New directive for casinos and pennies in Nevada

Back in November of 2025 the Treasury Department stopped making pennies as the cost was more than double what the coin was worth. But the Nevada Gaming Control Board says talk nationally of discontinuing penny manufacturing began in early 2025. That’s when they started talking to those who could be greatly impacted: namely the casinos.

“There were some really, really deeper discussions with the industry,” says Chen Lengsavath, Gaming Control Board Taxes and Licenses Director. “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.”

Lengsavath says they also talked to other casinos around the state and even small establishments who have gaming licenses about their plans to handle the penny problem.

In March a notice to licensees went out to explain what the gaming control board expects from casinos and restricted licensees. The directive says licensees can only round up to the nearest five cents and that they may round up or down to the nearest nickel increment.

Patrons must be notified as to the establishment’s decision through signage--particularly anywhere a ticket can be redeemed. Kiosks and on-screen message boards should have the information as well.

As far as deductions to gross gaming revenue. Lengsavath says documentation must be thorough.

“The licensees would have the option of either deduct or not,” says Lengsavath. “So, we have to make sure they pay the correct taxes for that. We have multi-operators on the strip and even in Northern Nevada too, and for some the larger ones they estimated it could be in the hundreds of thousands that could affect them.”

The Gaming Control Board says liscensees can round up, or a combination of up and down only. And some licensees have expressed an interest in allowing patrons the option of donating amounts that aren’t in five cent increments.

The gaming control board will consider this option a donation by the patron to a charity after an initial payout. However the customer’s donation cannot be deducted from gross gaming revenue.