A Guide to New Pokies (Australia)

Playing pokies is as popular as ever in Australia. The pastime is enjoyed by over 20 million adults aged 18yrs to 39yrs, with online pokies account for 72% of the action.

What are Pokies?

Pokies are gambling machines that spin reels with symbols on them. They are also known as slot machines. In Australia, pokies can be found in pubs, clubs and hotels. You can also find pokies available online to play for free or real money. There is no one definitive answer for where the term ‘pokies’ comes from, but one popular theory is that it is short for ‘poker machines’.

Pokies History

The first poker machine was invented in the late 19th century by a man named Charles Fey. His machine had 3 spinning reels with 5 symbols on each: horseshoes, diamonds, spades, hearts and a Liberty Bell (which is where the machine got its name).

Pokies really took off in Australia in the 1980s, when state governments began legalising them as a way to generate revenue. Today there are over 200,000 poker machines across Australia.

Online however, the story is slightly different. Although online gambling is growing in popularity in Australia, the country’s Interactive Gambling Act of 2001 makes it illegal for companies to offer online casino games or poker to Australian residents. This means that you won’t find any licensed and regulated online casinos based in Australia. However, there are plenty of offshore casinos that cater to Australian players.

Australia's most popular online pokies providers

Pokies providers are the software companies that create the games and distribute them with licensing to the pokies operators.

Below I have listed the top 7 pokies providers between 2010 - 2022

1. Aristocrat - Queen of the Nile, 50 Dragons, Big Red

2. IGT - Cleopatra, Pharaoh's Fortune, Davinci Diamonds

3. Ainsworth - Mustang Money, Emperor, Eagle Bucks

4. WMS - Raging Rhino, Zeus, Spartacus

5. Novomatic - Book of Ra 6, Dolphin's Pearl Deluxe, Sizzling Hot Deluxe

6. Playtech - Age of the Gods, Gladiator, Great Blue

7. Microgaming - Thunderstruck II, Avalon II, Game of Thrones

Top of the pile is Aristocrat. It comes as no surprise to myself and other Australia pokies experts that the king of providers is the long running Aristocrat software. With hit games like 50 Dragons and Big Red, the folks at Aristocrat can not put a foot wrong with Aussies.

Another provider worth speaking on briefly is IGT. IGT stands for International Game Technology. This company has been around since 1981 and is one of the most popular in the world. IGT provides games to land-based, online and mobile casinos.

WMS is also huge in Australia. You will find WMS pokies mostly in online casinos but you do spot them at clubs and hotels. Raging Rhino is one of their most played slots down under.

Novomatic, Playtech and Microgaming are three other top providers that have a great selection of online pokies for Australian players.

New Online Pokies for 2022

Online is definitely leading the way with pokies and how people choose to play pokies. Far less people, especially women, want to play pokies in the backroom of a local bar or club. Why would they, and why would you, when you can easily find new pokies online just as easy finding the nearest burger joint or movie theatre using your mobile phone or laptop?

Below I have listed the top 5 pokies for the year of 2022. (Data provided by various pokies review sites and resources, writers, and operators)

1. Gonzo's Quest (NetEnt) - Launched in 2010, Gonzo's Quest is a classic that has stood the test of time and still remains one of the most popular online pokies today.

2. Starburst (NetEnt) - Another NetEnt classic, Starburst was launched in 2012 and continues to be a firm favourite with players around the world.

3. Mega Moolah (Microgaming) - The king of jackpot slots, Mega Moolah has been providing life-changing wins to lucky players since 2006.

4. Cleopatra (IGT) - One of the most popular land-based slots of all time, Cleopatra was originally created by IGT back in the 1990s. The online version is just as popular, and features the same iconic symbols and gameplay that made the original so popular.

5. Davinci Diamonds (IGT) - Another IGT classic, Davinci Diamonds was originally released in land-based casinos back in 2003. The online version is just as popular, and features tumbling reels instead of traditional spinning reels for even more ways to win.

So there you have it, my guide to the top 7 pokies providers and my top 5 pokies for the year of 2022. I hope this guide has been helpful and informative. If you have any questions or would like to add anything, please feel free to leave a comment below or contact me direct. Thanks for reading!

Sources: NoDepositPokies.com / AskGamblers / CasinoMate