Category: Australian Pokies

Online Pokies Australia

This category is for all Australian Online Pokies related articles, including the most popular pokie machines from Aristocrat Gaming and iGT. Whether you are looking to play Australian online pokies for real money you wanted to play Australian pokies online free you are in the right place. Check out our articles for hints, tips, and special offers relating to Aussie favourites like Queen of the Nile, Indian Dreaming, Big Red, More Chilli, Lucky 88, and 5 Dragons – just to name a few

Aristocrat Pokies Online – Heart of Vegas Slots App

Where & How To Play Aristocrat Pokies Free – And Why You Won’t

Today I’m going to show you where you can access and play Aristocrat Pokies online for free for as long as you like with no strings attached and no need to sell your first born child or sacrifice your neighbours goat – or any of that stuff.

I’m also going to show you why it’s not what we’d hoped and point out the biggest mistakes Aristocrat made when transitioning their much loved pokie games to the social casino world of online gambling and mobile casino apps.

Don’t get me wrong, I think this social casino app has its good points and does provide a modicum of entertainment when I’m stuck on the train of an evening, but overall I’m incredibly disappointed – not just with the options provided but also with the way the games play (and the inherent player experience that this provides). In fact I’d go so far as to say that the only part of this free mobile slots app that speaks any truth is the word “HEART” because I swear this annoying mobile pokies app will get your blood boiling and have you seeing red in no time at all.

But before we dive into the nitty gritty of the game let’s take a quick look at what it is and where it came from…..It’s time to learn about The Birds and the Bees of Heart of Vegas Slots

Aristocrat Gaming and Heart of Vegas Slots

Heart of Vegas is an online social app available through Facebook as well as the Google Play store and Apple iTunes making it yet another of a myriad of free online pokies and casino slots games that can be accessed and played on any device through social accounts like Facebook or Google+

Originally owned by Product Madness Incand purchased by Aristocrat to launch their Heart of Vegas app (which of course contained all their much loved and globally popular pokie games like Big Red, 5 Dragons and Queen of the Nile (to name but a few) – the acquisition (in September of 2014) – see Source at Yahoo Finance

Heart of Vegas a Reel Success

In the month since the Heart of Vegas app was launched on iOS„¢ for iPad„¢, the app has reached the top 50 in overall top grossing apps in the U.S. and top 15 grossing casino apps in the U.S.

“Aristocrat is all about delighting players with great gaming content. Heart of Vegas„¢ has been a runaway success, bringing our world class games to Facebook players everywhere. The early success of the iOS„¢ app builds on that momentum and provides further evidence of the growing importance of social and mobile gaming to Aristocrat’s broader strategy,” said Craig Billings, Aristocrat’s Chief Digital Officer.

With the introduction of the iOS app„¢, users can play both on Facebook and on iPad using the same account, adding more convenience and options for Heart of Vegas„¢ players.

Heat of Vegas quickly became the best selling and highest rated social casino app on iTunes. Note that the image shows 2013 but this should read 2014

Over the next 12 months up to the beginning of 2015 Aristocrat and their online identity ‘Product Madness’ have truly taken over the social casino market with their award winning app now available on Android, iPhone and MAC computers. And where there used to be 11 of the popular Aristocrat pokies available to play for free, players can now choose from over 60 (yes SIXTY!!) popular titles.

Aristocrat Have a $123 million win …on Free Pokies!

As the big wigs of Aristocrat Gaming counted their profits and losses as of September 2015 they were pleasantly surprised to find their (not so) new social gaming app [Heart of Vegas had helped improve revenue by 145.3% over the previous year,

contributing AU$123.4 million in revenue to Aristocrat's overall financial achievements for 2015.

Aristocrat explained further that the positive performance of the Heart of Vegas apps is a result of the successful strategic acquisition of VGT, which delivered both revenue and profit growth.

Aristocrat and Product Madness Dominate Social Casino Market

As a backgrounder, Aristocrat had acquired San Francisco-based social casino games developer Product Madness in 2012. Being the publisher of several widely played Facebook-based social casino games, the Product Madness acquisition enabled Aristocrat to reinforce its online gaming foothold by entering the social casino market.

At the time of the acquisition, Product Madness already ranked as one of the top five social casino slot operators at Facebook, having more than 500,000 active users daily, and about 3.5 million active users on a monthly basis. Aristocrat reports that today, the average number of active daily users has grown to 799,840, while actual users at year-end has reached 1.089 million. Daily revenue generated average at 38 U.S. cents or 0.53 AU cents per user.

Product Madness proclaims in its website that the Heart of Vegas social casino app remains the Number 1, top grossing iOS social casino app in Australia and among the top five highest grossing social casino apps in the U.S. market. Aristocrat's Chief Digital Officer Craig Billings had previously commented during the launch of the Heart of Vegas iOS app that it is a huge success at Facebook. Mainly because app users are given access to a number of free-to-play versions of Aristocrat's most popular land-based slot machine games, via the FB and mobile gaming platforms.

Boring Business Blurbs and blah-blah-blah

The Chief Executive Officer of Aristocrat, Mr. Jamie Odell said he foresees further growth in overall digital revenue, as he anticipates further increase in the Heart of Vegas app's number of active daily users. Still, the Aristocrat CEO maintains a conservative view by saying that the average revenue realised from active daily users and the related margins will temper throughout 2016, as Aristocrat matures into new channels and hits scale.

Not-So-Boring Aristocrat Pokies you can play for free!

Want to know what we think of the games as well as see individual reviews and tips for the 10 or so we like (hey, you think we’re going to review and give you hot tips for all 66 titles?!

Check out our in-depth Heart of Vegas Slots Review and we’ll not only show you what pokies payout the most, we’ll also share some tips on getting the most free daily credits possible – because unless you want these free pokies to start costing some serious coin you are going to need all the free credits you can get. Simply CLICK HERE to check it out.

Tell em’ they’re dreaming son! (and that you don’t care that they saw it in the Trading post for 150 bucks.)

Flamin Gallah Pokies – The Perfect Punt at Home & Away

One could say it’s the perfect pokie for Home & Away but then one is already due for a good thumping for bad puns and dad jokes so ‘one’ shall just shutup and be over in the corner if you need him….

We recently posted an article that highlighted the most popular Aristocrat Pokies and other branded games that Australians love to play both online and down at the local pub – and you can check out the article here.

What this article did – apart from remind us how successful and popular the Aristocrat brand is – was point out that when it comes to Aussie favourites, there is nothing patriotic about our choices, and in fact if Big Red was not on the top ten list I’d be inclined to say it was a very un-Australian list indeed.

And that got us ~~drinking~~ thinking….

A True Blue Australian Pokie?

What if they made a real Australian themed pokie machine? And I’ not talking cliched images of the outback and kangaroos here either – Big Red already has that aspect of things covered – no, what if there was a pokie that was quintessentially Australian – to the point that even if it was placed in the main casino floor of a major Vegas casino you could still pick it as being ‘as Australian as getting knocked out by a Sheila in thongs’

And then we thought about the bloke who’s so Australian he’d tell that Sheila in thongs to “shut up and get me a beer” and proceed to throw down 12 beers, a meat pie, 3 Kebabs and a bag of chips (Seagulls don’t pester this bloke) while watching the cricket and playing 2-up…

That man of course is none other than Alf Stewart, the main character on Home & Away – who hasn’t changed a bit in the 30 odd years the show has been broadcasting! (Read the Alf Stewart Wiki for more detailed information)

Introducing the Latest Australian Pokie Machine to Hit Casino floors and pubs around the country – ‘The Alf Stewart’

Alf Stewart Pokies – The Perfect Punt at Home & Away

I was ummm, I’m just introducing this new pokie to everyone Alf. Sorry mate, thought I’d surprise you

well this is awkward….

Tell you what Alf, let me show you some of the bonuses, features and free spins on offer with our new Alf Stewart Pokie and maybe you’ll come around to the idea.

alf stewart online pokies australia — I’ll ummmm take that as a ‘yeah OK’

Alf Stewart Pokies – Features & Free Spins

The Alf Stewart Pokie is a 243 Reel ways (Aristocrat patented) game set out in the typical fashion of most modern 5 reel video slot machines and has one of the most interactive features you’re likely to find anywhere – with stacked reels and retriggers providing the player a chance to win up to 100 Free Spins with locking wild symbols multiplying wins up to 10 times!

The Feature is triggered when you collect 3 or more ‘Flamin Galahs’ on any payline (paying left to right) – and additional free spins can be triggered during the free games for even more pokie wins.

So you see Alf, this new Online Pokie bearing your name is actually a bloody awesome game that punters across Australia are going to love. And in typical Demtel fashion it gives me great pleasure to say Alf – “But wait, there’s more”

Activate the Bonus Game for More Pokie Wins!

Not only does the Alf Stewart Pokie game come with amazing stacked bonus symbols and free spins with the chance of additional free spins being triggered there is a bonus game that is unlocked when any 2 of the Flamin Mongrol symbols appear – anywhere at all. Once unlocked you can choose between two bonus games – HOME, and AWAY.
Even Alf thinks this is a bloody ripper idea and only a bunch of pooftahs would disapprove – flamin’ flaming fags’* (all said in jest, we have nothing against the LGBT community)

Unlocking Home & Away Bonus Games

Alf doesn’t like being kept waiting so you only have 30 seconds to make a decision here. If nothing is chosen then Alf appears on the screen telling you what a flamin’ useless drongo you are and then chooses AWAY – since you were clearly not ‘HOME’ when asked to make a decision.

Appearing anywhere within the reels, 2 flamin’ Mongrols will unlock the bonus games which provide more interactive play for the lucky punter. Let’s explore the bonus games in more detail.

Alf Stewart Pokies Bonus Game – ‘HOME’

In the HOME bonus game you have to help ‘SES’ Alf battle the constant onslaught that Summer Bay suffers from. Whether it’s fighting bushfires, diffusing a car bomb, removing the termite infestation from the Summer Bay Diner the people of Summer Bay are HOME and need their SES Hero to ‘Get rid of the flamin flames!’

Alf Stewart Pokies Bonus Game – ‘AWAY’

Look out for this symbol and then be ready for a barrage of Flamin’ Crows – but don’t let too many get ‘AWAY’ 😉

In AWAY you have to ‘Stone the Flamin’ Crows as they fly through the screen. Utilising the latest touch screen interactive technology we have created one of the most engaging bonus games of any modern pokie machine allowing the user to engage with two large screens in an effort to prevent the Flamin’ Crows from reaching their nest – which for the record is in the old Summer Bay lighthouse and will eventually cause the light to break and lead to a major shipping disaster, oil spill, and the eventual destruction of Summer Bay’s underlying ecosystem…I imagine anyway.

How To Pick The Best Bonus Game

There is no secret or strategy that we can share that will tell you which bonus game is the better option, it really is up to chance and comes down to your personal preference. The odds are the same for both games and are also as random. Our only advice is to ask yourself what millions of devoted fans ask themselves every day – WWAD?

Alf Stewart Pokies – Let’s Talk Money

Denominations Accepted –

First things first, if you think the Alf Stewart Pokie machine will accept your flamin’ counterfeit hunjies with the flamin’ lamington plate and picture of me – which I’d like to point out was used without my BLOODY PERMISSION ya pack of gallahs – then you’ve all got another bloody thing coming – streuth. Next thing you’re gonna tell me the bloody pooftah’s are allowed to marry each other or some such shit?!?! Bunch of mongrels – the lot of ya!

That being said, the Alf Stewart Pokie accepts all legal Australian bank notes but to keep with tradition and to provide you with a truly ~~invasive~~ interactive gambling experience the Alf Stewart pokie will reject your perfectly crisp and clean bank note at least 15 times.
The Alf Stewart Pokie does not accept coins as there’s no coin hopper and “garn git fucked if ya think I’m carrying around all that fucking spare change – shit, I ain’t that old yet ya bloody pelican!”

Alf Stewart Pokies Technical Specs

The Return to Player rate on the Alf Stewart Pokies is set to 97.3% which is one of the most generous RTP rates of any electronic gaming machine – online and offline. There are also the usual options for choosing how many lines you play and what the cost per press is – with the Alf Stewart Pokie being most popular in the 1c format allowing for 100credits with every $1 played.

So Alf… What do you think of the Alf Stewart Pokies now?

Ha ha hahaha… but seriously, what specifically did you want to know?

Alllllllrighty then.

Coming Soon…

Stay Tuned for Alf Stewart Pokies II – where you’ve got twice as much chance of winning thanks to our association with Microgaming and their Progressive Slots Network – with a chance of becoming an instant millionaire.

Bet your mates won’t be calling you a flamin drongo anytime soon when you take home in excess of $10 million USD

A New Lease on Life for Gambling Reform?

As the subject of pokies and gambling reform is put on the table we see a glimmer of hope. But with a history of practical reforms being thrown out and ignored by a government (who are actually more addicted to the pokies and assocaited tax revenue than any individual) it seems we are heading into yet another ‘Ground Hog Day’ of Australian pokies and gambling reform.

As Andrew Wilkie and Nick Xenophon join forces and vow to take their Anti-Pokies stance with them to the marginal seats in the next election (which experts say is less than 2 years away) it seems the “potent issue” of pokies and gambling reform will be more relevant and topical than ever before.
But with a history of practical reforms being thrown out and ignored by a government (who are actually more addicted to the pokies and assocaited tax revenue than any individual) it seems we are heading into yet another ‘Ground Hog Day’ of Australian pokies and gambling reform.

Original story and source: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-19/xenophon,-wilkie-to-take-pokies-fight-to-marginal-seats/7642218

Wilkie & Xenophon Join Forces – But Will Common Sense Prevail?

The above image comes from the Lateline video interview of which you can view the whole thing –> HERE

Independents Nick Xenophon and Andrew Wilkie have warned the major parties they will start targeting marginal seats in their fight against gambling.

Senator Xenophon told Lateline that the next election could be just two years away and their campaign could make a difference, making the following comment to Lateline:

“This has to be seen as a marginal seats campaign to target those seats for the next election, which according to some reports could be only two years away, to actually make this an issue that will actually swing the outcome of seats in key electorates,”

It’s Not Like They Want to Blow Up The Pokies!

If you looked at how much money, time and energy the gambling lobbyists and those with ties to the revenue stream have invested over the last decade in continued attempts to quash the opinions of Wilkie and Xenophon you would think that maybe these two independent senators are trying to get rid of the pokies altogether. I could understand a drastic reaction to a request to ‘Blow Up The Pokies’ or something but the fact this has been the reaction when all these two have tried to do is apply common sense and logic to a growing problem so that the ‘pokies’ can remain.

Actually, the length and cost to which these companies will go says a lot about their commitment to grow problem gambling and the associated revenue in this country MoM and YoY.

Because what Andrew Wilkie and Nizk Xenophon are proposing is actually a great idea and is undeniably the most logical and well thought out way forward – the mere fact our own government keeps rejecting these proposals is evidence enough that the corruption and greed of pokie tax has long but blinded our government and effectively bound their hands from ever doing anything positive or constructive.

Thankfully Mr Wilkie and Mr Xenophon can still see clearly and have not been corrupted by the money streams and power players because their suggestions are quite…BRILLIANT.

Senator Xenophon and Mr Wilkie Want:

a $1 bet limit on poker machines – This is not the first time this proposal has been put forward – the last few times it was rejected by a government too interested in the revenue stream and not even mildly concerned about the long term impact it would have (See our History of the $1 Betting Limit article –> HERE)
A ban on gambling ads during sports broadcasts. –> INterestingly this does not include casino advertising as they can advertise their food and hotel business features without mentioning the casino floor. This is a BULLSHIT loophole as most casino names are affilited with gambling and the connection is naturally made anyway.
They also want to reinstate a joint select committee on gambling reform. – One that is not easily corrupted or bought out!

“There’s one thing the gambling lobby can’t compete with no matter how many millions they pour into the campaign, the fact is there are literally hundreds and thousands of Australians hurt by gambling addictions,” he said. “Conservatively, one in 10 Australians are being affected by gambling addiction in this country and that’s a very significant constituency that can’t be ignored.”

Mr Wilkie said political donations from big gaming companies should be scrutinised.

“We need reform of political donations generally and we need to do what we can to shine a light with the current laws with where the money’s coming from and where it’s going,” he said.

Follow this story and the ensuing changes that are or not implemented through our community gambling blog RSLPokies.com

Woolworths: Hating on Australian Families Since… Pokies.

Anti-poker machine campaigners have slammed supermarket giant Woolworths for introducing a frequent gambling rewards card for poker machines in its string of pokie pubs.

Woolworths’ move is in direct response to government calls for harm minimisation measures to prevent problem gambling – but in typical corporate greed fashion, Woolworths have turned it around to serve their own best interests, effectively mocking the growing problems associated with pokie addiction and reaffirming their position as Anti-Family and pokie friendly

Fly Buys Card For Pokies?!

In December, the ALH Group, which is 96 per cent owned by Woolworths, will roll out the Monty’s Reward card in Victoria and Queensland as its “voluntary pre-commitment” measure, after it was piloted in New South Wales.

Independent senator Nick Xenophon branded Woolworths’ decision as cynical.

“What was meant to be a harm minimisation measure has been turned by Woolworths into a harm-exacerbation measure by using this card,” he said. “This isn’t so much a loyalty card as an addiction card.”

This comes off the back of whatever Woolworths and the ALH Group have just done – because I am sure it’s not good. The Fresh Food people are slowly being known as the Pokies people, and if their penchant for pokies profits continues to come at the expense of the people then maybe it’s time we all paid a visit to our local Coles 😉

Woolworths Pre-Commitment Fly-Buys Card Summary

If the following summary of what the ALH group is doing and where its priorities lie as we move toward 2017 doesn’t say everything you need to know about these people then you’re blinder than Stevie Wonder!

Woolworths to roll out reward card as its “voluntary pre-commitment” measure
But anti-pokies campaigners say it is “essentially Fly Buys for gambling”
Woolworths plans to target children as a way to drive sales in its pokie pubs

The card, designed by poker machine manufacturer Bally Technologies, allows marketing messages to be flashed up on the gambler’s machine as they play, meaning they can order drinks from the machine without interrupting play.

Anti-pokies campaigner Paul Bendat agreed the card is “essentially a Fly Buys for gambling”. “You sign up for a card, you give them a bunch of your personal details and every time you gamble on one of their poker machines, you insert the card,” Mr Bendat said.

Pre-Commitment Shhermitment

“[Voluntary pre-commitment] is the cornerstone of the harm-minimisation policy of the current Victorian Government, ALP, and the past Coalition.
“[This card] is entirely counterproductive. There is no morality in it.”

Buried at the end of the card’s brochure is a paragraph on voluntary pre-commitment – which means the gambler has the option to limit their spending – however, the pre-commitment only lasts for 24 hours.

The Victorian Government has announced it will roll out general pre-commitment technology in December.

But the Victorian Government is Just as Corrupt as The VGCLR, the gambling industry itself and the Federal Govt. that oversees it all.

Australian Gambling statistics — Woolies and the ALH don’t care what your odds are – Just keep playing OK

Both Woolworths and the Victorian Gaming Minister, Jane Garrett, argue that the card is more appealing to punters because it is more “discreet” and had less “stigma” than a stand-alone pre-commitment card. Ms Garrett (who is clearly an idiot and blinded by the corruption of pokie revenue like the rest of our government) made the following (totally moronic and contradictory) statement:

“People like loyalty programs. They like them at their coffee shops, they like them on their plane trips, they like them at their local restaurants – of themselves, loyalty programs are not bad,”

Contradictory Much?!

When asked whether encouraging people to gamble more through a rewards card and harm minimisation in poker machines were completely contradictory, Ms Garrett said loyalty programs had “different roles for different people”.
“I’m not tarnishing all of those people who work in this industry and all of the people who enjoy going out to venues and taking their kids out to dinner,” she said.

Senator Xenophon was astonished the Victorian Government had supported such a scheme.

“This is effectively a Trojan horse for more addiction. And the Victorian Government is busy dragging the horse through the gates,” Senator Xenophon said.

There are 328 Woolies-owned pubs across Australia, and of the 73 in Melbourne all but one have poker machines.

WoolWorths – Anti-Family & Pro-Pokies

The move comes as Woolworths, a company which has always marketed itself as proudly family-friendly, has announced to the stock market that it plans to target children as a way to drive sales in its pokie pubs. Wait! What?! Dafuq??!

Buried in the analyst’s report in Woolworths’ company results, released on August 28, is a commitment in its ALH Group section to “promotional offers like kids eat free to drive food sales”.

A visit to those pubs reveals “Kids Clubs”, “kids eat free nights” and children’s entertainment advertised on billboards and online.

The pubs also offer playgrounds for children…. Like THIS ONE AT LANGWARRIN HOTEL – Where owner Peter Beretta agreed to build a brand new childrens playground in exchange for 10 new pokie machines.

Pokies and Children – No Woolworths, Just No.

While Woolworths has previously committed to separating the children’s playgrounds and dining rooms from the pokie floors, 7.30 discovered that they were actually right next to each other in some pubs.

Partially-opaque glass walls did not hide the poker machines and their flashing lights from view from the play equipment and dining rooms.

“This is an immersive experience for young children that normalises gambling,” Mr Bendat said.
“And there’s nothing more powerful than seeing your parents gamble, seeing the grandpas and grandmas that they may observe in the poker machine room.”

Allison Keogh grew up with a mother who started having the odd flutter on the pokies at her local club, but became a full-time problem gambler.

“[Marketing to children in pokie venues] really turns my stomach, because everything to me points to the fact that they are actually the opposite of family friendly – they are separators of family,” Ms Keogh said.

Ms Keogh spent hours nearly every night of the week in the kids’ room at her local club in NSW.

“I still refer to that environment or that room as ‘the jail with pink walls’ – that’s what we called it, that’s what it felt like,” she said.

“Things like homework, dinner time conversation, things like that just didn’t happen.
I do remember a time when my father walked into the kids’ room and found us asleep on the floor and as he picked me up, I woke up, and he muttered ‘this is no life for a kid’.”

…Cause Woolworths sure as shit aren’t going to!

ALH and Woolworths had this to say:

In a statement to 7.30, ALH said the customers with a Monty’s card “can access and use pre-commitment functionality with or without participating in the venue loyalty system”.
“In this way, customers can access pre-commitment functionality discreetly and without any negative stigma.
“ALH are proud to operate family friendly hotels. We restrict gaming room access to adults and ensure gaming rooms are screened or separated from other areas of the hotel.
“The pre-commitment functionality assists our customers to gamble responsibly by nominating spend and, or time limits on electronic gaming machines.
“Pre-commitment settings can be set at the hotel or via the internet. Voluntary pre-commitment and responsible gambling dynamic messaging will also appear on screen.”

Ms Garrett said her Government had introduced strict ministerial guidelines for new venues about separation of pokie floors and playgrounds and were auditing existing venues.

She agreed that some of the descriptions of the Woolworths pubs breached those guidelines.

Our Thoughts…

Here at OnlinePokies Australia we think that the description of Woolworths in general has breached the guidelines of honesty and ethics – and as such it is with great pleasure that I introduce a name more synonymous with the actions and deeds of Woolworths Limited…. Oh and for the record, no I did not make this – but the fact I searched for Woolies Pokie People and got thousands of awesome banners and title images to use within moments speaks volumes for how their reputation precedes them.

Who Makes the Best Pokies and Slot Machines?

When it comes to Pokies and Slot Machines there is only really one or two names that come to mind – three if you are a regular punter and frequent more than one or 2(00) establishments – but for the most of us regular players the major names familiar to us are Aristocrat, IGT and Ainsworth. Aristocrat is without doubt the king of the Pokies, especially here in Australia – and surprisingly the man who started the company, one Len Ainsworth also happens to be the owner and creator of the other big slot machine manufacturer Ainsworth Technology!

iGT is not as big as Ainsworth and Aristocrat but are still a popular manufacturer who’s pokies and slot machines can be found in pubs and clubs all across this great southern land. You can also find pokies from Konami – a manufacturer of console games who has made the move over to Electronic Gambliing Devices

In the early 1990’s there were several other brands such as Universal and Jubilee but these games have all but disappeared.

The Top Pokie Manufacturers

Aristocrat Gaming Technology

Founded in 1953 by Len Ainsworth, Aristocrat had perfect timing as pokies were legalized in New South Wales just 3 years later. The first machine to roll off the production lines was the Clubman which was followed by the Clubmaster a few years later. You can learn more about Aristocrat and get some insight into the secrets of their success in Australia (and around the world) by visiting our Aristocrat dedicated games page – with reviews and links to all the best Aristocrat Pokies. Simply follow THIS LINK HERE

In 1984 Aristocrat changed the face of gambling in Australia with the release of the first of what would become the modern day pokie. Today, their name is synonymous with pokies and their game library includes greats like Queen of the Nile, More Chilli and 5 Dragons.

IGT (www.igt.com.au)

While IGT was operating as a private company as far back as the 1950’s it was in 1981 when International Game Technology went public and made a major move into the slot machine industry. They are the number one game maker in the United States and are making inroads into the Australian market with great games such as Cleopatra and Major Money.

IGT enables players to experience their favorite games across all channels and regulated segments, from Gaming Machines and Lotteries to Interactive and Social Gaming. Leveraging a wealth of premium content, substantial investment in innovation, in-depth customer intelligence, operational expertise, and leading-edge technology, our gaming solutions anticipate the demands of consumers wherever they decide to play.

Ainsworth Game Technology

Founded by “Pokie King” Len Ainsworth (pictured above) in 1995 after leaving Aristocrat, Ainsworth Gaming has quickly become one of the top three game makers in Australia and is rapidly expanding around the world.

One of the trademarks of the Ainsworth games are their multi-level progressive jackpots with the Double Shot, Triple Shot and Quad Shot games being some of their most popular titles.

Other Slot Machine Manufacturers

While the three pokie manufacturers listed above are the biggest and most prominent there are some other companies that have either been big in the past or are just started to make an impact. These companies are;

Konami
Once one of the top three, Konami pokies are now found less frequently. They entered the Aussie market in 1996 with popular games like Money in the Bank and Incan Pyramid.
Star Games / Shufflemaster / Bally
Three big names in the gaming machine industry have merged into on with Bally now being a big US slot machine maker looking to make inroads into the Australian market. Top games include Kelly’s Fortune and Wold Mountain.
WMS Gaming
Founded by Harry Williams in 1943, WMS Gaming’s pokies are now available in Australia. They even have a game development office in Sydney. Some of their top games are Zeus, Li’l Red and Jungle Wild.
Aruze Gaming
Aruze Gaming have been in the Australian pokie market since 1989. Their games are not as commonly found as they once were although the new G-Series and G-Deluxe games might signal a comeback.

Online Pokies and Slot machine Manufacturers

When it comes to the world of online pokies and mobile slots we stop talking about manufacturers and focus on the actual sofware that powers the pokies and slots you have come to love. The physical machines that you see in the pubs, clubs and casinos work exactly (and I mean exactly) the same as the online pokies you play except there is no need for a physical machine. As such the manufacturers stick to the bricks and mortar world and leave the online casinos and pokies to the software companies to develop interactive gameplay and awesome online casino games to keep even the most fussy punter happy.

When it comes to online software companies who supply the casino games for you to enjoy real money pokies and slots there is only really 2 or 3 names worth mentioning. In fact I would go so far as to say that if the online casino of your choice does not run one of utilise one of these software companies then I would not even waste my time and money there.

The Biggest names in Online Pokies is Microgaming – with Playtech and NetEnt following closely behind.

Learn more about the best online pokies software companies in the followup article –> HERE and learn first hand why Microgaming and their Mega Moolah progressive slots game is the world’s most popular online progressive slots game

Australians Are The World’s Biggest Gamblers – And That’s a Problem

Australian’s penchant for pokies has taken us from the lucky country to the unluckiest country in the world, with alarming gambling statistics that put us so far ahead of the rest of the world it would make your head spin.

Australia’s Gambling Addiction Stats

The most recent Australian Gambling Statistics place the average spend at nearly double the US (and close to triple the rest of the world) – see the image below or for further information and more supporting facts about the state of gambling in Australia and the associated issues pokie addiction has on this country – or visit RSLPokies.com and see first hand how bad it really is around here.

Visit RSLPokies.com for further evidence and supporting data surrounding Australia’s Gambling epidemic and the growing problems associated with Pokies

Gambling Isn’t So Bad – It’s The Pokies You Have To Be Wary of!

The problems associated with gambling in Australia are 100% attributed to the pokies – and sadly this is only perpetuated by a Government that is blinded by the 20 Billion plus they make every year in associated tax revenue (source and supporting data) – and just in case you think I’m just saying this because I don’t like offline pokies you are dead wrong! The image below shows how alarming the pokie problem is – and if you follow the above link to the source and supporting data you will see (sadly) why these figures are not going to improve anytime soon.

Laura’s Story

Laura began gambling on slot machines, or pokies as they are known in Australia, when she was 20 years old. Within a few months she was hooked. “I loved it but it didn’t love me back,” says Laura, not her real name, a wobble of emotion in her voice. She is now 25.

At her peak she was losing about A$5,000 ($3,650; £2,350) a month. “It would be basically all the money I had until my last dollar was gone.”

Laura had a decent job but she would pour all of her salary into the pokies and then borrow from friends and relatives to gamble more. “I lost my relationship. I lost my job. I went to pretty desperate measures to fund my gambling.”

Laura is Far From Alone…

Laura is far from alone. Australians are officially the world’s biggest gamblers, with each adult losing on average more than A$1,380 a year.

That is double the amount lost by Americans and almost three times as much as the British.

“Australians lose more per head than any other country in the world,” says Dr Sally Gainsbury from the Centre for Gambling Research at Southern Cross University.

“Australia definitely has a gambling problem,” she says.

“One percent of adults have a serious gambling problem which is actually a clinical disorder. Four percent of adults have moderate gambling problems and eight percent a low range of gambling problems.”

That means it is estimated there are a staggering half a million Australians at risk from problem gambling.

Original Source and further reading: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-australia-33647401

The Hypnotism of Pokies

By far the biggest problem is pokies and/orslot machines, of which there are more than 200,000 across Australia. (This accounts for over 20% of the worlds gaming machines FYI)

“Pokies are the biggest revenue generator,” says Dr Gainsbury. “Around two-thirds of all gambling losses are through the pokies and in Australia that amounts to around A$9.8bn a year.”

It is incredibly easy to gamble in Australia. There are pokies in just about every pub or bar.

Many pubs contain betting shops, where punters are able to gamble and drink at the same time, and there’s nearly always a handily placed cash machine near by, often even in the pub itself.

“My partner used to say it was like I was hypnotised,” says Laura.

“I was chasing the adrenalin of having a big win. There was just something about the lights and the sounds of the pokie machines. I would just crave it.”

Laura, now a university student who hasn’t gambled for more than a year since joining Gamblers Anonymous, says she knew the odds were against her but she just couldn’t stop herself.

Matthew ‘Lied to their faces’ and Lost Everything

Matthew shares his own story and how the struggle was real…

“I knew exactly what time I got paid and I lost all that money before I even left the office,” says Matthew, again not his real name, a 35-year-old IT worker.

Matthew became hooked on amateur online trading sites, speculating on shares and currencies.

He first noticed he had a problem not because of the losses but because of the amount of time he was wasting at work researching the markets.

But soon he says he was losing more money than many people make in a year; tens of thousands of dollars.

“I lost a relationship, my fiancee. The relationship I had with my mum went down the drain,” Matthew says.

“The thing that got most people was that I lied to their faces about where I was and about my money situation.”

The Social Cost of Gambling

Most compulsive gamblers have similar stories to tell.

“In terms of social costs, it is estimated that problem gambling costs A$4.7bn each year,” says Dr Gainsbury.

“Gambling is something that affects not just the individual but the people around them. We’re talking family breakdown, unemployment, work disruption and then things you can’t even put a price on like suicide.”

With such a heavy social cost you would think the government would be keen to do something about it. You would be wrong.

“Gambling taxes are one of the single largest sources of income for the state and territory governments,” says Dr Gainsbury.

“It’s estimated that in 2014-15 they’ll get almost A$5.9bn from gambling [in taxes]. This is over 10% of total tax revenue for some of the states.”

And if anything, gambling is growing in Australia.

Free Online Pokies For Fun

Online Pokies – Fun, Free & Available Now!

Are you looking to play free online pokies for fun and not sure where to look or what exactly constitutes fun when it comes to playing online pokies and slots? Today I’ll share with you the secrets to playing free online pokies – and you can decide for yourself whether it is totally FOR FUN or if you become so frustrated it ends up sounding more like FOR FU..CK SAKE!…

First I need to make sure we are on the same page regarding what fun actually means because while some people think it is enjoying yourself and having a good time, others take it a little far and think fun means you need to jump out of a plane or play chicken with traffic.

We’re Playing Pokies For Fun. If It’s an Adrenaline Rush You Seek…

If it’s an adrenaline rush you seek then may I suggest not doing the chores your wife/girlfriend is asking you to complete and maybe even leaving the toilet seat up consistently while dumping towels and all manner of wet clothes sporadically throughout the house.
Not only do you get the thrill of elevated dopamine coursing through your veins and heightening the experience, you also get the thrill of not knowing when she is going to get you back…. which is like waiting for a feature anyway 😉

If it’s an adrenaline rush you seek then try not listening to your better half for a few hours. Trust me – it’s twice the rush with all the anticipation of waiting for a feature – except instead of 3 pyramids you’ll more likely get a stiletto to the head or something equally exciting.

If however you legitimately want to play free online pokies for fun then we recommend doing the only smart advice this article actually provides and visiting any of our recommended Online Casinos (where all Australians are welcome) and either enjoying free pokie downloads via their online casino software or accessing the casino through your smart phone and playing the mobile casino pokies no download – as the game streams live through their mobile casino app.

Check out our Best Australian Online Casinos Page and learn more about the best casinos currently offering real money and free online pokies for fun.

Online Casino Review Page

Have fun playing pokies and slots online – if you are not enjoying yourself then you are doing it wrong

Free Pokies Downloads vs. No Download – Who Will Win?

In the red corner representing all those who enjoy high quality online pokies and the most engaging playing experience are the Free Pokies Download choices – and they seem pretty pumped up and ready for this battle today.

But facing off against the best option (in this writers opinion) and the free pokies download choice – and occupying the blue corner is the free pokies no download – and BOOOOOOOOO!

What Are Free Pokies Downloads Anyway?

Free Pokies downloads are the free online pokies and casino slots games that can be played on your PC that require you to download the online casino software in order to connect and enjoy all aspects of the 100’s of free and real money pokies that are offered to the Australian online pokie players. When you access the online casino of your choice and take the free pokies download option you are in effect giving yourself the best user experience and will surely appreciate the gambling more than your neighbour who has opted to stream the games live via the online casinos server and hope the connection doesnt drop out in the middle of a huge payout or something?!?

What are the advantages of free Pokies download games?

No drop outs, cleaner and more engaging game play, and of course with the free pokies download option you have instant access to all the great free and real money pokies offered by the various online casinos.

What Are Free Pokies No Download Anyway?

Free slots no download casino games are online casino games that you play without having to spend any penny on the game. They are free online casino games with unlimited credit and have the same features as the real money casino games. The only difference between them and the real money games is they are unlocked and give you a chance of familiarizing yourself with the game before playing for real money. When playing the free slots no download games, you cannot win real money.

What are the advantages of free Pokies no download games?

No need of downloading the mobile or casino app

With the free pokies no downloads games, you don't have to download any software to your device. The online casino websites that offer the services have made it very easy to play the games with all that you will be required to do is visit the site and start playing instantly. If you are playing for fun, you may not have to register. If you are playing for real money, you may have to create a log-in and password which will enable you to play the game on any other device.

There are a variety of online casino software developers that offer the free slots no download

Most of the free slots no download casino games are accessible through various software developers. You can play games from some high-tech software developers such as Playtech, IGT, NetEnt, and Microgaming. With the various online casino software developers, you will have access to various online casino games developed by different technologies.

Unlimited free credits

With the free slots no downloads games, you will have access to unlimited credit, meaning you will have an opportunity of playing the various casino games for as long as you want.

Enhanced performance on your device

Playing the no slots download games will free up your device's memory and allow your device to run smoothly as compared to playing the downloadable slots games. Additionally, playing the game directly through the browser enables the games to load and run fast upon start up.

Precautions to take while playing free slots no download games

Before playing any free no download casino games, it's necessary that you take the following precautions.

Read the T&C's – T&C's, also known as Terms and Conditions usually stipulate what you should do and what you should avoid doing when playing the game online. It's important that you read the conditions, especially if you are playing for the bonus to avoid any confusion when claiming the bonus.

Don't play on a site that asks for your personal info – avoid online casino websites that ask for some very confidential information. Only provide information that you think is necessary to enable play the various casino game. Websites that ask you for your pin numbers are malicious websites and may end up stealing from you.

How to Play Aristocrat Pokies Online Totally Free

Aristocrat Pokies and Penny Slots – How to Play Your Favourite Aristocrat Games Online Completely Free!

This article was written in response to the many questions we get from our readers who want to know where and how they can play their favourite pokies like Queen of the Nile, Big Red, Lucky 88, Where’s The Gold and More Chilli online. There are various options and although playing them free is one of them, what this article aims to do is show you (without the BULLSHIT) exactly why you can ONLY play them for free and why this is actually not as good as we had hoped, namely because Aristocrat kinda stuffed up in their attempt to control their licensing and brand.

If you want to learn more about Aristocrat Leisure and see detailed reviews and write ups on the pokies that have made them famous then visit our Aristocrat Gaming Page where you will find similar links to below providing you access to the best free and real money Aristocrat Pokies online as well as reviews of the top ten Aristocrat Pokies – as voted by Australians everywhere.

Play Aristocrat Pokies Free

Those who are familiar with Aristocrat and the myriad of pokies and slot games they produce would struggle to disagree with the fact that Aristocrat Pokies are without doubt the most popular games that Australians have ever played. These games can be found played heavily inside the casinos of Australia, New Zealand and USA. The most widely played and popular Aristocrat games are without doubt the Queen of the Nile and 5 dragons while the bigger dollar punters love the $1 minimum and $10 maximum bet that comes with Aristocrat pokies like Big Red and Super Bucks (4 versions now of this popular $1 pokie machine)

You can learn more about these individual Aristocrat Pokies by visiting this page HERE but seeing as you came here to find out where you could play these games online for free and not to learn more about them I shall move on post haste 😉

Aristocrat Progressive Jackpots and Big Pokie Wins

Before we take a look at where you can play your favourite Aristocrat Pokies online I want to highlight something that as an Australian punter I find frustrating and kinda unpatriotic if I’m honest!

In America where the progressive jackpot systems are more common, the average win amount can be anywhere from 1 million to upwards of $15million – and that’s USD! Here however in Australia where ironically the amount spent on pokies and gambling is greater than all of the US combined (source) the amount one can potentially win on a progressive linked jackpot network is around $50,000 – chump change in comparison to the huge amounts offered in the US.

Don’t get me wrong, $50k is still $50k (in fact I have personally won the Lasseters Loot progressive – taking home $49,558.80 – Dead set! – follow this link to see evidence and hear how it happened) but compared to the million on offer in the states it is kinda sorta not really at all fair. Surely Aristocrat, a company that is 100% Australian owned and operated will make sure the jackpots offered to their own would be higher now.

Nope, not even close. While Australia continues to enjoy progressive jackpots that cap and reset at $50k, Aristocrat Leisure are providing the Americans with progressive jackpots with prizes in the millions! What gives Aristocrat?! That’s very unAustralian indeed. Streuth. In fact, Aristocrat themselves are so proud of their progressive jackpots that they proudly share the latest wins on their blog! Follow the link to read about the Buffalo Progressive Jackpot Wins and how 4 players have hit the big one in under 2 weeks!

That’s ummm, totally awesome and I am happy for these players but tell me again what this has to do with Australia and how this benefits me in any way?

It doesn’t! – unless you could somehow access the online versions and then connect to the active progressive network… but you can’t so let it go and move on. In fact the best way to move on is to learn about where we can access and play all the best aristocrat pokies and slots games online and if and where we can play the real money pokies version of these free online aristocrat slots games….

How To Access & Play Aristocrat Pokies Free

There are two different methods you can use that will provide you with unlimited access to the Aristocrat Pokies and penny slots games online. One method is about as official as you can get but has some serious disadvantages for the avid Aussie pokies punter while the other method, although not as formal and certainly not ‘official’ provides Aussie punters with a more realistic gambling experience and does a much better job of mimicking the experience you have come to know and love whilst playing your favourite Aristocrat Pokies at the local pub or club

Play Free Aristocrat Pokies and Slots with Aristocrat (Real Official Like)

Aristocrat have secretly been creating their popular real world pokies and casino slot games online and providing an incredible Android and Apple compatible app that allows players to join the ‘Aristocrat gaming floor’ and play nearly every Aristocrat Pokie you know. Because this is an App it does not allow players to gamble with real money and as such the only options for people within the ‘Heart of Vegas’ app is to buy pretend credits and play with these – or wait an hour for the system to give you free credits (which are equivalent to maybe 4 presses at most)

My Thoughts on the Heart of Vegas Slots App

I have been playing Heart of Vegas for a month now and my thoughts are less than impressive – with Aristocrat dropping the ball and failing to deliver in two areas. Sadly the two areas they have failed to deliver in result in an online gaming experience that is so far removed from the experience we have come to know and love at the local pub that it makes me question what their motives are and started me on the search for some real money alternatives so I could enjoy the same features, symbols and bonus games I had come to love from Aristocrat whilst giving me a complete gambling experience. And what are these two areas they have failed to deliver on? Gambling individual wins (the double up and suit feature) as well as the ability to choose how many lines you play. Sorry but that kinda RUINS EVERYTHING FOR ME! Of course that doesn’t mean you won’t like it – so check it out and tell us what you think.

Click the image to your left or THIS LINK HERE to access the HeartofVegasSlots.com website and automatically create your account (through Facebook or equivalent) and start enjoying free albeit restricted Aristocrat Pokies online

play aristocrat pokies online or on your mobile — Play Aristocrat Pokies online or on your mobile phone with Heart of Vegas Slots App – An Aristocrat Company

And this is why I went searching for a better free online alternative…

Play Free Aristocrat Pokies and Slots on Emulators

Playing the unofficial Aristocrat emulators online provides you with some options that sadly Aristocrat themselves failed to provide – and may I just say “poor form Aristocrat!”
The following emulators not only provide you with free credits that you can simply replenish as often as you like (no waiting an hour for free credits) but they also allow you to specify how many lines you want to play and whether you want to gamble your individual wins.

Suiting or doubling up our small wins and choosing what line and credit combination is one of the most crucial things to be able to control if you want to learn how to pick a winning slot machine and how to win on slots – and thanks to these free emulators you can do just that:

http://www.vegasslotsonline.com/aristocrat/ — This website is also equipped with all the popular games developed by Aristocrat
http://playaristocratpokies.com/ — A website focused solely on Aristocrat Pokies and Slots Games. You can play for free here.

How To Play Aristocrat Pokies for Real Money

As previously mentioned, Aristocrat have not licensed their award winning pokies and penny slots games to the online software companies that make the online casino games and online pokies (companies like Playtech, NetEnt, and Microgaming to name a few). As such the only way to play the Aristocrat Pokies that you know so well online is to play them free – either through the official Heart of Vegas app or the emulators provided by many sites (including those listed above). BUT…

It is no surprise that companies like Microgaming who know all too well how popular the Aristocrat Pokies are, have developed some of the best real money pokies alternatives to the Aristocrat games we know and love. These companies have made sure that the alterntive games they make have similar images, the same awesome bonus games and features and anything else that makes the game unique and loved by all. But then they make the games ever better than the offline counterpart by connecting them to progressive jackpot networks and providing constant incentives and player rewards. Below are our top recommended Australian Online Casinos that all use Microgaming software and therefore can provide the biggest and best range of alternatives to your Aristocrat favourite.

Spin Palace
Jackpot City
Ruby Fortune
Cabaret Club

See our Online Casino Review page to learn more about these 4 online casinos and find out which one suits your individual needs and gambling style the best. Note that all use Microgaming and as such provide you with the best Aristocrat pokies alternatives online.

All of above mentioned websites give a bonus on your first deposit. Some offer a no deposit bonus upon signup while others give more than that. Some of them also give free spins for specific games. Have Fun & Good Luck!

Aristocrat Games

Find out exactly we love our Aristocrat Pokies so much and check out our individual reviews and thoughts on the top rated Aristocrat Games below

Australian Pokies Statistics – Infographic

Australia’s Penchant for Pokies.

Our friends over on RSLPokies.com have put this brilliant infographic together to highlight the growing epidemic that is pokie addiction and problem gambling in this country.

Now the first thing we felt was kinda guilty because like many Aussies, we here at OnlinePokies.com.au love a punt on the pokies – so much so that we created this website to provide ourselves and whoever else was interested with access to the best online pokies and casino games currently available. Whether you want to play free pokies or real money pokies was – and remains – completely up to you but the fact we promote pokies left us feeling somewhat responsible – albiet the tiniest of bits.

Pokies are NOT the Problem… aPparently

RSLPokies.com say themselves that the problem is indeed an addiction to pokies but points out that it’s not the pokies themselves that are causing the problems but is in fact the Government and even worse, the RSL Clubs under control of ClubsNSW, ClubsVIC, ClubsACT etc!?!

Can anyone say conspiracy?!

And again it’s RSLPokies.com who bring our attention to a frightening fact: Not only is it true that the Government and those in the Gambling industry are indeed responsible for the rapid growth in problem gambling and pokie addiction, they are doing it right in front of our noses and making no effort to hide the fact.

This article (which is just one of many) highlights how in your face the corruption and penchant for profits over people actually is – and again we are reminded that these are the very people charged with improving things! Check out the article –> HERE

What scares the guys at RSLPokies more than anything (and we tend to agree) is that no one is going to stop it! With the governing bodies and those in power benefiting from the $billion in tax revenue (driven mainly by pokies) it seems the only way is down as they seek to instigate anything and everything that encourages the growth of this revenue.

The fact this growth is coming at the expense of the communities they purport to support is like kicking a man when he’s down – and when you realise these ‘RSL’ clubs hide behind the ANZAC tradition it makes one wonder what happened to the “mateship” that made this country so great in the first place?

It Seems They’ve replaced People Power with Pokie Power. Pathetic.

For more information and Statistics on Gambling in Australia visit the following resource: