COVID-19 pandemic helped drive increase in Nevada slot machine revenue

COVID-19 pandemic helped drive increase in Nevada slot machine revenue

Article brief provided by Las Vegas Review-Journal
  • McKenna Ross and Richard N. Velotta, Las Vegas Review-Journal
May 22, 2022 5:00 PM
  • McKenna Ross and Richard N. Velotta, Las Vegas Review-Journal

Slot machines, those ubiquitous devices that generate more revenue than any other games in the casino, are hotter than ever.

Story continues below

There are more than 120,000 of them in Nevada at 330 licensed nonrestricted locations, including more than 85,000 of them in Clark County, according to the Nevada Gaming Control Board.

That doesn’t even count the slots at more than 2,000 restricted license locations – mostly convenience stores, bars and restaurants – that can have up to 15 machines per location.

In the past 12 months, from April 2021 to March, slot machines managed by nonrestricted licensees in Nevada generated $9.085 billion of the $14.375 billion won by casinos. In the 12 months in pre-pandemic April 2019 to March 2020, slots brought in $7.123 billion – 27.5 percent less revenue – and that was with 457 licensees.