Are Casino Slot Machines Honest

Find out what slot machines actually returned to the public in all U.S. See which states have the best-paying casino slot games and which have the lowest-paying casino slots. Includes slot machine payback statistics for all U.S. Casino/resorts, riverboats and Indian casinos. The best online casinos are optimized for all screens, giving you the choice to load up your favorite site on any device at any given moment. Most importantly of all, the slots and casino games will keep their graphics and functionality too. It’s no wonder that people are ditching bulky slot machines for mobile slots.


When people ask in gambling forums or general question and answer sites like Quora if slot machine games are honest, someone with at least basic knowledge of slot machines usually answers.

Most of the answers I see boil down to yes because cheating would be pointless in a game that already favors the casino.

While I agree with the sentiment my experience has been different. And this is one of the reasons why I don’t like to play slot machine games very often.

Honesty Is Whatever You Decide It Should Be

In a political campaign both sides accuse each other of committing awful acts of deceit such as lying to voters, possibly breaking obscure laws, or polishing their resumes.

Many voters are savvy enough to take a lot of these accusations with some skepticism. Some hard core party supporters believe everything their candidates tell them.

If you play an arcade game like a western-style shooter, you expect the guns to sort of work like real guns. If you take clear aim at a bad guy you should hit him. But that doesn’t always happen.

I’ve played arcade games that were “crooked”. The gun sights were off. An arcade technician told me that despite what it seemed like the misalignment wasn’t intentional. The sights drift over time as people knock the toy guns around.

Is that true?

Either way, you don’t know if the arcade game is letting you aim properly. Once you realize the sights are off you can adjust how you aim the gun and make better shots.

When I was a teenager I met some people who worked for a carnival. They called themselves Carnies and they spoke a language that sounds a lot like the Harry Potter snake language. My Carny friends told me their games were often rigged because they are so simple anyone can eventually learn to beat them.

Is that true?

In both situations someone told me what they claimed was the inside story. In both situations I learned that if I adjust my expectations I could play the games better. But that didn’t always mean I would win.

Experts Explain Slot Machine Games All the Time

If you want to know how slot machines work you can buy a book, read a blog post, or ask a casino technician. It’s easy to get an explanation. I believe the majority of these explanations are accurate as far as they go.

Because so many people have explained how slot machines work almost anyone can now explain how they work. There are even Wikipedia articles about slot machines and probability and everything else related to basic gambling science.

If you want to know how slot machines work you don’t have to go to slot machine school. The Internet made it easy for everyone to share what they know.

And if that’s the case I find myself still amazed every time I come across a new slot machine game secret. I don’t mean those “how to win” articles. I mean things about game tricks.

Yes, some experts say slot machine games play tricks on you. I suppose it’s all part of the experience. The harder the game is to beat the more you enjoy it.

But shouldn’t you know the game is hiding something from you?

Does the Slot Game Tell You Its Theoretical Return to Player?

In my experience it’s been easier to learn these ratings for online games than for land-based casino games. I guess it depends on whose laws govern the games you’re playing.

If you click on the “Help” or “Info” button for a slot game and bring up the Pay Table screens, you should be able to find everything you need to now about playing the game. Sometimes the last screen tells you how much of a chance you have to win.

That’s the RTP or theoretical return to player. This percentage, subtracted from 100, tells you what the house edge is. The house edge, as many people know, is the average – over a long period of game play – that the casino expects to keep from all player wagers.

The house edge and the RTP assume that players win some of their money back and that every now and then a really big prize is paid out. It’s all math and the games make no guarantees.

What few gambling experts who talk about the house edge and theoretical return to player tell you is that a really bad player increases the house edge. I call this the “hidden edge” in every game.

Slot games have other hidden edges.

Even if a slot game tells you its RTP that doesn’t mean you’ll keep 85%, 90%, or 95% of your stake. That’s a projected average over time. It assumes someone – probably not you – will win a major jackpot.

You’re paying for someone else’s jackpot. The game doesn’t tel you that. It’s not exactly dishonest but it’s an omission of an honest fact.

As one of my older friends once said, who wants to spoil a good game with honest facts?

Does the Game Tell You the Chances of Winning a Prize?

Since I don’t spend much time playing slot machine games I can’t promise this is always true. But I have never found a game that told me both the RTP and the “this game has a 1:4 chance of winning”.

That “1:4” chance ratio is used in a lot of games. You’ll find it in every lottery game. The ratio represents a theoretical average of how often a prize of any amount is awarded.

I think that’s another gray area in honesty. I’d like to know my chances of winning a jackpot. If you play Euro Millions, Mega Millions, or Powerball every news story about the next big jackpot tells you the odds of winning that huge prize.

Slot machine games are silent on how likely it is you’ll win their biggest prize. Do slot machine games pay better than lottery games?

No self-respecting card player should care but slot machine games and lotteries are more poplar than baccarat, blackjack, and poker combined.

If You Play Online Slot Games, Do You Know Who Is Running the Game?

I’ve read that for about $25,000 or $50,000 you can start up an online casino of your own. All you have to do is set up an account on a licensed gaming server.

These servers are run from data centers in countries like Canada and Malta. They certify their games’ integrity with independent testing bodies. If you check your casino’s website and game credits you should see their licensing and certification information.

But is that good enough?

Turns out it’s not always good enough. I’ve seen a few discussions in gambling forums about illegal online casinos stealing software from the gaming servers.

Savvy players who check the website addresses of the games loading in their browsers and phones recognize the legitimate gaming server addresses.

They know when someone is running an unauthorized copy of a casino.

If the online casino stole its software then can you still trust the certifications?

I’d say that’s a dishonest casino to begin with. And that means their games are dishonest. Even if the software says it is licensed and certified you don’t know how good that hacker is.

If you find a slot machine game that your instincts say shouldn’t be where you found it, dig a little deeper. At least trust your instincts enough to take a closer look and find yourself some trustworthy online casinos.

Conclusion

There may be other ways a slot machine game deceives you. I hate the older slot games that offered the “double or nothing” bonus. Once a friend explained the odds on those games to me I decided never to play them.

Slot machine games are supposed to be fun. But even though I know the games are favoring the house I’d still like to know what to expect from a game. I think that’s only fair.

If the game is not being completely honest with you then is it being honest with you at all?

And that’s a good question to ask of any gambling game. You can be satisfied with any answer you get. Just ask the question and get the answer.

Otherwise, you’re not gambling so much as you’re paying someone else to take advantage of you.

Introduction to Florida Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2019

Florida slot machine casino gambling consists of eight pari-mutuel racetracks in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties, seven tribal casinos, and day-long casino cruises.

A theoretical minimum payout exists, and monthly return statistics are publicly available for the eight commercial racinos. Neither are available for Florida’s tribal casinos.

This post continues my weekly State-By-State Slot Machine Casino Gambling Series, an online resource dedicated to guiding slot machine casino gambler to success. Now in its third year, each weekly post reviews slots gambling in a single U.S. state, territory, or federal district.

Keep Reading … or Watch Instead!

Or … Listen Instead!

Subscribe to my Professor Slots podcast at Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Amazon Audible | Gaana | Stitcher | Pandora | iHeart Radio | Tune-In | SoundCloud | RadioPublic | Deezer | RSS and everywhere else you find your podcasts!

Relevant Legal Statutes on Gambling in Florida*

The minimum legal gambling age in Florida depends upon the gambling activity:

  • Land-Based Casinos: 21
  • Poker Rooms: 18
  • Bingo: 18
  • Lottery: 18
  • Pari-Mutuel Wagering: 18

State gaming regulations have authorized slot machines at pari-mutuel wagering race tracks located in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties. These counties contain the cities of Miami and Fort Lauderdale in southern Florida.

*The purpose of this section is to inform the public of state gambling laws and how the laws might apply to various forms of gaming. It is not legal advice.

Slot Machine Private Ownership in Florida

In Florida, it is legal to own a slot machine privately if it is at least 20 years old.

Gaming Control Board in Florida

The gaming control commission is the Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering within Florida’s Department of Business & Professional Regulation (DBPR).

Overall, the DBPR authorizes, regulates or provides oversight for Florida’s gaming industries of:

  • Pari-mutuel wagering, including
    • Horse racing
    • Harness horse racing
    • Greyhound racing
    • Jai alai games
  • Cardroom games

There are over three dozen pari-mutuel wagering facilities in Florida for which the DBPR is responsible, including the eight sites with slot machines. The DBPR does not regulate bingo, the Florida Lottery, or day-long casino boats.

Historically, Florida has a long history of gambling, starting 100 years before gaming became legal. For example, at his first hotel, the Ponce de Leon in St. Augustine in 1888, Henry Flagler created the exclusive and famous Bacchus Club Casino.

Tribal gaming originally arrived in Florida with the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) of 1988. With it, Florida’s two federally-recognized American Indian tribes opened casinos offering Class II bingo-style gaming.

Eventually, the Seminole Tribe of Florida has successfully negotiated a tribal-state compact allowing them to offer Class III Vegas-style gaming at their seven casinos.

Are Casino Slot Machines Honest Play

However, the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida did not successfully complete their gaming compact negotiations, limiting them to Class II bingo-style gaming machines at their single casino.

Casino Gambling Slot Machines

Casinos in Florida

There are eight pari-mutuel racetracks with slot machines, seven American Indian tribal casinos, and two daily casino cruise ships based in Florida.

The largest casino in Florida is Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa with nearly 5,000 gaming machines and 179 table games.

Best casino machine play slot

The second-largest casino is Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee with 1,300 gaming machines and 38 table games.

Commercial Casinos in Florida

Eight of Florida’s 39 pari-mutuel wagering facilities offer slot machines. These racinos are in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties hosting Miami and Fort Lauderdale:

  1. The Big Easy Casino in Hallandale Beach.
  2. Calder Casino in Miami Gardens.
  3. Casino Miami in Miami.
  4. The Casino @ Dania Beach in Dania Beach.
  5. Gulfstream Park Casino in Hallandale Beach.
  6. Hialeah Park Racing & Casino in Hialeah.
  7. Isle Casino Pompano in Pompano Beach.
  8. Magic City Casino in Miami.

Tribal Casinos in Florida

Florida’s seven tribal casinos are in southern Florida, including:

  1. Miccosukee Resort & Gaming in Miami located 24 miles west of downtown Miami.
  2. Seminole Casino Brighton located 135 miles south of Orlando.
  3. Seminole Casino Coconut Creek located 25 miles north of Fort Lauderdale.
  4. Seminole Casino Hotel Immokalee located 35 miles northeast of Naples.
  5. Seminole Classic Casino in Hollywood located 1 mile south of Fort Lauderdale.
  6. Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood located 1 mile south of Fort Lauderdale.
  7. Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa located 80 miles southwest of Orlando.

Are Casino Slot Machines Honest Casino

Other Gambling Establishments

As an alternative to enjoying Florida slot machine casino gambling, consider exploring casino options in a nearby state. Bordering Florida is:

  • North: Georgia Slots
  • North and West: Alabama Slots
  • Southeast: Puerto Rico Slots and U.S. Virgin Islands Slots

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

Besides a host of multi-day international cruise ships with casinos, there are two day-long casino cruise boats with onboard Vegas-style gaming available in Florida:

  • Tropical Breeze Casino in Port Richey located 37 miles northwest of Tampa.
  • Victory Casino Cruises in Port Canaveral located 60 miles southeast of Orlando.

Our Florida Slots Facebook Group

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

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

Payout Returns in Florida

Pari-mutuel wagering sites with slot machines in Florida have a minimum theoretical payout of 85%. Actual return statistics by month and casino are publicly available. However, you’ll need to perform some calculations to obtain player win percentages.

To calculate Player Win% for each racino, multiply 100% by Credits Out and divide the result by Credits In. Using the latest statistics available at the time of this writing, September 2019, the monthly player win percentages are:

Are Casino Slot Machines Honest Game

  • The Big Easy: 100% times Credits Out of $33.34M divided by Credits In of $36.36M results in a Player Win% of 91.7%.
  • Calder Casino: 100% x $102.9M / $113.1M = 91.0%.
  • Casino Miami: 100% x $82.17M / $88.86M = 92.5%.
  • The Casino @ Dania Beach: 100% x $41.71M / $45.41M = 91.9%.
  • Gulfstream Park: 100% x $45.89M / $49.80M = 92.1%.
  • Hialeah Park: 100% x $104.8M / $112.0M = 93.6%.
  • Isle Casino Pompano: 100% x $90.17M / $99.60M = 90.5%.
  • Magic City: 100% x $123.6M / $132.3M = 93.4%.

The average return for all racinos in September 2019 was 92.3%. For this month, the highest performance went to Hialeah Park, with 93.6%, closely followed by Magic City at 93.4%. The lowest return went to Isle Casino with 90.5%.

Florida’s tribal casinos do not share theoretical limits on their slot machine payout percentages, nor do they make actual payout return statistics publicly available.

Summary of Florida Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2019

Florida slot machine casino gambling consists of eight pari-mutual wagering racinos near Miami and Fort Lauderdale, seven tribal casinos in southern Florida, and day-long cruise boats to international waters in Port Richey and Port Canaveral.

Commercial racinos have a theoretical minimum payout of 85% and publicly available monthly actual return statistics for each casino. Tribal casinos share neither payouts nor returns.

Annual Progress in Florida Slot Machine Casino Gambling

Are Casino Slot Machines Honest Free Play

In the last year, Seminole Hard Rock in Tampa increased their slots by 25%, now with nearly 5,000 machines. Otherwise, the Isle Casino Racing Pompano Park became Isle Casino Pompano.

Related Articles from Professor Slots

Slot Machine Casino Games

Other State-By-State Articles from Professor Slots

  • Previous: District of Columbia Slot Machine Casino Gambling
  • Next: Georgia Slot Machine Casino Gambling

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