When my wife and I go to a casino together, we usually go our separate ways to play. We have different favorites, I do a lot of scouting around the casino to see what’s new while she gets right into playing. We always take some time to find a couple of open seats side-by-side and play together for a bit. On one September trip, we settled into a couple of quarter three-reel slot machines.
Introduction to Kansas Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2020
Kansas slot machine casino gambling consists of four state-run, commercial casinos and five tribal casinos.
A minimum theoretical payout limit exists for the state-run casinos in Kansas as well as at four out of five tribal casinos. No actual return statistics are publicly available.
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.
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Relevant Legal Statutes on Gambling in Kansas*
The minimum legal gambling age in Kansas depends upon the gambling activity:
- Land-Based Casinos: 21
- Poker Rooms: 21
- Bingo: 18
- Lottery: 18
- Pari-Mutuel Wagering: 18
The Kansas legislature approved charitable and social gaming in 1974, followed in 1978 by both pari-mutuel racetracks and a state lottery. All state licenses for pari-mutuel facilities have ended. None have been open since 2008.
In 1995, negotiations led to a state-tribal compact for the establishment of four American Indian tribal casinos. This quickly led to the state granting licensing for four non-tribal casinos.
In 2008, the Wyandotte Nation, a federally-recognized tribe in Oklahoma, opened a tribal casino in downtown Kansas City. This opening occurred after more than a decade of litigation.
*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 Kansas
In Kansas, it is legal to own a slot machine privately if manufactured before 1950.
Gaming Control Board in Kansas
The Kansas Racing and Gaming Commission (KRGC) regulates commercial gaming in Kansas. The primary responsibilities of the KRGC centers around the four state-run casinos in Kansas.
The Kansas State Gaming Agency is a separate agency which provides oversight of the tribal-state gaming compacts for the five tribal casinos in Kansas. Its authority for this enforcement role comes through the Tribal Gaming Oversight Act.
Further, each federally-recognized American Indian tribe with a negotiated and approved tribal-state gaming compact also has a tribal gaming commission. Each commission regulates tribal gaming operations at a single tribal casino, including:
- Iowa Tribe Gaming Commission
- Kickapoo Tribe Gaming Commission
- Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Gaming Commission
- Sac & Fox Nation Gaming Commission
Casinos in Kansas
There are four state-run, non-tribal casinos and five American Indian tribal casinos in Kansas.
The largest casino in Kansas is Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway with 2,000 gaming machines and 40 table games.
The second-largest casino is Kansas Star Casino Hotel Event Center with 1,850 gaming machines and 50 table games.
Commercial Casinos in Kansas
The four state-run commercial non-tribal casinos in Kansas are:
- Boot Hill Casino & Resort in Dodge City located 169 miles west of Wichita.
- Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City located 49 miles east of Topeka on the Missouri border.
- Kansas Crossing Casino Hotel in Pittsburg located 164 miles southeast of Topeka.
- Kansas Star Casino Hotel Event Center in Mulvane located 17 miles south of Wichita.
Tribal Casinos in Kansas
The five American Indian tribal casinos in Kansas are:
- 7th Street Casino located in downtown Kansas City on the Missouri border.
- Casino White Cloud located 88 miles north-northeast of Topeka near the Missouri border.
- Golden Eagle Casino in Horton located 52 miles north of Topeka.
- Prairie Band Casino & Resort in Mayetta located 24 miles north of Topeka.
- Sac & Fox Casino in Powhattan located 49 miles north of Topeka.
Other Gambling Establishments
As an alternative to enjoying Kansas slot machine casino gambling, consider exploring casino options in a nearby state. Bordering Kansas is:
- North: Nebraska Slots
- East: Missouri Slots
- South: Oklahoma Slots
- West: Colorado Slots
Each of the links above will take you to my blog for that neighboring U.S. state to Kansas.
Our Kansas Slots Facebook Group
Are you interested in sharing and learning with other slots enthusiasts in Kansas? If so, join our new Kansas 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 Kansas. Join us!
Payout Returns in Kansas
The minimum theoretical payout limit for the four state-run, commercial casinos is 87%, per Kansas state law.
The KRGC provides monthly revenue reports for the four state-run casinos. With casino profits only, however, there is insufficient information to determine return statistics. Specifically, these reports do not show the amount won by players.
The minimum theoretical payout limit for all tribal casinos except for 7th Street Casino & Resort is 80%. This limit is in the Electronic Gaming Devices Technical Standards associated with each tribal-gaming compact within sub-section “Software Requirements for Percentage Payouts”.
Summary of Kansas Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2020
Kansas slot machine casino gambling consists of four state-run, commercial, non-tribal casinos and five tribal casinos.
The minimum theoretical payout limit is 87% for the state-run casinos and 80% for tribal casinos owned and operated by the four tribes of Kansas.
Annual Progress in Kansas Slot Machine Casino Gambling
In the last year, Kansas Star Casino dropped from its first-place position as Kansas’ largest casino to the second-largest. Now, with 150 more slot machines, the largest casino in Kansas is Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway.
Further, there has been no progress with re-opening The Woodlands, a defunct pari-mutual racetrack with slots machines. If it had re-opened, The Woodlands would have been the largest casino in Kansas. It has stood empty in Kansas City for over a decade.
Related Articles from Professor Slots
Other State-By-State Articles from Professor Slots
- Previous: Iowa Slot Machine Casino Gambling
- Next: Kentucky Slot Machine Casino Gambling
Have fun, be safe, and make good choices!
By Jon H. Friedl, Jr. Ph.D., President
Jon Friedl, LLC
Perhaps you’ve used slot machines before, but do you know about their history? If not, keep on reading! We’ll get you up to snuff and teach you some fun facts that will liven up any conversation about gambling.
The Invention of the First Slot Machine
A New-York based company, Sittmand and Pitt, developed the first slot-like machine in 1891. Keep in mind, this was not exactly a slot machine. In fact, it more closely resembled a poker machine. However, it inspired the development of actual slot machines in later years.
Sittmand and Pitt’s invention, which was commonly found in New York Bars, was a machine that contained five drums and fifty cards. Players would insert a nickel, push a button, and hope to receive a great poker hand. The machine didn’t offer a payout, but the player could use a good hand to get other rewards. For instance, they could take a pair of King up to the bartender and receive a free drink. For a lower hand, or perhaps the patron would receive a free cigar instead. These machines were fun but had a drawback: their owners would often remove the Jack of Hearts and the Ten of Spades in order to reduce the odds of winning.
Charles Fey created the first automatic slot machine, but the exact year is not known. Many gambling enthusiasts insist that the machine was developed in 1895, but there are some who believe Fey invented it in 1887. Regardless of the official year, Fey’s automatic slot machine was revolutionary.
Fey’s machine replaced the five-drum system with three reels, and their cards were replaced by symbols. The symbols were spades, diamonds, hearts, horseshoes, and the Liberty Bell. Getting three Liberty Bells in a row would give the player the largest payoff. Because of this symbol, the actual machine was named “Liberty Bell. You can actually still see it today in Reno, Nevada.
A few years later, Fey invented the Liberty Bell’s descendent, which was named “4-11-44”. This name referred to the game’s winning combination, which would win a player $5. Fey also went on to invent the “Card Bell” machine, which featured a new star symbol and had a maximum payout of twenty dimes.
For years, Fey dominated the slots industry, but this soon changed after a robbery occurred. The thief only stole an apron and a Liberty Bell slot machine. Not even one year later, the Mills Novelty Company developed its own version of the machine, called “Mills Liberty Bell.” The connection between the robbery and Mills Novelty Company has never been confirmed, but there is a hefty amount of speculation regarding the suspicious circumstance.
In the early 1900s, slot machines were banned in the US, but they were still continuing to be developed. However, instead of playing for cash prizes, users would now play for fruit-flavored gum! The game symbols changed from cards to fruit, such as cherries, bananas, plums, and lemons. This was also when the “BAR” symbol was introduced, which represented a pack of gum.
Even after slot machines became legal once more, fruit symbols still remained popular – and can still be found in many modern slot machines.
The First Electromechanical Slot
In 1964, Bally released the world’s first electromechanical slot, called “Money Honey.” This means that the machine’s reels operated electrically rather than manually. However, players still had to pull a lever to start the machine in order to foster a sense of familiarity.
Money Honey was also the first slot machine that used a bottomless hopper, which allowed an automatic payout of up to 500 coins.
The First Video Slot
Fortune Coin developed the first video slot machine in 1975. The machine, which was available in Las Vegas’ Hilton Hotel, featured a 19-inch Sony TV for its display. This video slot machine became extremely popular, and other developers soon followed in Fortune Coin’s footsteps and created their own versions.
Reel’Em In
In 1996, the Reel ‘Em In video slot machine was developed by WMS industries. It was a huge success, mainly due to its unique choice to have a second screen bonus round. Players loved this twist, and they especially enjoyed the chance to get extra wins during the bonus round. Many gambling history enthusiasts agree that Reel’Em In was what set off the video slot machine boom, which led to the machines taking up 70% of the average casino’s floor space.
Internet Slots
1996 also saw the rise of InterCasino, which was the world’s first online casino. InterCasino offered a variety of classic games but soon added online slots to their game library. And, just like with land-based casinos, slots soon became the most popular feature of online casinos.
When online slots were first introduced, they remained pretty similar to their land-based predecessor in terms of the number of reels and the variety of symbols. However, online casinos soon became more adventurous and released slot games that featured 5+ reels, engaging themes, fun bonus rounds, a huge variety of special symbols, and unique layouts.
Brief History of Slots Infographic
An infographic that shows a brief history of slot machines from the 19th century to the modern digital age.
Collecting Slot Machines
Some slot enthusiasts search for vintage mechanical slot machines to add to their personal collections. You can see such slot machines in casino basements, in a private collector’s residence, in a workshop being salvaged for parts, or at re-selling businesses.
Purchasing an antique slot machine can be quite an investment, with prices going into the thousands of dollars. If you want to purchase a mechanical slot machine and want to avoid the markup of resellers, you can find a wide range of such machines on Ebay.
Slot Machines by Country
In Australia, gaming machines are referred to as “pokies.” Australian states are all responsible for creating their own legislation regarding pokies. In Victoria, pokies must provide a minimum return percentage of 85%. On the other hand, Queensland determined that casino slot machines should have a return rate of 90%, but that pub slot machines could have an 85% return rate. Western Australia has the most restrictive policy out of all of Australia’s states. Its policy dictates that pokies may only be used in the Burswood Casino.
In Japan, slot machines are referred to as pachisuro and are found in pachinko parlors and game centers’ adult sections. Japanese slot machines are unique in that they can be “beatable.” These machines have six different levels, all with different odds of hitting a winning combo. The odds can range from 90% to 160%!
Slot machines in the United Kingdom are categorized based on their maximum wager and their maximum prize. For instance, Category D has a minimum stake of 10 pence to £1 and a maximum prize of £8 cash/£50 credit. A Category A game has an unlimited maximum stake and an unlimited maximum prize. There are currently no such slot machines in existence in the UK. A “Super Casino” was supposed to be developed in Manchester, and it would feature such machines. However, the casino’s development was eventually scrapped.
In the United States, slot machines are regulated by state governments. Some of the best destinations for playing slot machines include Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, and Oklahoma.
Final Thoughts
Now that you know some interesting facts about the history of slot machines, you can impress your gambling enthusiast friends. And if all this talk of slots has whetted your appetite to play, head on over to Bob Casino! We have a huge library of online slots, featuring popular developers such as Yggdrasil, BetSoft Gaming, Pragmatic Play, Play’Ngo, and NetEnt.
Each of our online slot games is jam-packed with fun features and use fun music and engaging graphics to enhance your gaming experience.