Why You’re Seeing New Slot Machines Debut Outside Las Vegas

^{Bomberman slot machine debuts at Graton Resort & Casino in California. Photo includes Jay Bertsch, Executive VP & Chief Commercial Officer, Konami Gaming, Inc.; Brian Green, Chief Operating Officer, Graton Resort & Casino; and YouTube star Scott Richter (The Big Jackpot). (Photo: courtesy of Konami Gaming)}

Slot machines are the most popular games in U.S. casinos. Not only do they occupy more space on the casino floor, but they also generate more revenue for casinos. In Las Vegas, the games account for more money than table games, sports betting, and all other games combined.

Casinos and manufacturers often make a big deal out of new slot machines for this reason. 

Even though I am not a devoted slot player, I look for new trends when walking the Global Gaming Expo to see what we can expect over the next year. Many games make their industry debut at the trade show for casino operators, but players may not see them for more than a year.

That was the case with the Buzr slot machine, which features Card Sharks and Family Feud bonuses and is finally in casinos. I first saw the game at G2E in 2022, but it didn't reach casinos until late last year. 

Las Vegas was once considered the gold standard of gambling because it was the home of casinos. While it remains the pinnacle of the casino business, there are casinos across the country.

Over the past few years, I have noticed more and more slot machine debuts taking place outside Las Vegas. Being curious by nature, I wanted to know whether this was a real trend or simply something I noticed because it was outside my main coverage area.

Slot Machines Debuting Outside Of Las Vegas

It turns out I was not imagining the trend. New slots are debuting at casinos outside Las Vegas seemingly every week.

To better understand why, I spoke with Tashina Lazcano, senior director of marketing and communications at Konami Gaming, learned about her wide array of knowledge when she moderated a panel on the layout of slot machines on casino floors at G2E in 2024. 

Konami often debuts its new slots outside of Las Vegas, so she seemed like the right person to confirm or deny my instincts. 

“Launch events can be a significant investment for game creators," said Lazcano. "As the total number of game creators has expanded, so has the occurrence of launch events, covering a more diverse geographic area.”

Konami produces a range of slot titles seen in casinos today, including Buzr, Red Fortune Rail, and Bomberman. The latter caught my attention at G2E last year, but it ended up debuting elsewhere at Graton Resort & Casino in California. 

We are also noticing these debuts because content creators, such as The Big Jackpot, share the experience on YouTube and other social media platforms. Many of the games also launch on online casino platforms, making them visible to anyone who follows casino news even casually.

Lazcano confirmed I was not imagining things, and the reason is simple: there are more slot manufacturers, so there are more debuts.

The expansion of large regional casinos likely plays a role as well. There are massive, profitable casinos from California to New York and from Illinois to Oklahoma. Konami has leaned into regional properties. Lazcano shared details about another game debut in California:

“Pechanga Resort Casino recently hosted the world debut of Red Fortune Rail, offering the chance at a high-reward bonus reel feature inside the game’s hold and spin feature. As the company that started the “train game” trend with All Aboard, Konami is introducing Red Fortune Rail as a fresh and original new train-themed adventure, with an Asia-inspired vibe.” 

Las Vegas is Still the Gold Standard Around the World

None of this means that Las Vegas has been forgotten. The mix of gaming slot launches today looks different, but the city still remains important to gaming manufacturers.

“Las Vegas carries extra weight of importance in our industry, especially in the global arena,” Lazcano said.

As of December, Clark County (where Las Vegas is located) alone has 142 licensed gaming properties, but only 54 are on the Strip. Because competition for space on Strip casino floors is intense, slot manufacturers also look to nearby off-Strip casinos. With so many machines on the main tourist corridor, new games can struggle to stand out.

Local casinos offer a spotlight for these games, while content spreads worldwide online. While Konami debuted the BattleBots slot at Silverton, the Palms has recently become a landing spot for Aristocrat and other slot machine installations.

These casinos may not be the main traffic centers in Las Vegas, but they offer more than just a small section on casino floors with more than a thousand slots.

Viva Las Vegas...and Casinos Around the Country

As a longtime Las Vegas stan and now resident, I want everything important in casinos to happen here. But that's not as realistic now with so many casinos around the country. 

There are simply too many new slot machines for one city to host every debut. Usually, it doesn't take long before the games arrive in Las Vegas. In a way, this says more about the casino industry than about Las Vegas as a city. The city is still the center of attention, but it is no longer the only stage.

Even though Bomberman debuted in California, I played it at Circa just a couple of weeks later.

Las Vegas has shifted from a testing lab to a validation market for new games. Regional casinos now help determine which titles succeed, and by the time a slot reaches the Strip, it has already proven it can earn.