What Percentage Does A Casino Have To Pay Out?

You might have heard of something called the payout percentage. This is the rate at which a game, for example, slots will pay out or return a portion of the deposits to players. One question that is often asked is, "What percentage does a casino have to pay out?" As you will discover, this varies for each state. However, more than anything it is better to understand what the payout rate is and how it can affect your gameplay.

Return To Player

Slot machines will have a payout rate that ranges from 75 percent to up to 98 percent. Even though that the game might have a specific payout percentage, keep in mind that you will have good and not so good days. It is not every time that you play a game that it payout or give a return to player between 75 to 98 percent. This is the amount that is expected from the slot machine over a period of time. So, think of the payout percentage as a long-term number. The manufacturer of a slots game will set the payout percentage but there are variables.

House Edge

Keep in mind that there is another aspect to consider when playing, and this is known as the house edge. The house edge should also be considered when looking at the payout percentage. The house edge is the amount the casino will win and keep for themselves. This amount of your wagers is not given back to you. The house edge is also over a period of time or longer time. The edge might be from less than 1 percent for a game which can seem like a little, but over the course of many games and with many players, it is easy to see how casinos have accumulated such vast sums.

Minimum Payouts

There is indeed a percentage that the casino has to payout. Each state will have a minimum rate for the payout percentage, and casinos must adhere to the laws for that state. For example, the rate for slots payout is 75 percent in Nevada, but anyone in New Jersey will be happy to know the rate is 83 percent as a minimum slots payout. This is the mandatory payout percentage. Casinos will need to state what their payout rates are in the legal documents for operation. This information is submitted to the Gaming Commission for that state, a casino will have to reapply for approval to the State Gaming Commission if they decide to change their payout percentage.

The majority of the casinos will have payout amounts much higher than the minimum rate for each state. This is also a way to understand why some people love to travel to casinos in another state.