How Does One Figure How Many Slot Machines Will Fit Per Square Foot?

How does one figure how many slot machines will fit per square foot?

There is no one-size-fits-all answer to this question, especially with casinos becoming more space-conscious. Gone are the days when casinos tried to pack the floor with as many machines as possible — Excalibur is a prime example of the old maze-like tendencies of slot managers.

Today, with so many machines of so many sizes, it's not so cut and dried. Still, it is possible to come up with a rough average.

“Each machine has a footprint in size and width,” says Kevin Parker of game-maker Lynx. “If you figure out what the average size of your machines are and you know what you want for the width of your aisles, you can estimate what will fit. For instance, if we assume the average machine is nine square feet and your chairs are another three square feet to allow for movement, you can estimate the number of machines based on 12 square feet per machine. Remember, you must also account for the width of your aisles in your calculation. The easiest and most accurate way to map your floor is utilizing a CAD program to get an exact count.”

“The reality is it also varies based on the philosophy of each property,” adds Deana Scott, president of Raving Consulting.

A case in point in point is Boyd Gaming. “The way we think about casino floor layouts has changed quite a bit over the last 10 years or so,” says company spokesman David Strow. “Rather than trying to fit as many slot machines as possible into our available square footage, our goal now is to make sure that every machine on the floor is performing up to expectations — and to make sure we aren’t taking up floor space with machines that customers don’t want to play.

“With this approach, fewer machines is actually better! Less machines helps open up floor space and makes our casinos easier to navigate and more comfortable for guests. And since our teams closely monitor the performance of individual machines, we can still generate the same level of business (or more) with fewer machines on the floor, so long as they are titles that are popular with customers.”

In other words, quality, rather than quantity, counts more than actual space these days.

How does one figure how many slot machines will fit per square foot?

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Comments

AyeCarambaPoker Dec-08-2019

Grrr

You’ve used “less” and “fewer” to describe the number within 7 words of each other

Pick one and stick to it

PS - the correct one is fewer but at least be consistent 😀

Vegas Fan Dec-08-2019

Agree with ayecaramba

See word crimes video by weird Al yankovic. Boyds is paying him a lot of money, yet he has lousy grammar.

Adam Cohen Dec-08-2019

ADA

Would not another factor be making sure that customers in wheeled chairs and walkers can get up and down an aisle? Even if ADA did not apply you would not want to loose that market. Also, I am sure there are local and state fire codes they have to meet on aisle

rokgpsman Dec-08-2019

ADA compliance

I think ADA compliance is required as far as being able to enter the casino building but not sure that the aisle width or machine spacing is regulated per ADA. I've been in casinos where a person could barely walk down the aisle because the chairs and people in front of machines on both sides of the aisle were so close, no way a wheelchair could go down the aisle. People using wheelchairs often have to play machines on one end of a narrow aisle, or a machine on a circular group of machines. I think casinos are aware of their handicapped customers and do what they reasonably can for them. There are usually some machines that are facing a wide walkway that the person can roll up to. But there are definitely some machines that a wheelchair bound person can't access.

Jackie Dec-08-2019

ADA and casinos

Any casino accommodating the handicapped loses income as fewer slots are on the floor.  Even poker rooms will allow wheelchair bound people to roll up to the table but customers quit playing until you leave as you "Crowd" the table with your chair.  People become very blind, deaf, and dumb around the handicapped in casinos whereas very helpful in grocery stores.  A different kind of animal in casinos.

Jeff Dec-08-2019

ADA and slots

An interesting ADA question is whether all slots must be accessible or if only a few would suffice.

The ADA does not require hotels to make all their guest rooms handicapped accessible, since as long as there are a few, there is little likelihood that a handicapped person would be shut-out. Using this theory of compliance, as long as a couple of slots were accessible, the casino would be in compliance.

But many gamblers -- in wheelchairs or not --  believe that some slots are better than others, that some are "ready to payout," or hold other theories of best slot practice. Casinos encourage these superstitions. At roulette, casinos have signs displaying the recent winning numbers implying that that information is relevant to future events.

So from an ADA compliance angle, does it matter that handicapped gamblers  -- if they have very little choice in picking a machine --  do not have the equal opportunity afforded to others to make dumb decisions?

Question of the Day - 08 December 2019

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