Volumes have been written on this topic, and the disquiet and discussion about where the "hot" video slots are positioned in the casino are still ongoing – more than 60 years after slot games were first placed in casinos.
The classic rule is that the more favourable slots were positioned just inside the main entry of the casino; so that potential gamblers going by would be able to see jackpot winners and be enthralled to come into the casino … play. Our verdict is that this is definitely no longer true.
Nearly all of the major casinos presently are mammoth complexes and it’s no longer possible to see inside from the sidewalk, so there is no longer a reason to situate the ‘loose’ slot machines close-by any entrances or exits.
Another traditional rule is that loose slot machines are installed on the major aisles inside the casinos, again so that more persons could see winning jackpots and be motivated to play. Notably though, we find that this also is no longer a universal rule.
What casinos found over the years is that people walking down the busy aisles were frequently on the way to somewhere else. If they played the slots at all, they would simply put in their loose change because they happened to be walking by. Win or lose, they would very often not stop to keep playing. And the very last thing a casino wants is for someone to win a jackpot by playing only a few coins and then not stay to put it all back in!
These days, casinos are constantly changing their perspective about where to place the loose slots.