Different Classes Of Slot Machines

  

Slot machines are like anything else—they can be categorized into various types. These categorizations can be based on a number of different factors. This page looks at some of the most common ways of dividing slots into types.

Slot machines are usually divided into two groups, Class II and Class III machines. It is more than just easy to distinguish them when you known this simple trick; just check out the corners of the electronic display and if you find a little bingo card there then you can be sure that you are playing a Class II slot machine. Classic Slots, also known as Fruit Machines in the UK or 3-reel Slots, represent computerized versions of the Slot Machines formerly found in pubs, bars, and Casinos with 3 reels and a lever. The popular Video Slots have 9, 15, 25, or sometimes 243 different Paylines. Slot machine games can be categorized in more ways than you might think,too. They can be categorized according to denomination, gameplay features, and manufacturer. The purpose of this page is to provide a broad overview and explanation of these various categories of casino slots games. Class III: a catch-all category of games that can’t be considered Class I or II, like slots, roulette, blackjack, etc. Knowing the hurdles Native American casinos faced to allow Class III slots, gaming companies began developing Class II gaming machines: games that play like regular slots but are technically fancy versions of bingo.

Different Classes Of Slot Machines For Sale

Denominations

One of the easiest ways of organizing slot machines into different types is by looking at their denominations. Some games only accept pennies, while other machines only accept dollars. Some games allow you to choose from multiple dominations.

The most common denominations for slots play include:

Number of Reels

The spinning symbols on the front of the machine are called “reels”. They used to be large hoops made from metal that physically spun inside the machine, but now they’re usually just for show. In fact, on most modern slot games, these reels are just video screens.

Traditional old-school slot machines have three reels, but more advanced slot machine games use five reels. The additional reels make it possible to have even larger jackpots, because it’s correspondingly harder to win on a game with the additional reels.

You can read more about the different number of reels here:

Game Type

Slots have changed a huge amount over the years going from very basic games with 3 reels to highly interactive games with feature-rich 3d video and immersive sound. Furthermore, you can find different variations of the machines depending on where you are in the world. The list below covers the main types.

Share this Image On Your Site

Class II and Class III Slot Machines

Various jurisdictions in the United States categorize slot machines into one of two classes—class II games and class III games. The latter are the traditional slot machine games you’ll find in Las Vegas, Reno, Atlantic City, and other large gambling destinations. The former are usually found in smaller gambling destinations, often in states which only allow casinos operated by local Native American tribes.

Different Classes Of Slot Machines

A Class III slot machine is also called a “Vegas-style” slot machine. The outcomes of each spin are determined by the spinning of the reels, and each spin is an independent event. Anything can happen on any given spin, in respect to winning or losing, within the parameters of the game.

Class II slot machines, on the other hand, are more like bingo or lottery games. Instead of playing against the house, the way they do in a Vegas-style game, the players are playing against each other, trying to win a jackpot that has more in common with bingo or lottery. The game looks, sounds, and feels like a traditional slot machine, but the math and the mechanism behind the machine is all bingo-based. The results of the games are dependent on the other results—there are a certain number of wins and losses in each given set of numbers.

Flat Top versus Progressive Slot Machines

At one time, most slot machine games had a fixed top jackpot. Games with a fixed top prize are called “flat top” slot machines, and they’re still common. They offer a lower prize for the big winner, but the chances of winning that big prize are far better than the chances of winning a progressive jackpot.

A progressive slot machine has a jackpot that increases over time. This is usually a tremendously large jackpot, on a par with what someone might win playing the lottery. The game takes a tiny percentage of each bet placed and adds it to the jackpot’s total until it’s won, at which point the game starts over with its starting jackpot.

Progressive slot machines can be subcategorized even further. There are progressive slots which have a jackpot that is unique to an individual machine—these are called standalone progressives. Local area network jackpots, on the other hand, have multiple machines in a single casino, all of which share a single jackpot. These are also quite common.

Wide area progressives are linked across multiple casinos. These have the largest jackpots, because theoretically, a huge number of players are contributing to the jackpot every time they spin the wheel, no matter where they are. The most famous example of this type of slot machine is the Megabucks network, which starts at $10 million. On rare occasions, this game has reached $20 and even $30 million before someone won.

Online versus Land Based Slots

Online slot machine games are played on your computer via the Internet. These games work in a similar manner to traditional Vegas-style slots, but the money is all handled over the Internet, too.

Online slots offer distinct advantages and disadvantages over their land-based cousins. One of the big advantages is that the payout percentage for online games is often higher. The Internet casinos don’t have the same overhead costs as land-based casinos, so they’re able to afford a higher payout percentage.

One of the major disadvantages to playing online is that you don’t receive your winnings immediately. They go into your account at the casino, but you have to withdraw the funds, which usually involves processing time via both the casino’s cashier department and via whatever withdrawal method you’re using.

Loose versus Tight Slot Machines

These “types” are almost entirely subjective. A loose game is one that pays out more money more often, while a tight game is just the opposite. There’s no way for the casual casino customer to evaluate the payout percentage on a slot machine game, though, so it’s a matter of opinion as to whether or not a particular game is loose. You can find a variety of opinions on the matter at various Internet gambling forums, though, especially when it comes to online games.

Paylines

Traditional slot machine games have one payline—right across the center of the three reels. If the symbols make certain combinations, the game pays out.

Newer slot machine games have multiple paylines on five reels. Some of these patterns are quite complicated, but they increase the player’s chances of winning at least something on every spin. Some machines have 3 paylines, 5 paylines, or even 25 paylines. One new type of slot machine is called “243 ways”, which does away with the concept of paylines entirely—if any combination of winning symbols is in the right order from left to right on the screen, then the machine pays out.

Modern slot machines often feature a bewildering array of bonus games and special wild symbols that function in various ways. And that’s just the state of the industry now. More slot machine types are sure to be developed over the coming decades.

qwertydgaf
I am a frequent player at Casino Arizona Talking Stick Resort. I have been playing slots @TSR for about a year. I did well during 4th quarter of '14. I starter to almost recognize a for sure losing machine pretty quickly. Sadly, can not recognize the winners at all =)
This casinos slots seem to be pretty 'tight' and love to 'tease'. I have read so much about slots in the last year that i keep playing at TSR KNOWING it is just luck.. until i came across(10minutes ago) an article that talks of class 2 slots not being so random! Which would make a lot of sense why i just witnessed a woman drop 5500.00 on a .50 keno machine and won less than 100.
HOW CAN I DETERMINE if my casino is using class 2 or class 3 or a combination of both? Who do i ask? What do i look for?
beachbumbabs
Administrator

I am a frequent player at Casino Arizona Talking Stick Resort. I have been playing slots @TSR for about a year. I did well during 4th quarter of '14. I starter to almost recognize a for sure losing machine pretty quickly. Sadly, can not recognize the winners at all =)
This casinos slots seem to be pretty 'tight' and love to 'tease'. I have read so much about slots in the last year that i keep playing at TSR KNOWING it is just luck.. until i came across(10minutes ago) an article that talks of class 2 slots not being so random! Which would make a lot of sense why i just witnessed a woman drop 5500.00 on a .50 keno machine and won less than 100.
HOW CAN I DETERMINE if my casino is using class 2 or class 3 or a combination of both? Who do i ask? What do i look for?


I would ask at the rewards center/player's club. They should tell you (they tell me when I ask in a new state/jurisdiction). It's usually not up to the casino; it's up to the state or other regulatory authority's compact with the state. This is a good article on how it works in general; it's a federal law that governs the terms of what the NA casinos are allowed to offer and what the states have to let them do, but it's still negotiated state by state. The rule of thumb is, if a class of gaming is allowed anywhere in the state for any purpose, the NA casinos can offer the same class of games. Class II are player-banked, with the casino taking some kind of rake. Class III allows casinos to offer house-banked games. That's just a very simple explanation, but the Class is considered public information, so they should tell you if you ask.
Edit: This is a gov't-issued blank compact application that defines and includes Class I, II, and III gaming for the state of AZ, so I guess it depends on what level the tribe wants to offer/qualify for there.
teddys did a pretty good review on Phoenix-area casinos, and specifically mentioned that they can offer Class II and Class III gaming (though no true craps or roulette). Doesn't mean the Talking Stick doesn't have a mix of II and III slots, but it's a start to know that much.
It's been my experience that Class II slots MUST in some way display a link or reference to the bingo game they're based on, even if it's a really small icon or something. The machine probably shows it somewhere in the instructions/pays button as well (that most people don't use).
If the House lost every hand, they wouldn't deal the game.
Wizard
Administrator

It's been my experience that Class II slots MUST in some way display a link or reference to the bingo game they're based on, even if it's a really small icon or something. The machine probably shows it somewhere in the instructions/pays button as well (that most people don't use).


I agree. A class II slot should have a little bingo card in the corner of the screen. Often there is a button that says 'daub' instead of 'spin.' If you have any doubt, it is probably class III.
It's not whether you win or lose; it's whether or not you had a good bet.
Dieter

What do i look for?


Does the 'play' button say 'play', or 'play/daub'?
If you scroll through all (and I do mean ALL) the help and paytable displays, does it list a bingo paytable?
Does the front of the place mention that it's a 'Class II gaming facility'?

Different Classes Of Fires


Different Classes Of Slot MachinesDoes the machine have a display of a bingo card on it? (Sometimes - particularly on the 'keno' machines, it's mostly hidden - I've seen it on the topmost video screen, up by the slot-topper blinking light sign)
Is there a sticker on the machine that says (something like) 'Prizes awarded based on bingo play'?
.. so then, it might be Class III.
.. And ask at the player's club booth if they have any Class II machines, and how you'd tell the difference.
I've played both Class III and Class II machines; they're both vaguely similar in that you stick money in, whack the button, and maybe get some money back. My subjective observations say that Class II behaves quite differently as the number of other players changes; sometimes better, sometimes not.
May the cards fall in your favor.
Mission146
https://gaming.az.gov/law-compacts/tribal-state-compacts
Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian
Community
Casino Arizona & Talking Stick Resort
https://gaming.az.gov/sites/default/files/documents/files/2014%20Annual%20Report%20FINAL.pdf
Page 24 indicates that the casinos have operated Class III gaming since 1993, when the first compact went into effect. All casinos wishing to offer Class III Gaming must have a compact with the State of Arizona, and the Casino Nevada and Talking Stick Resort is run by the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, who have such a compact.
There are sixteen tribes with casinos and six tribes that do not have casinos, but have slot machine rights that can be leased to other tribes, only the Hopi tribe does not have a compact.
In fact, the Pima-Maricopa Indian Community (see pages 24 & 25) had, perhaps, the hardest battle to finally get a compact. It spanned multiple lawsuits, a general election initiative (Pima-Maricopa was successful) and then even more lawsuits over a ridiculous span of three years. I'm sure there was a reason that Arizona made it so difficult for this tribe, but don't care enough to look further into it, and ultimately, the reason must have been ridiculous because the State was eventually forced to negotiate a compact with them.
Moreover, State of Arizona law, pursuant to the compacts, dictates minimum theoretical payouts for slot machines at 80%, video poker at 83% and keno at 75%. (See Link 1)
Although BBB's link does allow for both Class II and Class III machines, I've called the casino and they've not called back, yet. I'll try again tomorrow.
petroglyph

In fact, the Pima-Maricopa Indian Community (see pages 24 & 25) had, perhaps, the hardest battle to finally get a compact. It spanned multiple lawsuits, a general election initiative (Pima-Maricopa was successful) and then even more lawsuits over a ridiculous span of three years. I'm sure there was a reason that Arizona made it so difficult for this tribe, but don't care enough to look further into it, and ultimately, the reason must have been ridiculous because the State was eventually forced to negotiate a compact with them.

Maybe Az. didn't want competition for their scratch off tickets?

Slot Machines For Sale

Could be Zcore knows something about this?
Thanks for putting this info out, I am going to be in the Phoenix area in the next few weeks.
odiousgambit

l i came across(10minutes ago) an article that talks of class 2 slots not being so random!


that exclamation point suggests the article would have you believe class 2 is better. That is the opposite of the usual opinion, so I would take what it says with a grain of salt.
I suppose it is possible there are times, depending on number of players, when class II treats you as well or even better. The one thing you can say for sure is that it is idiotic to think you are playing a game of skill like video poker only to realize you are playing on a class II. Players dislike that for sure.

Different Classes Of People

I wouldn't mind seeing that article if it is a link you can post.
the next time Dame Fortune toys with your heart, your soul and your wallet, raise your glass and praise her thus: “Thanks for nothing, you cold-hearted, evil, damnable, nefarious, low-life, malicious monster from Hell!” She is, after all, stone deaf. .. Arnold Snyder
travisl
In Washington State, all slot-like machines are Class II, but may be based on bingo (where the button says 'daub' and a bingo board appears in the corner of the screen) or on pull tabs (which are deceptively indistinguishable from real slot machines).
Zcore13

Maybe Az. didn't want competition for their scratch off tickets?
Could be Zcore knows something about this?
Thanks for putting this info out, I am going to be in the Phoenix area in the next few weeks.

Closest casino to spirit lake iowa city. Come play in the area’s unique blue waters or visit nearby museums and amusement parks. We’re also near Polaris Industries, Rembrandt Foods, and Lakes Regional Healthcare. Conveniently located off US-71, our non-smoking hotel is on the course of Brooks Golf Club and just a short drive from Lake Okoboji in the fun-filled Iowa Great Lakes region.


As far as I know every slot in Casino Arizona is Class III. Same as at my Casino. The Compact does allow for some minimal use of Class II slots, but I don't know of any Tribe that is using them.
ZCore13
I am an employee of a Casino. All the personal opinions I post are my own and do not represent the opinions of the Casino or Tribe that I work for.
bigfoot66

I am a frequent player at Casino Arizona Talking Stick Resort. I have been playing slots @TSR for about a year. I did well during 4th quarter of '14. I starter to almost recognize a for sure losing machine pretty quickly. Sadly, can not recognize the winners at all =)
This casinos slots seem to be pretty 'tight' and love to 'tease'. I have read so much about slots in the last year that i keep playing at TSR KNOWING it is just luck.. until i came across(10minutes ago) an article that talks of class 2 slots not being so random! Which would make a lot of sense why i just witnessed a woman drop 5500.00 on a .50 keno machine and won less than 100.
HOW CAN I DETERMINE if my casino is using class 2 or class 3 or a combination of both? Who do i ask? What do i look for?


If you are looking for a better gamble and would like to get comps I would highly recommend you keep driving east of Talking Stick to Fort Mcdowell, the games are much looser and they are far more generous with comps.

Different Classes Of Slot Machines 2017

Vote for Nobody 2016!