What are slot machine tickets? They are printed, barcoded vouchers that a gaming machine issues instead of coins when you cash out, showing the value of your credit. The system is called ticket-in, ticket-out (TITO): you can feed the ticket into another machine to play it or exchange it for cash at a kiosk or cashier.
A slot machine ticket is a barcoded voucher for your cashed-out credit, used in TITO systems.
You can redeem it for cash at a cashier or kiosk, or insert it into another machine in the same venue.
TITO grew out of US trials; IGT's EZ Pay system finished a Las Vegas field trial in September 2000.
In the UK, payment limits on machines apply whether you pay by cash, ticket or app wallet.
Arcade prize tickets are different: they're swapped for goods, not cash.
Also called
TITO, ticket-in ticket-out
What it holds
Your cashed-out credit
Redeem at
Cashier, kiosk or another machine
Common in
Casinos, AGCs, bingo halls
Online equivalent
None: your account balance
What are slot machine tickets? The short answer
A slot machine ticket is a paper voucher printed by a gaming machine when you press collect or cash out. It shows the amount of credit and a barcode linked to a central system that records every ticket issued and redeemed. Instead of a hopper dropping coins into a tray, you take the ticket to a kiosk or cashier, or feed it into another machine.
This page explains how TITO slot machines work in UK venues, where tickets came from, and how they differ from prize tickets in an arcade. It's part of our slot machine questions series.
How slot machine tickets work, step by step
Insert notes, coins (where taken) or a ticket; the machine shows your credit as money.
Play as normal; wins are added to the credit meter.
Press collect or cash out.
The machine prints a ticket for the credit and the central system records it as unpaid.
Take the ticket to a kiosk or cashier for cash, or insert it into another machine.
The barcode is scanned, checked against the system and marked as paid, so it can't be used twice.
Links the ticket to the central record so it can be validated once
Date and time
When it was printed, useful if there's a query
Machine or asset number
Which machine issued it
Venue name
Where it can be redeemed
Expiry or validity note
Present where the venue sets a time limit
Layouts vary by system and venue, so not every ticket shows every item. Treat a ticket like cash: whoever holds it can usually redeem it.
Where slot machine tickets came from
For most of slot history machines paid in coins. Bally's Money Honey, dated to 1963 or 1964 depending on the source, is credited with an automatic hopper that could pay out hundreds of coins. Coins were heavy, slow to count and easy to dispute, so casinos looked for an alternative.
According to the Wikipedia history of ticket-in, ticket-out (opens in a new tab), MGM set up a "Cashless Casino" consortium with Bally Gaming, IGT and Sigma Games, with a first trial at the Desert Inn (undated in the source). On 29 September 2000 IGT announced that its EZ Pay ticket system had completed a field trial at the Fiesta Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, leading to approval across Nevada. Our slot machine timeline and Las Vegas slots history put this in context.
From coins to tickets: key dates
Date
Development
1963/64
Bally Money Honey: automatic hopper payouts (sources differ on the year)
Undated
MGM Cashless Casino consortium trial at the Desert Inn
29 September 2000
IGT announces EZ Pay field trial completed; Nevada approval follows
2017
UK machines updated for the new 12-sided £1 coin
Slot machine tickets in UK venues
In Great Britain you're most likely to meet TITO in casinos, adult gaming centres, bingo halls and some betting shops, where several machines sit on one system. Pub fruit machines usually still pay coins from a hopper; see do pub machines pay out in cash. We haven't found a reliable date for when TITO first arrived in UK venues.
UK rules treat tickets like any other way of paying. The Commission's cashless payment guidance (opens in a new tab) says regulations limit the amount you can put in at once and the amount committed to play, whatever the method: cash, debit-card transfer, TITO or an operator's app wallet. It also expects a break before you get new funds. Debit cards still can't be used directly on machines; a May 2024 decision to lift that ban isn't in force. See debit cards on gaming machines.
Tickets vs coins, notes and cards
Ways to pay and get paid on UK machines
Method
Pay in?
Paid out?
Notes
Coins
Yes, on many machines
From the hopper
Common in pubs
Notes
Yes, via the validator
No
Change comes as credit or a ticket
TITO ticket
Yes, in the same venue
Yes, printed on cash-out
Casinos, AGCs, bingo halls
Debit card directly
No (ban still applies)
No
Lifting the ban announced, not in force
Credit card
No
No
Gambling on credit cards banned since 14 April 2020
Credit is shown as money on screen; the credit and credits meter glossary entries explain the display.
Lost, damaged or expired slot machine tickets
A lost ticket is like lost cash: anyone who finds it can usually redeem it. Because each ticket is logged centrally, staff may be able to trace an unredeemed ticket if you know the machine, time and amount, but whether they can reissue it is up to the venue. A crumpled ticket that won't scan can often be checked by hand at the cashier. Some venues put a time limit on tickets, so redeem them before you leave.
Arcade prize tickets are something different
Some amusement machines dispense tickets you collect and swap for goods at a prize counter. These are prize tokens, not money, and they're separate from TITO. Category D machines with non-money prizes have their own limits: 30p a play for prizes up to £8, and £1 a go for crane grabs with prizes up to £50, as set out in our guide to UK slot machine categories.
Age rules matter here. There's no statutory minimum age for Category D machines today; the industry has applied a voluntary 18+ policy to cash-paying Category D slot-style machines since 2021, and a planned offence for under-18s on those machines isn't in force. The government said "ticket-out" machines would be treated separately. See Category D age rules and can under-18s play arcade machines.
Online slots don't use tickets
Online, your balance lives in your casino account. Wins are added directly, and you withdraw to your bank or e-wallet. The record of each spin sits in your game history rather than on paper. Online vs land-based slot machines compares the two in detail.
Are slot machine tickets better for budgeting?
Advantages
Cashing out at a set point gives a clear stopping moment.
The ticket shows exactly what's left from your session.
No heavy coins or waiting for a hopper refill.
Drawbacks
Feeding a ticket into another machine is quick, which makes it easy to keep playing.
Tickets feel less like real money than notes in a wallet.
A lost ticket is usually lost money.
A useful habit is to cash out whenever you're ahead of your starting stake by a set amount and redeem that ticket at once. The slot session budget answer suggests ways to set the numbers.
Slot machine ticket myths
Tickets: myth vs fact
Myth
Fact
Playing a ticket instead of cash changes the odds
The RNG and paytable are the same whatever you pay with
A ticket from a machine that's been paying is lucky
Machines don't run hot or cold; each spin is independent
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18+. Gambling should be entertainment that costs money, not a way to make it. Decide a budget before you play: plan a slot budget. Free, confidential help: National Gambling Helpline 0808 8020 133.
Frequently asked questions
How do I cash a slot machine ticket?
Take it to the venue's cashier or a ticket redemption kiosk, where the barcode is scanned and checked against the central system, and you're paid the value in cash. You can also insert it into another machine in the same venue to carry on playing with the credit. Tickets usually only work in the venue, or group of venues, whose system printed them. Ask staff if a kiosk rejects it. The TITO slot machines page explains the system behind the barcode.
Do slot machine tickets expire?
Some do. The venue or its ticket system sets any time limit, and where there is one it's often printed on the ticket. We couldn't find a single UK rule fixing ticket expiry, so check the ticket or ask staff, and redeem tickets before you leave rather than keeping them for another visit. If a ticket has lapsed, it's worth asking the venue anyway, as the central record still shows it was issued. Playing slots in a UK casino covers casino routines.
What happens if I lose a slot machine ticket?
Treat it like losing cash. Anyone who finds the ticket can normally redeem it, and once it's been paid the system marks it as used. If it hasn't been redeemed, staff may be able to look it up if you know the machine number, time and amount, but whether they reissue it is the venue's decision. Report the loss quickly. Cashing out at the cashier straight away avoids the problem. See can I get my money back from a slot machine.
Can I use a slot ticket in a different casino?
Usually not. A ticket is validated against the system that printed it, so it normally only works in that venue or in sites sharing the same system. If you have a ticket from another venue, take it back there to cash it. Inside the issuing venue you can feed it into any machine on the system or exchange it at the cashier. The casino slot machines page explains how a casino floor is set up.
Do pub fruit machines give tickets?
Generally not. Most pub fruit machines are Category C machines that pay winnings in coins from a hopper, with an attendant paying any shortfall if the hopper runs low. TITO is far more common in casinos, adult gaming centres and bingo halls, where many machines share one system. A pub machine's top prize is £100, and it takes a maximum £1 stake. See do pub machines pay out in cash for the full answer.
Are slot machine tickets the same as arcade tickets?
No. A slot machine ticket is a cash voucher you redeem for money. Arcade prize tickets come from amusement games and are exchanged for goods at a prize counter; they have no cash value. Category D machines offering non-money prizes have their own stake and prize limits, such as 30p a play for prizes up to £8. Adults should be aware of the age rules before playing any arcade machine. See are arcade 2p machines gambling.
Does playing a ticket change my chances on a slot?
No. A ticket just loads credit onto the machine, exactly as cash would. The outcome of each game is decided by the random number generator and the game's maths, which don't know or care how you paid. A ticket printed after a big win isn't lucky, and starting a machine with a ticket doesn't make it more likely to pay. The answer to do slot machines remember past spins explains why.
Can I put a debit card in a slot machine instead?
Not in Great Britain at present. Regulations from 2007 stop debit card payments being used directly to play gaming machines, and contactless phone payments count the same as the card. The government decided in May 2024 to lift the ban once protections are in place, but no rule doing so is in force. Many venues let you buy credit or a ticket at a counter instead. Credit cards are banned for gambling altogether. See do slot machines take cards.
Why do venues use tickets instead of coins?
Tickets are quicker and more secure than coins. Machines don't need emptying and refilling as often, staff spend less time on hopper refills and handpays, and every ticket leaves a record that settles disputes about what a machine paid. The Wikipedia account of TITO notes it was also designed to make tampering and cheating harder. For players, the main difference is a voucher rather than a tray of coins. See slot machine hoppers for the coin side.
Gambling can be addictive. Free, confidential help is available 24 hours a day from the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133. Visit GamCare.org.uk and GamCare, or block yourself from all UK-licensed gambling sites with GAMSTOP.
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