambling enthusiasts to success. Each weekly post reviews slots gambling in a single U.S. state, territory, or the federal district.

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Relevant Legal Statutes on Gambling in Nevada*

The minimum legal gambling age in Nevada does not depend upon the gambling activity:

  • Land-Based Casinos: 21
  • Poker Rooms: 21
  • Bingo: 21
  • Lottery: 21
  • Pari-Mutuel Wagering: 21

Gaming regulations developed by Nevada, both in terms of state employees as well as challenges contributed by lawyers, advisors and academic studies, have been the standard for the whole world through its 80-year history.

For a thorough review of Nevada’s global leadership role in establishing gaming regulations, see my blog article Five Ways Nevada Leads World Gaming Industry.

*The purpose of this section is to inform the public of state gambling laws and how the laws apply to various forms of gambling. This information is not intended to provide legal advice.

Slot Machine Private Ownership in Nevada

What are the minimums for slot machines 2017

It is legal to privately own a slot machine in the state of Nevada, without any legal restrictions regarding its date of manufacture.

Gaming Control Board in Nevada

Nevada gaming is regulated by the Nevada Gaming Control Board and Nevada Gaming Commission. Given Nevada’s reputation, this website reflects its global leadership role in the gaming industry. Put another way, it’s thorough and comprehensive.

Their About Us webpage speaks to their establishment by the 1955 Nevada Legislature as well as their Mission and Guiding Principles. Again, these explanations should be understood in light of their global role.

Casinos in Nevada

There are 166 non-tribal casinos and two American Indian tribal casinos in Nevada, the highest number of casinos found in any U.S. state.

Once completed in late 2020, the largest casino in Nevada will be the Resorts World Casino Las Vegas in Winchester having 3,250 gaming machines and 250 table games. Construction began in late 2017 on the former site of the Stardust Resort and Casino.

The second largest casino is Treasure Island Las Vegas having 2,500 gaming machines and 185 table games.

List of Casinos in Nevada

The 166 non-tribal commercial casinos located in Nevada are listed below along with the city they are located. Given certain website limitations for providing the URL of each casino, I have had to create a separate, downloadable List of Nevada Casinos by City.

Without links to their individual webpages, here are the currently open casinos in Nevada organized by cities along with their county of residence.

Amargosa Valley (91 miles northwest of Las Vegas) in Nye County

  • Longstreet Inn Casino and RV Resort

Battle Mountain (215 miles northeast of Reno) in Lander County

  • Owl Club Casino & Restaurant

Beatty (120 miles northwest of Las Vegas) in Nye County

  • Stagecoach Hotel & Casino

Boulder City (22 miles southeast of Las Vegas) in Clark County

  • Hoover Dam Lodge Hotel & Casino

Carson City (32 miles south of Reno) an independent city and the state capital

  • Carson Nugget Casino Hotel
  • Casino Fandango
  • Gold Dust West – Carson City
  • Max Casino Carson City

Elko (289 miles northeast of Reno) in Elko County

  • Commercial Casino
  • Gold Dust West – Elko
  • Red Lion Hotel & Casino
  • Stockmen’s Hotel & Casino

Ely (317 miles east of Reno) in White Pine County

  • Hotel Nevada & Gambling Hall

Fallon (61 miles east of Reno) in Churchill County

  • Bonanza Inn & Casino
  • Stockman’s Casino

Gardnerville (45 miles south of Reno) in Douglas County

  • Topaz Lodge & Casino

Hawthorne (138 miles southeast of Reno) in Mineral County

  • El Capitan Resort Casino

Henderson (15 miles southeast of Las Vegas) in Clark County

  • Club Fortune Casino
  • Eldorado Casino
  • Fiesta Henderson Casino Hotel
  • Green Valley Ranch Resort Spa Casino
  • Jokers Wild
  • M Resort Spa Casino
  • Railroad Pass Hotel & Casino
  • Skyline Hotel & Casino
  • Sunset Station Hotel & Casino

Jackpot (448 miles north of Las Vegas near state border to Idaho) in Elko County

  • Barton’s Club 93
  • Cactus Pete’s Resort Casino
  • Horseshu Hotel & Casino

Jean (22 miles southwest of Las Vegas near state border to California) in Clark County

  • Terrible’s Hotel and Casino

Lake Tahoe (58 miles southwest of Reno near state border to California) spread across Washoe County, Douglas County, and Carson City

  • Crystal Bay Club Casino
  • Grand Lodge Casino at Hyatt Regency
  • Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Lake Tahoe
  • Harrah’s Lake Tahoe
  • Harveys Resort Hotel Casino – Lake Tahoe
  • Lakeside Inn and Casino
  • Montbleu Resort Casino & Spa
  • Tahoe Biltmore Lodge & Casino

Las Vegas in Clark County

  • The Alamo Casino
  • Aria Resort & Casino
  • Arizona Charlie’s – Boulder
  • Arizona Charlie’s – Decatur
  • Bally’s Las Vegas
  • Bellagio
  • Binion’s Gambling Hall
  • Boulder Station Hotel & Casino
  • Caesars Palace
  • California Hotel & Casino
  • Casino Royale Hotel & Casino
  • Circus Circus Hotel & Casino
  • The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
  • The Cromwell Las Vegas
  • The D Las Vegas
  • Downtown Grand Casino
  • Eastside Cannery
  • El Cortez Hotel & Casino
  • Ellis Island Casino & Brewery
  • Encore Las Vegas
  • Excalibur Hotel Casino
  • Flamingo Las Vegas
  • Four Queens Hotel Casino
  • Fremont Hotel & Casino
  • Gold Coast Hotel & Casino
  • Golden Gate Hotel & Casino
  • The Golden Nugget
  • Hard Rock Hotel & Casino
  • Harrah’s Las Vegas
  • Hooters Casino Hotel
  • The LINQ Hotel & Casino
  • Longhorn Casino
  • Luxor Las Vegas
  • Main Street Station Hotel & Casino
  • Mandalay Bay
  • MGM Grand Hotel Casino
  • The Mirage
  • Monte Carlo Resort & Casino
  • New York – New York Hotel & Casino
  • The Orleans Hotel & Casino
  • Palace Station Hotel & Casino
  • The Palms
  • Paris Casino Resort
  • Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino
  • Plaza Hotel & Casino
  • Rampart Casino
  • Red Rock Resort Spa Casino
  • Rio Suites Hotel & Casino
  • Sam’s Town Hotel & Gambling Hall
  • Santa Fe Station Hotel & Casino
  • Silver Sevens Hotel and Casino
  • Silverton Casino Hotel Lodge
  • Slots-A-Fun Casino
  • SLS Hotel & Casino
  • South Point Hotel and Casino
  • Stratosphere Hotel & Casino
  • Suncoast Hotel and Casino
  • Treasure Island
  • Tropicana Resort & Casino
  • Tuscany Suites & Casino
  • The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino
  • Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino
  • Wild Wild West Casino
  • Wynn Las Vegas

Laughlin (100 miles south of Las Vegas near the state border to Arizona) in Clark County

  • Aquarius Casino Resort
  • Colorado Belle Hotel Casino & Microbrewery
  • Don Laughlin’s Riverside Resort Hotel & Casino
  • Edgewater Hotel Casino
  • Golden Nugget Laughlin
  • Harrah’s Laughlin Casino & Resort
  • Laughlin River Lodge
  • Tropicana Laughlin

Mesquite (77 miles northeast of Las Vegas on the state border to Arizona) in Clark County

  • CasaBlanca Hotel Casino Golf Spa
  • Eureka Casino & Hotel
  • Virgin River Hotel Casino Bingo

Minden (42 miles south of Reno) in Douglas County

  • Carson Valley Inn

North Las Vegas (5 miles northeast of the Las Vegas Strip) in Clark County

  • Aliante Casino Hotel & Spa
  • Bighorn Casino
  • Cannery Hotel & Casino
  • Fiesta Rancho Casino Hotel
  • Jerry’s Nugget
  • Lucky Club Casino
  • The Poker Palace
  • Silver Nugget
  • Texas Station Gambling Hall & Hotel

Pahrump (59 miles west of Las Vegas) in Nye County

  • Gold Town Casino
  • Pahrump Nugget Hotel & Gambling Hall
  • Saddle West Hotel Casino & RV Park

Primm (25 miles southwest of Las Vegas near the state border to California)

  • Buffalo Bill’s Resort & Casino
  • Primm Valley Resort & Casino
  • Whiskey Pete’s Hotel & Casino

Reno (58 miles northeast of Lake Tahoe near the state border to California) in Washoe County

  • Atlantis Casino Resort
  • Bonanza Casino
  • Circus Circus Hotel Casino Reno
  • Club Cal-Neva
  • Diamond’s Casino
  • Eldorado Hotel Casino
  • Grand Sierra Resort & Casino
  • Harrah’s Reno
  • Peppermill Hotel Casino Reno
  • The Sands Regency Hotel Casino
  • Silver Regency Resort Casino

Searchlight (58 miles south of Las Vegas) in Clark County

  • Terrible’s Road House – Searchlight

Sparks (1 mile east of Reno) in Washoe County

  • Alamo Casino & Travel Center
  • Nugget Casino Resort
  • Rail City Casino
  • Western Village Inn & Casino

Verdi (4 miles west of Reno near the state border with California) in Washoe County

  • Boomtown Hotel & Casino
  • Gold Ranch Casino & RV Resort

Wells (338 miles northeast of Reno) in Elko County

  • Alamo Casino Wells

West Wendover (363 miles north of Las Vegas near the state border to Utah) in Elko County

  • Montego Bay Casino Resort
  • Peppermill Inn & Casino
  • Rainbow Hotel Casino
  • Red Garter Hotel & Casino
  • Wendover Nugget Hotel & Casino

Winnemucca (164 miles northeast of Reno) in Humboldt County

  • Model T Hotel Casino RV Park
  • Winnemucca Inn & Casino
  • Winners Inn Casino

Yerington (60 miles southeast of Reno) in Lyon County

  • Pioneer Crossing Casino

List of Tribal Casinos in Nevada

There are two tribal casinos in Nevada:

  • Avi Resort & Casino in Laughlin found 100 miles south of Las Vegas near the state border to Arizona
  • Moapa Tribal Casino in Moapa found 51 miles northeast of Las Vegas

Other Gambling Establishments

As an alternative to enjoying Nevada slot machine casino gambling, consider exploring casino options in a nearby state.

Nevada is bordered by:

  • North: Idaho Slots and Oregon Slots
  • East: Arizona Slots and Utah Slots
  • West and South: California Slots

Each of the links above will take you to my state-specific blog for that bordering state to Nevada.

Casinos have been established on Nevada’s borders to neighboring states to provide access to Nevada gaming to residents of those states, including:

  • Arizona-Nevada border:
    • Laughlin
    • Mesquite
  • California-Nevada border:
    • Jean
    • Lake Tahoe
    • Primm
    • Reno
    • Verdi
  • Idaho-Nevada border:
    • Jackpot
  • Utah-Nevada border:
    • West Wendover

Payout Returns in Nevada

Per Nevada state gaming Regulation 14.040: Minimum standards for gaming devices, the minimum payout return “must not be less than 75% for each wager available for play on the device.”

With regards to actual payout returns, monthly statistics for slot machines are available from the Nevada Gaming Control Board and Nevada Gaming Commission in the form of Win%.

Given the comprehensiveness of Nevada gaming statistics, it is essential to show how they are organized. They are:

  1. Table Games versus Slot Machines
  2. Slot Machine Denominations
  3. Duration (month, 3-month, and 12-month)
  4. The district within the state

First, they are divided up between table games and slot machines. I will only be covering slot machine payout returns, but table game statistics are also found within the website links I will provide.

The second division for Nevada payout return statistics is by slot machine denomination or, more precisely, by the minimum amount bet for each slot machine. A total is provided as well as Megabucks and multi-denominational slot machines. These are:

What Are The Minimums For Slot Machines Without

  • 1-cent, penny slots
  • 5-cent, nickel slots
  • 25-cent, quarter slots
  • 1-dollar, dollar slots
  • Megabucks
  • 5-dollar
  • 25-dollar
  • 100-dollar
  • Multi-denominational
  • Other slot machines
  • Total slot machines

Nevada payout return statistics are further provided by:

  • Current month
  • Last three months
  • Last 12 months

These statistical summaries are provided by the Nevada Gaming Commission under their Gaming Revenue Information site under their Statistical & Publications webpage.

The next division is by location, specifically by a district within the state. These are often Nevada Counties, but sometimes an area such as the Clark County North Las Vegas area. The 25 gaming districts Nevada are:

  1. Statewide
  2. Carson Valley Area
  3. Churchill County
  4. Clark County
  5. Clark County Downtown Las Vegas Area
  6. Clark County Las Vegas Strip Area
  7. Clark County North Las Vegas Area
  8. Clark County Laughlin Area
  9. Clark County Boulder Strip Area
  10. Clark County Mesquite Area
  11. Clark County Balance of County
  12. Douglas County South Shore Lake Tahoe Area
  13. Elko County
  14. Elko County Wendover Area
  15. Elko County Balance of County
  16. Humboldt County
  17. Lyon County
  18. Nye County
  19. Washoe County
  20. Washoe County Reno Area
  21. Washoe County Sparks Area
  22. Washoe County North Shore Lake Tahoe Area
  23. Washoe County Balance of County
  24. White Pine County
  25. Balance of Counties

Keeping all these divisions in mind will assist you in locating the payout return statistics you are interested in. If you are unsure where the casino you are interested in is located within the state, look it up in the above list of casinos organized by its city to find the County it is located within.

Normally, for most other states which make them publicly available, I provide a summary of the latest month’s payout return statistics. However, this is problematic with regards to Nevada casinos given their large quantity and number of divisions possible.

To pick only one possible selection as an example, let us consider the December 2018 payout return statistics for casinos in the downtown Las Vegas area. The summaries provide a column called Win%, in this case, the percentage of how much the casino wins, which needs to be subtracted from 100% to determine how much the player wins.

If you choose not to subtract the Win% values by 100%, just understand that you’re looking for the smallest value. I’ll note here that most other states define Win% as the percentage which the player wins. However, in Nevada, it’s how much the casino wins.

So, the percentage won by players in December 2018 on slot machines in downtown Las Vegas by slot machine denomination as shown on page 8 is:

What are the minimums for slot machines 2017
  • 1-cent, penny slots: 89.28%
  • 5-cent, nickel slots: 95.31%
  • 25-cent, quarter slots: 93.83%
  • 1-dollar, dollar slots: 94.07%
  • Megabucks: 86.47%
  • 5-dollar: 91.91%
  • 25-dollar: 93.53%
  • Multi-denominational: 94.14%
  • Total slot machines: 92.27%

Under these specific parameters, the best payout return for players is nickel slots followed by multi-denominational and dollar slots while the best payout return for casinos is Megabucks followed by penny slots.

Our Nevada Slots Facebook Group

Are you interested in sharing and learning with other slots enthusiasts in Nevada? If so, join our new Nevada slots community on Facebook. All you’ll need is a Facebook profile to freely join this closed Facebook Group.

There, you’ll be able to privately share your slots experiences as well as chat with players about slots gambling in or near Nevada. Come join us!

Summary of Nevada Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2019

Nevada slot machine casino gambling currently consists of 168 casinos. Of these, 73 are in Las Vegas or North Las Vegas while two others are tribal casinos.

The minimum payout return limit for slot machines in Nevada is no less than 75% per gaming device. No maximum payout return limit has been legally established. Payout return statistics are comprehensive and available online.

Annual Progress in Nevada Slot Machine Casino Gambling

In the last year, Gold Strike Hotel and Gambling Hall in Jean was renamed Terrible’s Hotel & Casino. In Lake Tahoe, the Cal Neva Resort & Casino has closed for renovation. This may be more serious than a renovation as their website has also shut down.

In Las Vegas, the Monte Carlo Resort & Casino became the Park MGM. In Laughlin, Pioneer Hotel & Gambling Hall is no longer a casino, but rather Stoney’s Rockin’ Country. In Lovelock, the C Punch Inn & Casino closed.

Archive: Nevada Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2017

Related Articles from Professor Slots

Other State-By-State Articles from Professor Slots

  • Previous: Nebraska Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2019
  • Next: New Hampshire Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2019

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Have fun, be safe, and make good choices!
By Jon H. Friedl, Jr. Ph.D., President
Jon Friedl, LLC