^{The layout of slot machines on casino floors continues to evolve, especially post-pandemic. (Image: Palms Casino Resort)}

The future of casino gaming floors is constantly changing, and where better to discuss this evolution than at the Global Gaming Expo (G2E) in Las Vegas, which is taking place this week.

Casinos in Las Vegas and around the country are changing, and so are the guests. During his keynote presentation, Bill Miller, President of the American Gaming Association, noted that the age of land-based casino guests has dropped from 50 in 2019 to 42 in 2023. 

Miller also stated that commercial gaming revenue is on track for a fourth consecutive year of record-breaking revenue. Slot machines contribute a significant portion to a casinos revenue. Anyone who's visited a casino can see that these games occupy most of the gaming floor.

Last year, slot machines accounted for a 90.9% share of gaming revenue in Vegas Strip casinos and 81.3% of downtown Las Vegas gaming revenue, according to the 2023 Nevada Gaming Abstract. Even as the age of the average customer falls, slot machines remain popular with guests and are big business for casino operators.

There's A Science Behind How Slot Machines Are Laid Out

When a slot machine player walks into a casino, they look around and see if they can find their favorite slot machine. Sometimes, they play the game regardless of where it’s located, and other times, they look for a different game in a more desirable location.

Like everything in a casino, slot machine banks are set up by casinos to maximize revenue. However, they also have to appeal to players so they can generate the desired revenue.

The Seminole Hard Rock Casino in Tampa features nearly 5,000 slot machines (Image: Hard Rock Tampa)

The days of long rows of slot machines are a thing of the past. Player preferences have changed over the years - especially during and after the Covid-19 pandemic.

Players didn’t want to be too close to others during the pandemic, so casino operators and gaming manufacturers expedited changes to casino floors that were already underway. This happened to many industries during the pandemic.

Slot Machine Arrangements

Day one at G2E was an action-packed affair, but the “Slot Bank Tier List: Ranking Favorite Configuration” panel stood out from the crowd. Having featured a casino executive, player, and slot machine manufacturer, it was one of the more well-rounded talks of the event so far. 

Each panelist offered different insights into which slot machine arrangements they preferred. Kelly Koffler—AKA Casino Kelly on YouTube—indicated her and her viewers' preferred slot machine arrangements. 

Josh Leiserowitz from Palace Station shared which slot banks did better for the casinos he’s worked at. Steve Schweigert from Konami Gaming had observations from the manufacturer and those who play slots in casinos around the country.

The Good And Bad Of Slot Machine Installations

The Four Pod and Two by Two slot machine banks were popular with both players and casino operators. The Four Pod is the most popular for casinos because it maximizes space on the casino floor. It’s also a comfortable configuration for players who may not want to sit in the middle of multiple players.

Similarly, the Two by Two pod is flexible for casino operators and allows players to be a little social with a neighbor or keep to themselves if they prefer.

Nobody on the panel liked the End Cap game, which awkwardly fits between two banks of slot machines. It’s a strange fit on the casino floor, but it’s better than dead space for the operator.

Slots at the Fontainebleau Casino in Las Vegas. (Image: Fontainebleau)

Like myself, Koffler isn’t a smoker and often avoids the traditional Four By Four banks of slot machines or larger because it’s easier to get caught in between smokers.

The large banks of slot machines against the walls often have large displays to draw players. Leiserowitz mentioned that these banks can do very well for his casinos. It might have been Schweigert who noted that every casino has walls so these are useful for the operators. I tend to avoid these because I don’t like having my back to so many people.

While the discussion focused on slot machines Leiserowitz and Schweigert noted that video poker players will soon see some of the comforts slot players have enjoyed for years. Better graphics and comfortable seating should be on the rise for video poker players in the future. I saw numerous examples of this walking around the G2E expo floor