Vegas Slots Really Are Getting Tighter — And the Data Proves It

• Gambling
• 23 January 2026

You know how you've been telling everyone who will listen that there are less slots available in Las Vegas? Yes, it is true. There is a "conspiracy." You have been vindicated, my friend.

Nevada's slot hold in 2025 was 7.15%, which means that gamblers received 92.85% of their wagers back. However, that 7.15% is a 26% rise over the previous ten years, according to studies from the UNLV Center for Gaming. To put it another way, ten years ago, players received about 94.3% of their money back from slots, compared to 92.85% now.

The average Nevada slot machine is keeping roughly 1.5 cents more every dollar wagered, which, when scaled across billions of coin-in, represents a significant shift in slot economics.

I ought to have gone to Reno

It's also true that the Las Vegas Strip features Nevada's tightest slots, as you've been telling everyone who will listen.

At 7.57%, the Strip has had the highest hold in the state since 2004. According to the study, Laughlin (7.42%), Downtown Las Vegas (7.17%), and South Shore Lake Tahoe (6.89%) are other high-hold markets that are bad for players.

Reno is the most player-friendly market, with an average hold of only 5.21% for the same time frame. In contrast, the Strip's slot hold was almost 45% higher.

But are Nevadan slots any worse than those in the rest of the nation? Casino.org looked through corporate casino records and gaming regulator reports in a few states to find out, and the results weren't too bad.

How Nevada Compares

So, are slots in Nevada worse than those in other states? Casino.org examined official casino results and regulator data from a number of significant US markets to learn more. Not really, at least not in comparison, is the response.

Nevada
• 2025 statewide slot hold: 7.15%
• Implied RTP: 92.85%

Ohio
• 2025 statewide slot payout percentage has ranged from roughly 92.17% to 92.46% (January–August), depending on the month.
Takeaway: Ohio looks broadly in line, though generally a touch worse than Nevada.

Pennsylvania
• Statewide data (including promo adjustments) implies a hold of about 8.01%, or 91.99% RTP.
Takeaway: Worse for players than Nevada.

Connecticut
• December results show slot hold of 8.49% at Mohegan Sun and 8.80% at Foxwoods, implying RTPs of roughly 91.5% and 91.2%.
Takeaway: Based on that snapshot, worse than Nevada.

Indiana
• FY2024 totals show $20.13 billion in coin-in and $1.98 billion in win, implying a 9.84% hold (around 90.16% RTP).
Takeaway: Materially worse for players than Nevada.

Iowa
• 2023 totals show $16.01 billion in slot coin-in and $1.57 billion in revenue, implying a 9.81% hold (about 90.19% RTP).
Takeaway: Materially worse than Nevada.

The bottom line

Nevada slots are becoming increasingly competitive, yet the Strip is still the hardest area to play. However, when compared to other large Midwest and East Coast regions, such as Pennsylvania, Indiana, Iowa, and (at least in recent snapshots) Connecticut, Nevada's average RTP of about 92.85% actually seems better.

Even in Ohio, which is closest to Nevada, statewide payouts typically fall short of Nevada's 2025 total.

Thus, you were correct once more. The machineries are more rigid. The worst offender is the Strip. Nevada is still not the antagonist of the story, for whatever reason.