Las Vegas Accessibility Guide for Slot Machine Enthusiasts
Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 2010/02/01 - Updated: 2025/05/28
Publication Type: Informative
Category Topic: Accessible Games and Gaming - Academic Publications
Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates
Synopsis: This information provides a comprehensive and practical guide for people with disabilities and seniors planning to visit Las Vegas to play slot machines, focusing on accessibility, transportation, and accommodations. It details how Las Vegas casinos and hotels have historically prioritized accessibility, often exceeding legal requirements, with features such as wheelchair ramps, accessible rooms, pool lifts, and readily available wheelchairs. The article lists local transportation services and wheelchair or scooter rental providers, making it easier for visitors to plan their stay. It also offers a brief history of slot machines, explains their evolution, and outlines why they remain a popular, low-barrier form of entertainment for many, including those with mobility challenges. Authored by an experienced editor and advocate for the social model of disability, the guide is authoritative and useful for anyone seeking accessible gaming experiences in Las Vegas, offering actionable information and resources to support independent travel and enjoyment for disabled visitors and seniors - Disabled World (DW).
Introduction
Did you know some 43,000,000 Americans have one or more physical or mental disabilities, which is increasing as the population grows older? That means that one in every 5.8 Americans had at least one disability.
Main Content
Nevada has over 10,000 severely disabled in wheelchairs, and 55,000 residents have been issued permanent handicapped parking rights. With today's Las Vegas population, it means that approximately 81,000 residents are disabled, and out of the 36 million people that visited Las Vegas this year, 2.8 million were disabled!
Accessible Casinos in Las Vegas
Las Vegas casinos treated the disabled as first-class citizens even before the ADA told them they had to.
Kerkorian built the Las Vegas Hilton and the MGM (Now Bally's) with ramps to accommodate wheelchairs. Wheelchairs were also kept on hand and were easily signed out for the use of hotel and casino guests. Security personnel were available to push ill or injured guests from one location to another.
All new casinos and hotels fully comply with ADA when they open for business. So, too, are all of the new restaurants, stores, and office buildings, supermarkets have electric carts that will be loaned to the wheelchair-bound or seniors that have difficulty walking, and parking spots for the disabled are all over the valley. Las Vegas is excellent accessibility-wise for disabled visitors.
Las Vegas Hotels
- All Vegas hotels are disabled accessible.
- Room designs and special services vary among hotels. Talk to the hotel concierge for any special requests or needs.
- Many hotel pools have lifts available to assist guests with disabilities - ask the hotel reservations agent when booking a room.
Disability Transportation
There are several companies in Vegas that offer transportation for visitors in wheelchairs:
- Nevada Medi-Car: (702) 382-5820
- Showtime Shuttle: (702) 261-6100
- Las Vegas Transportation: (702) 248-2631
Wheelchair Rentals
There are a few companies in town that offer wheelchair or scooter rentals for visitors:
- Scootaround: (888) 441-7575
- Scooters4Less Inc.: (877) 524-5308
- Ability Center: (702) 434-3030
- Active Mobility: (702) 736-4399
- Medical N Mobility: (702) 233-3770
- Mesa Medical: (702) 263-8511
- Universal Mobility Equipment:(800) 852-3006
- Better Life Mobility Center: (702) 876-9606
- Desert Medical Equipment:(702) 876-9171
- Las Vegas Wheelchairs:(888) 678-6267
For many elderly and even not so older adults, playing slots is still the most enjoyable and relaxing form of gambling. With this in mind, we have compiled some interesting slot machine facts and fiction.
- The slot machine was invented in 1895 by Charles Fey of San Francisco, California.
- The first slot machine was called Liberty Bell. Three bells in a row produced the biggest payout to the grand sum of ten nickels. Still, slots did not become popular until Bugsy Siegel installed them in his Flamingo Hilton hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada, resulting in overnight success and a thriving gaming device industry.
- Slot machines are known in the UK as fruit machines, in Australia as poker machines (pokies), and in the USA as slot machines. Slot machines are commonly found in pubs, clubs, arcades, and casinos.
- Slot machines owe a lot of their popularity because they can be played at the player's own pace with no skill required. They have evolved over the years from simple three-reel machines with each reel containing 20 symbols to the random number generated machines in today's casinos, with each reel sometimes containing hundreds of symbols.
- Today, these so-called 'one-armed bandits can be found in casinos worldwide in hundreds of different models and coin denominations to suit every player, including mechanical reels, electro-mechanical video, and the new touch screen styles. With just a touch on the screen, you can change from poker games to slots, from three to nine reels, or other games such as 21 (Blackjack), Keno, Video Poker, or Poker Bingo.
- The game's object is to win money from the machine. The game usually involves matching symbols on mechanical reels that spin and stop to reveal one or several symbols on a video screen. Casinos offer slot machines with denominations from $.01 or penny slots up to $100.
- Slot machines have various winning combinations of symbols. If a player matches a certain combination, the slot machine "pays out" either in cash or as different games. Nine-line slots with a bonus round and scattered symbols (scatters) are becoming popular. Most accept variable amounts of credit to play with. The higher the amount bet, the higher the payout will be.
- Most slot machines are programmed to pay out between 80 and 99 percent of coins (including jackpot payoffs). Although several machines may be located beside each other and look the same, they could be programmed to payout an entirely different percentage rate.
Slot players don't lose because they never win; they lose because they don't quit when they're ahead.
Insights, Analysis, and Developments
Editorial Note: Las Vegas has made significant strides in becoming an inclusive destination for all visitors. The city's commitment to accessibility is evident in its infrastructure, services, and entertainment options, ensuring that individuals with disabilities can experience the excitement of Las Vegas without unnecessary barriers. As the population ages and the number of individuals with mobility challenges increases, such resources become increasingly important in promoting inclusive travel experiences. Today, Las Vegas stands out as a destination where accessibility is woven into the fabric of its hospitality and gaming industries, not just as a regulatory requirement but as a commitment to inclusivity. For disabled travelers and seniors, knowing that practical support and accessible amenities are readily available can transform a trip from daunting to enjoyable. As the gaming industry continues to innovate, maintaining and improving accessibility ensures that everyone, regardless of mobility, can share in the excitement and social experience of Las Vegas - Disabled World (DW).
Author Credentials: Ian is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, a leading resource for news and information on disability issues. With a global perspective shaped by years of travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed proponent of the Social Model of Disability-a transformative framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that emphasizes dismantling societal barriers rather than focusing solely on individual impairments. His work reflects a deep commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.