5 Las Vegas Casinos That Still Have Coin-Operated Games

There aren’t many places in Las Vegas where you can still hear the clink of coins dropping into a bucket. However, there are a handful of casinos keeping the nostalgia alive. 

Along with classic reel slot machines, some even let you feel the weight of coins when cashing out from select video poker games or playing the last remaining Sigma Derby machine in the country.

Most Las Vegas slot machines run on the Ticket In Ticket Out (TITO) system, which has been the standard for over two decades. This is when a player inserts cash or a slot machine voucher to play a game. When the player is done, the machine spits out a ticket to redeem for real money at a cashier or self-service kiosk.

It didn’t take much time for this to become the norm after Nevada gaming regulators approved IGT’s EZ Pay slot technology in September 2000. More than 20,000 games were using the system now known as TITO by 2001, according to IGT.

While some players missed the old way of cashing out from slot machines, the TITO systems make the process clean and easy. It also made operating the games easier since the machines no longer had to be refilled throughout the day.

There’s Something Special About Coin-Operated Casino Games

While most visitors are perfectly fine avoiding the hassle of coins, there’s a dedicated group of gamblers who love the sound and feel of a win paid out in cash. For longtime players, these machines evoke memories of a time when the sound of coins hitting the well was part of the soundtrack to a Las Vegas casino.

Sure, coins are dirty, heavy and not exactly convenient today, but there’s something special about walking away with a handful bucketful of quarters instead of a paper printout signifying your winnings. It’s a tactile, nostalgic experience that some players either miss or want to experience as a change of pace.

For younger gamblers, coin-operated games may have a different kind of appeal. They’re like stepping into a time machine. These games are a retro novelty in today’s digital casino world. They’re a rare connection to Las Vegas’ gambling history and a chance to experience the city the way it used to be.

There’s also a sense of enjoying the coin-operated slot and video poker machines before they disappear entirely. This is one reason so many visitors head to the second floor of The D in downtown Las Vegas. The only coin-operated machine in the entire casino is also the only one of its kind in the US.

As technology changes, there will be new types of gaming machines in casinos. These rare coin-operated games may not be around forever.

Where To Play Coin-Operated Games In Las Vegas

Five Las Vegas casinos offer coin-operated games. Ironically, the casino with the oldest slot machines on display, Golden Gate, doesn’t have playable coin-operated games.

One casino is located on the Vegas Strip, three are downtown, and another one is about a half hour away in Henderson, Nevada.

Vegas Strip

Slots A Fun is technically part of Circus Circus, but really is its own casino building that you can walk into directly from the Las Vegas Strip. It offers coin-operated slot machines, low-limit table games and famously cheap food and beer.

Downtown Las Vegas

El Cortez has both coin-operated video poker and reel slot machines spread out on the casino floor. No other downtown Las Vegas spot offers as many coin-operated games as El Cortez.

California Casino, located on Main Street across Circa, also has some coin-operated video poker machines scattered throughout the casino.

The D has the only Sigma Derby horse racing casino game in the country. It’s located on the casino's second floor near the sportsbook and Bar Canada. Finding replacement parts is more difficult than ever. Having Sigma Derby at The D is a labor of love but at some point, it may not make sense to maintain the game.

Henderson

Skyline Casino is on Boulder Highway in Henderson. This is a vintage casino about 30 minutes from the center of the Vegas Strip. Skyline offers a variety of coin-operated video poker games. 

(Image: Marcus Yam / AP)