2025 Predictions for the Slots Gaming Industry

Introduction to 2025 Predictions

The U.S. economy is experiencing tremendous change. As the economy changes, so does the slot gaming industry. But how will it change? These are my predictions for slot machine manufacturers, casinos, slot players, and creators of YouTube slots channels.

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This Discussion isn’t Political

Although we discuss an inherently political topic, this is not a political commentary. Despite feeling I’ve learned a lot about them quickly, I’m neither a political nor a tariff expert. I don’t care about your politics, and I’m not bringing my politics into this either. Facts are neither hostile nor political. They’re just facts.

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Please be respectful and kind, and let’s focus on the slot enthusiasts’ aspect. I am concerned with how you, as slot machine players, can prepare for tariffs and how they may or may not impact you.

Tariffs and the U.S. Economy

Due to Trump’s tariffs, the increased cost of steel and electronic chips will increase the cost of items requiring so much of both, such as slot machines. This means slot machine manufacturers will encounter push-back when they pass on that cost to their clients, the casinos.

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Remember what happened in casinos during the pandemic when slot machine manufacturers shut down their factories? When a slot machine broke, it stayed broken because parts weren’t available. During the pandemic, this was partly aggravated by employees being out sick. But the equivalent now is immigrant workers being deported.

Expect casinos to cut back on buying new slot machines due to the exorbitant cost. Also, expect broken slot machines to stay broken. This period lasted around six months during the pandemic. But how long will it last this time?

As reported in the New York Times’ article “Uncertainty Over Trump’s Tariffs Paralyzes U.S. Businesses,” a barrage of tariffs is facing a reckoning. Companies are reassessing their product lines, making supply changes, and even putting their operations on hold. Reducing slot machine manufacturing would be just another example of this general trend.

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Casinos have gotten used to making a lot of money since the pandemic. But do you remember what happened for two years or so after the worst of the pandemic? Casinos were surprised financially when they suddenly had to close for one to three months. When they reopened, they lowered the odds for two years or so if they managed to reopen. Why? To make back what they lost. To make back four, five, and six times what their investors lost.

Slots players have gotten used to everything working, and new slot machines are constantly being rolled out. We’ll survive this if we stick together as a community and support one another. We are not alone.

But let’s get specific with my top three predictions for the slots industry in 2025.

Slot Machine Manufacturing

There’s been a flurry of news about tariffs. The fact is, it passed. The real consequences will hit U.S. consumers around Memorial Day. But we’ll see the effect of tariffs beginning May 2, 2025, one month after their April 2 start.

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The last container import at the Port of Los Angeles was on April 30th. Seattle’s import for goods was on April 27th, and the Port of New York’s last import is on May 10th. Then, there will be no more imports from China.

A 145% tariff on millions of Americans’ purchases just went into effect. Since math percentages can be confusing, let’s translate this 145% into slot gambling terms: if you go into a casino with $100 and leave with $245, that’s a 145% increase. You’ve made nearly one and a half times what you brought with you. That’s how much yarn, patio furniture, clothes, photography equipment, and electronics will increase.

That’s how much slot machines will cost casinos to purchase. Before all this, a modern slot machine like the ones you play cost the casino $20,000. Shortly, estimates are that they will cost $49,000.

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Therefore, casinos will not buy slot machines from manufacturers. My 2025 prediction for slot machine manufacturers is that sales will drop like a stone. But the effect won’t be immediate, as manufacturers have stockpiled slot machines.

Only the slot machines that have yet to be manufactured from the parts to be received will be impacted.

So, there’s some time before the worst happens. Perhaps around the end of 2025, we’ll see sales dropping. As with so many things, stay tuned.

Casinos

Casinos are about to have three major issues.

• New slot machines are getting significantly more expensive.
• Repairing broken slot machines will slow down and stop.
• Immigrants serve in casinos as deportations expand.

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A consequence of manufacturers increasing the cost of slot machines is that casinos must decide if they can afford them. Do they have the budget for it? If casino revenue remains the same, which is unlikely as I’ll discuss shortly, they’d only purchase half as many slot machines as they’d planned because of that 145% tariff effect.

As we talked about, that price increase won’t happen until the stock empties. The original price is locked in if slot machines are on order. But that’s only the beginning. The number of new slot machines installed will slow by half or more by the end of the year.

Do you remember the 2020 pandemic? I was reviewing my live streams from that time, and they reminded me of what it was like. Yes, all casinos closed. But then they slowly reopened, sometimes after moving slot machines further apart on the casino floor.

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But over the next few months, something else started happening. Slot machines started breaking down and weren’t repaired. They’d sit there with a work order taped to the screen.

I remember visiting Indiana Grand, now Horseshoe Indianapolis, and seeing hundreds of slot machines broken with work orders taped to their screens. Broken slot machines accumulated over six months before workers could return and had the necessary parts to fix them. I was there. I remember, and perhaps so do you.

The third difficulty for casinos has nothing to do with slot machines. It has everything to do with immigrants working at casinos. I live in Reno and have been speaking with casino employees. They’re scared.

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But the managers also tell me that immigrants run casinos. They are managers, clerks, attendants, slot technicians, cleaning staff, restaurant workers, etc. If these people are deported, casinos cannot replace hundreds or thousands of staff.

Slot Machine Gamblers

My third prediction for 2025 is for us. The higher costs of essentials like eggs mean we’ll have less discretionary income to spend on slot gambling.

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We’ll never stop, because this is gambling, we’re talking about, but gambling less is in the cards, as they say. Reducing gambling in our lives, even if it doesn’t mean going to the casino less often, means less income for the casinos.

YouTube Slot Channel Creators

My bonus prediction for 2025 is for the creators of YouTube slot channels. Tough times have already arrived as advertisers are reducing their advertising funding. Ad dollars are how most slot channels make money.

What might these creators do? They may get a day job and will no longer be full-time YouTubers. Laying off staff is also likely. On the outside looking in, we may see video quality slip or fewer videos being produced.

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I’ve already significantly reduced my expenditures over the last year and a half, got a day job, and started three new YouTube channels! Two of these channels are gaming channels.

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• J. Hiram Peacel, Aspiring Science Fiction Author
• Jon Frith, Aspiring Fantasy Author

Summary of 2025 Predictions

Slot machine manufacturers, casinos, slot players, and creators of YouTube slots channels are experiencing tremendous change due to the U.S. economy dealing with tariffs and more. And if not now, they soon will. How do we get through this? By focusing on the community and supporting one another.

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