UNLV: Vegas Slots Are Gradually Increasing Their Hold Percentage

A recent study by the UNLV has suggested that slot machines in Nevada are getting tighter, to players’ dismay. And if so, is the slot machine hold percentage still within the legal frame?

Gamblers Have Been Feeling that Slots Are Getting Tighter

For context, Nevada law requires all machines to have a return-to-player metric (RTP) of at least 75%. However, the RTP of most modern slot machines is usually much higher, generally reaching 93.5% for retail slots and even more for online slots.

The benefit of a higher RTP is that they allow players to enjoy gaming longer, making it easier for casinos to foster brand loyalty. However, some players in Nevada have been feeling that the slot machines are getting tighter.

A few have questioned the recent Nevada gaming industry financials, which show that the state’s casinos are making more money even though visitation has fallen. While this could be simply due to an increase in spending by existing customers, some believe that this could be due to the increase in casino hold percentage – the money casinos keep.

Casinos Wouldn’t Dare to Break the RTP Rules, UNLV Says

In its report, the UNLV noted that the average hold percentage for the past two decades has been 6.55, which is well within the legal limit. However, data also suggested that an increase in hold percentage has been gradually taking place, with the casino hold increasing by some 26% in the past 10 years to an average of 7.15% in 2025. This figure was even higher in Las Vegas, where the average hold percentage was as high as 7.57%.

While this hold percentage isn’t illegal, as angrier players have suggested, the fact is that players have been winning back less money than before. Casino guests tend to prefer higher RTP ratings, which is why many have been unhappy with the change.

Still, the UNLV was firm that casinos not only did not go above the max 25% hold percentage, but would not do it even if they had the opportunity. According to experts, such metrics would alienate players and, to top it all off, could cost a potential violator their gambling license.

As a result, the tightest of the tightest slots have an RTP of roughly 86%, while many casinos also sport looser options with an RTP of around 96%.

The UNLV concluded that the slight increase in hold percentages hasn’t changed the fact that luck plays a huge role in gaming and could mess with statistics. As a result, the monthly reports are not always a reliable indicator of the current RTP settings of slot machines.