Nevada casinos adapt to U.S. discontinuation of penny production with new rounding rules

The end of penny production is forcing changes in Nevada casinos.

The U.S. Treasury Department halted production of the one-cent coin in November 2025, citing costs that exceeded more than twice the coin’s face value. However, according to the Nevada Gaming Control Board, discussions about eliminating the penny had already begun earlier that year.

State regulators initiated conversations in early 2025 with casino operators and other gaming license holders to prepare for the potential impact.

“There were some really, really deeper discussions with the industry,” Chen Lengsavath, Gaming Control Board Taxes and Licenses Director, told KOLO. “Just whoever we could talk to or who wanted to talk about it, and that was pretty much the big places down on the strip.”

In March, the board issued formal guidance outlining how licensees should handle transactions without pennies. Under the directive, casinos and other gaming establishments must round transactions to the nearest five cents. They may choose to round up, down, or apply a combination of both, but rounding must always align with nickel increments.

The policy also requires businesses to clearly notify patrons of their rounding practices. Notices must be displayed in areas where tickets are redeemed, including kiosks and digital message boards.

The changes could have financial implications for operators. Lengsavath noted that casinos may choose whether to deduct rounding differences from their gross gaming revenue, but emphasized the importance of accurate documentation to ensure proper tax reporting.

“The licensees would have the option of either deducting or not,” said Lengsavath. “So, we have to make sure they pay the correct taxes for that," she said, adding that some larger operators estimate potential impacts in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Additionally, some licensees have expressed interest in allowing patrons to donate leftover amounts that cannot be evenly rounded. The board said such contributions would be treated as charitable donations made after payouts are completed.

However, regulators clarified that these donations cannot be deducted from gross gaming revenue.

The board said it continues to monitor how the transition away from pennies affects both operators and patrons statewide.