Reel Energy: Circa’s Slotapalooza Spins Up Interest In Downtown Vegas

Dubbed the “World’s Largest Slot Party,” Slotapalooza descended upon the Circa Resort & Casino in downtown Las Vegas last month, bringing with it extra attention on the “Glitter Gulch” and a glimpse at the ongoing vibrancy of the slot machine industry.

Slot tournaments aren’t a new concept. Casinos across the country frequently hold such events, but Slotapalooza was arguably a departure from the typical slot machine competition. A Circa representative told Casino Reports more than 800 people participated in the event and many of the attendees drove business to other Circa offerings, including non-gaming amenities such as Stadium Swim.

“Many of the Slotapalooza participants also spent time enjoying other parts of the casino,” Jacob Boardman, Circa public relations coordinator, told Casino Reports. “We had a jam-packed day of programming, so many people made a full day of it. I noticed that many folks arrived early for the all-day slot tournament, then stayed in the sportsbook for the boxing matches, and returned to slot machines for the Slotapalooza main event at 8 p.m.”

The event was met with enthusiasm by locals and tourists alike. Dallas resident Sarah Podley, 34, told Casino Reports she heard about slot tournaments in the past and decided to check out Slotapalooza on a break from Stadium Swim.

“I love slots, and the pace of play was exciting,” she said, referencing the brief time window contestants had to make headway in the event’s first round. “It [Slotapalooza] was free, something to do, and the possibility of winning something big was attractive.”

Janet Bonner, 42, a Las Vegas local, said she’s been going to Derek Stevens’ Circa since the venue opened in 2020 and was excited to partake in Slotapalooza because the event featured some of her favorite games, including International Game Technology’s Cleopatra.

“I’ve been coming to Circa for years and when I saw that Slotapalooza was coming and would have some of my favorite machines, I knew I was in,” Bonner said.

Slotapalooza sequel appears possible

Boardman noted that the day on which Slotapalooza took place, there was a modest uptick in registrations for Circa’s famed football contests, but that didn’t appear correlated to the slot tournament.

However, the slots-centric event was successful enough that a 2026 sequel is under consideration.

“Most guests loved how approachable the event was, as you didn’t need to be a slot expert to participate in any of the events,” Boardman said. “We’re already in discussions to bring it back next year, potentially with expanded offerings, but nothing has been confirmed yet.”

Framed as the largest event of its kind, Slotapalooza did notch some enviable statistics, including setting a record for the number of slot machines simultaneously active at Circa during the event’s evening round, and elevated overall spend at the casino resort.

The point regarding increased spending at Circa is noteworthy, particularly at a time when competing venues on the Las Vegas Strip are struggling with depressed visitation — an ominous trend confirmed by soft second-quarter earnings reports and one that analysts see lingering into the current quarter.

Good business for slot manufacturers

Slotapalooza wasn’t just a hit among players. Exhibiting companies, comprised of slots giants Aristocrat Leisure, Interblock, and Light & Wonder, hit jackpots of their own with Boardman noting all three companies reached their $5,000 or $10,000 pull limits within a mere 70 minutes.

Interblock featured electronic versions of table games such as blackjack and roulette, which have become increasingly popular with margin-conscious operators, while Aristocrat and Light & Wonder showed off some of their slots, including Huff n Puff and Spooky Link, that are already hits with players.

Slotapalooza arrived against an encouraging backdrop for the broader gaming device industry with the second-quarter Eilers & Krejcik survey showing replacements for that period rising 2% year-over-year with the total installation base pacing 10% ahead of the prior forecast.

“The survey suggests that purchasing has been resilient despite economic uncertainty and following a period that likely included some pull-forward in demand,” said Macquarie analyst Chad Beynon in a client note this Tuesday. “Participants expect to replace an average of 6.2% of casino-owned games on their floors over the next 12 months vs. 5.6% last quarter. Actual replacement activity continues to outperform expected replacement rates.”