Casino Guests Turn Spare Change Into $1M for Charity

What if tossing your spare quarters into a charity jar could add up to a million dollars?

That's exactly what happened at Atlantis Casino Resort Spa in Reno and Monarch Casino Resort Spa in Black Hawk, Colorado. Casino guests have now donated over $1 million to local charities through a simple program that lets them give away their leftover slot machine change.

Here's how it works. When players cash out their slot tickets at kiosks throughout the casino, they can donate their remaining cents to nonprofits instead of taking every penny. The technology from IGT and Everi gives guests options to support organizations like the Food Bank of Northern Nevada, American Cancer Society, Make-A-Wish Foundation, and the Navy SEAL Foundation.

The numbers add up fast. Atlantis operates 12 donation kiosks across its casino floor, while Monarch Black Hawk has multiple machines available. Each location collects about $400 per day in guest donations, all from the small change that many people would have forgotten in their pockets anyway.

Atlantis became the first northern Nevada casino to launch the Everi Cares Giving Module. The program reached its $1 million milestone on April 15, 2026, proving that even tiny contributions create enormous impact when enough people participate.

Steve Ringkob, Corporate Director of Slot Operations for Monarch Casino & Resort, Inc., celebrated the achievement. "Reaching the $1 million milestone is a testament to the generosity of our guests," he said. "It proves that even the smallest contributions can create a significant and lasting impact."

The Ripple Effect

This program shows how businesses can build giving directly into everyday transactions. Instead of asking for big donations that people might skip, the kiosks make it effortless to give amounts so small you barely notice them missing.

Those pennies and dimes fund meals for hungry families through food banks, grant wishes for seriously ill children, and support veterans and cancer research. What feels like spare change to one person becomes life-changing resources for entire communities.

Other casinos have noticed the success. The model demonstrates how thoughtful design can turn millions of small moments into massive charitable impact without requiring guests to open their wallets for additional donations.

Small change really can make a big difference when we all chip in together.