Best Real Money Pokies Online

Unless you are from Australia, you have probably never heard the term "pokies" used in the context of gambling. The slang term is short for "poker machines", but it refers to more than just video poker; it is the name given to all types of gaming machines. In fact, the most popular pokies are what would be called slot machines in many other regions of the world.

Australians love their pokies. When it comes to the number of slot machines, no country in the world beats Australia, except for the two tiny landlocked places that happen to specialize in casinos and the gaming industry, Macau and Monaco. Of the 196,900 or so machines in Australia, one for every 114 people, the vast majority, 93 percent, are located in 12 local jurisdictions. These jurisdictions have found a way to limit the number of machines and also make sure that the machines somehow manage to siphon off an average of $394 per minute.

Today, you can get your gambling fix without even having to travel to a land-based betting house or live in Australia. We have found the best real money pokie machines on the Internet and the best online casinos where you can play them. Since Internet gambling is a crapshoot in and of itself, we have taken the hard work out of finding a safe, reliable online casino for you and made an easy-to-read list of recommendations to help you get started.

This page provides insight into the most important facets of an online casino and how our cadre of experts decide which sites to recommend and how to rank them. The discussion branches out into a few different varieties of pokies, with a consideration of the legality of playing these chance-based digital slot machines in various locations. The experts seem a little split on the legality issue, but give a thumbs up to playing them in most places. Based on their recommendations, it's a good idea to consider playing these games.

Why These Sites are the Best

Our list of recommended online casinos and sportsbooks does not come easily. To even have a chance of being considered for our experts' list of recommended destinations, a site must first perform well in a variety of areas. Some of these areas are fairly easy to judge - they are more or less measurable. For example, we look at the actual prices a site offers its players, the average payout speed, and the house edge. We also consider many criteria that are more qualitative, or that we care about because of what they signal about the site. The design of the site is important to us: Is it easy to navigate? How effectively can we bet on the various markets offered? Customer service is important to us: Does this site provide helpful and fast support when questions or problems arise? And then we come to security: Is it really safe to bet at this site? We only place our recommendations on sites that win the overall security contest. These three attributes - price, design quality and security - are just the tip of the iceberg.

Some of these are quantifiable, such as odds, average payout speed and house edge, while other factors we consider are more subjective, such as site design, customer service and security.

The three attributes listed here are among our highest priorities. However, they represent only a small portion of the many vital ingredients required to build a gaming site worthy of our recommendation to our readers.

Types of Real Money Online Pokies

The term "pokies" is an Australian word that covers many different types of gaming machines. The word is short for "poker machine" and it is believed that this is because one of the first betting houses in the country had a game similar to today's video poker. Now the name has stuck, even though the type of poker that most people play seems to resemble a slot machine much more than it has anything to do with poker.

Slot-like Pokies

Most pokie machines that resemble a slot machine use five reels, although some locations offer classic three-reel games. Most of the time, these machines deliver the experience on a video screen, but some still use physical reels. However these entertainers deliver spins, they rely on random number generators to decide when wins occur. While these games may seem indistinguishable from American-style slot machines, they don't work quite the same way.

The symbol on the screen is where the player places a bet. The most popular versions of the screen, known as 243 ways, allow a variety of symbols to appear. In these games, landing an icon on the far left, far right or anywhere in between on three consecutive reels creates a winning combination. Match these icons with a pay line and the results can be spectacular.

Consolidating on the three consecutive lines of the slot machine is rewarded with payouts of varying amounts. Essentially, we have a payout table for the three adjacent lines. But to win, we also have the requirement of at least three symbols in a row; they do not have to touch or line up perfectly (hence a nice distinction in the payout table). What can be touching or almost touching gives the player a very large payout.

There are countless Australian pokies available to play online, offering a myriad of themes and types of different rules to follow. Many of the best real money online pokie variations are of extremely high quality, with graphics and animations that make for an entertaining experience. And as far as bonus features go, some of these games could practically be classified as "bonus feature machines". In fact, with their combination of visual appeal and many ways to win, some of the most eye-catching pokies could be classified as "entertainment machines with a gambling aspect".

Video Poker Machines

The source of the name comes from the video poker machine. Almost identical to the poker machines found in casinos around the world, these video versions can be found in many of the best online gambling sites. Classic versions of the game such as Deuces Wild, Double Bonus, Jokers Wild and others are available to play at these sites.

These games, as usual, allow the player a bit more control over the fate that awaits them, including the delightful option of discarding any of the cards dealt at the beginning and acting as if you had been dealt better hands. The goal, of course, is to create a poker hand that beats all other poker hands, with the Royal Flush as the ultimate prize.

Table Games Pokies

The pokies in Australia also have a number of slot machines that are based on casino table games. Most of these are variations of Blackjack or 21, but with a twist in each game. Some of these games reward you with bigger payouts when you're dealt pairs, others have bonuses related to your hands being suited; and there are all kinds of blackjack to play!

You will also discover a variety of video roulette games. One site we checked offered French roulette, American roulette, European roulette and multi-player roulette. So if you enjoy picking numbers or choosing between red and black, there is no shortage of virtual roulette games available at the top real money online poker sites.

Legality of Real Money Pokies Online

In Australia, the government has legalized a number of gambling activities and most people are very happy with these decisions. Very few complaints are ever heard about the legal status of gambling in general when betting in a land-based environment. The scenario changes a bit when it comes to people betting on online gambling activities.

Online Gambling in Australia

Since the summer of 2001, Australian lawmakers have made it illegal to offer real-money interactive online gambling to citizens of the country. In fact, it's even illegal to advertise such products to the folks down under. But the funny thing is that these laws don't apply directly to Australian citizens. It's technically legal for them to visit these sites and gamble to their hearts' content. Millions of dollars are wagered over the Internet every year by the giddy citizens of Australia.

Real Money Online Pokies Outside of Australia

Although they are prohibited from offering their services directly to Australian punters, the companies behind online gambling sites can still set up shop in the country. Australian-owned gambling sites can cater to customers well beyond the country's borders, adding another layer of confusion to an already murky situation.

Regardless of the situation, you as an individual have nothing to worry about. Enjoying the best real money online pokies is perfectly legal and safe. If a site wants to dare the Australian authorities and risk being fined, that's up to them. You and I have the right to bet on the sites of our choice.

Virtually all online casinos that offer their services to Australian customers are located outside the jurisdiction of Australia. They are not subject to Australian law and can therefore operate freely. As a result, the online casino laws in Australia are almost useless.

If you want to know more about the legal side of playing online pokies, we've set up a page that covers gambling laws in a whole bunch of different places. You'll find out which of your betting activities are on the up-and-up in your neck of the woods, which regulators are keeping an eye on things, and which of the best gambling sites in your country are playing by the book.

For more information, follow this link:

Other Real Money Casino Games

In Australia, the term "pokies" encompasses a wide variety of gambling machines that vary greatly in appearance, but are required by law to pay back at least 85 percent of the money wagered. Machines similar to those found in Las Vegas casinos (as well as those that once existed in Macau), but without the house edge, can be found in the Australian outback and every metropolitan area in between. Not only are they a legal form of entertainment found almost everywhere in the country, but they are also a popular one. A study by the Australian Casino Control Commission found that from 1997 to 2004, the number of jackpots awarded on the machines skyrocketed from 100 million to 802 million.

The laws in Australia make it easier for people from outside the country to play the best real money pokies online than for Australian residents. Although Australian companies provide an online betting service to the rest of the world, offshore based operations are the ones that take up online residence for Australian citizens. However, as the laws currently stand, by 2024 you could be playing any of your favorite pokie games from anywhere in the world, provided you can access the right websites.

If you ever get tired of the countless types of pokies, there are still plenty of other gambling pursuits to take part in. On our Real Money Casinos page, you can find not only guides to many of the classic casino games - such as Blackjack, Baccarat, Keno and Roulette - but also the safest and best betting sites on the Internet, should you wish to partake in these diversions.

For the next gaming activity you want to learn about, our team of professionals has already created a page where you can get the down-low on the game's rules, the player's odds, the optimal strategies to reduce the house edge, and the all-important information regarding the game's legal status in your neck of the woods. Want to "learn" about another casino game or real money betting in general? Click on the links to follow the trail.