Australians are spoiled for choice when it comes to online pokies games. With a rising number of excellent gambling software studios producing hundreds of high-quality Internet slots, the sheer variety available to play at online casinos is staggering and much more diverse than what is offered at local land-based casino venues or pubs.
If you’re an Aussie looking for the very best in real money Internet pokies to play on computer, mobile smartphones and tablets, look no further – we’ve got the low-down on the top-rated, safest online casino sites, the many different types of pokies and how to play them.
Best online casino sites for Aussie pokies players
Since the rise of the World Wide Web, many online casinos have opened, but at OnlineCasinoSite.com.au, we’ve done the research to find Australian players only the best and most reputable real money casino sites, signing up ourselves to play and test each site to ensure they’re the best fit for AUD punters.
Each of the sites we recommend here host a multitude of pokies genres and types; if you enjoy original creations, 3D pokies, slots based on movies and television, slots based on holidays or other eccentric themes, chances are these casinos have them – and they all come in formats of three reel (also known as classic pokies), five reel (also known as video pokies), 3D (both true stereoscopic and computer-animated), progressive jackpots (huge cash prizes) and more.
To take advantage of special sign-up bonus offers for new players, click on any of the links to our recommended casinos and enjoy extra cash credits upon registration.
Types of online pokies
Pokies online come in different formats that suit different moods and preferences.
Three-reel: Often called ‘classic’ or ‘traditional’ pokies, these games resemble the earliest forms of poker machines, have 3 rotating reels and a smaller amount of paylines than other types – usually around 5. Their straightforward design means they’re a great fit for newbies or real money players who prefer a simpler gameplay experience. This simplicity is reflected in their aesthetic and design, which resemble old-school fruit machines. Some few have updated special features like the gamble feature to spice things up. As high volatility games, payouts are huge but occur less often than other types of slots.
Five-reel: Also called video pokies, five-reel slots have more ways to win with more reels and more paylines. Their design is a lot more modernised than three-reel pokies, with better graphics, sound and stylised interfaces to get players in the atmosphere of the experience, most often based on a television show or popular film franchise. Gameplay is also significantly more involved, with special features like free spins, gamble feature and bonus games varying in scope and execution with each game. With more winning combinations, payouts are regular but can take a bit more luck to score.
3D slots: True stereoscopic three-dimensional pokies games aren’t in wide-spread circulation at online casinos just yet, though they do exist, with Sterling Silver by Microgaming as one prominent example. These niche slots allow you to play and view gameplay with 3D effects – so long as you have the glasses. Most 3D pokies online are the computer-animated type, with elaborate graphics and reels that pop-out with detail rather than true stereoscopic effect. With the rapid advancement of technology, though, these slots are sure to gain more popularity in the near future.
Progressive jackpot: Progressive pokies are online slots with huge jackpots acting as the major cash prize, funded by every single player who has a go on the game. Starting from a base jackpot limit, the total prize pool increases every time someone places a real money wager, and these prize pools are often linked to a progressive network that extends past the online casino you play at. Once the jackpot is won, the pool resets until the next winner. As a major attraction at online casinos, progressives are fun ways to win a massive life-changing sum of chance, though you have to be in it for the long-term to stand a chance at the big prize.
MegaSpin: For multi-taskers, MegaSpin pokies are perfect. You can line up multiple games of the same type at the same time on your computer screen (not available on mobile devices just yet) to play them all a lot more efficiently if you’re strapped for time.
Most popular online pokies
With hundreds of games from multiple developers, it’s been hard to list only a small number of the great pokies games available online. But the following titles are no doubt some of the best and most popular real money slots available to players at the moment at our recommended casinos:
- Aliens
- Avalon II
- Dracula
- Game of Thrones
- Gonzo’s Quest
- Esqueleto Explosivo
- Hitman
- Jack Hammer
- Mega Fortune
- Mega Moolah
- South Park: Reel Chaos
- Sterling Silver
- Terminator II
- Thunderstruck II
- The Dark Knight Rises
Laws surrounding online pokies gambling
If you’re stressing about whether or not playing online pokies for real money on your computer or mobile device is legal, don’t fret; it’s a common question because Australian punters are often left in the dark when it comes to online casino laws in our country due to a lack of clarification. The short answer is yes – it’s 100% legal to play pokies online with your cash.
The long answer is why the question is still asked so much. The Interactive Gambling Act of 2001 introduced by the then Howard Government made it illegal for Australian gamblers to make bets online at Internet casinos that are based and operating within the country offering their services to Aussies. This does not extend to online casinos which are licensed and operating outside of Australia, which basically is all of the top-rated and recommended casino sites we list here on the site.