Why Do Australians Call Slots Pokies?

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Why Do Australians Call Slots Pokies?
Why Do Australians Call Slots Pokies?

Everyone has heard the word ‘pokie’ at least once. However, not every Internet user (or even punter) understands the meaning. The term is closely connected to the gambling industry, especially for Aussie gamers. ‘Pokies’ are frequently used instead of ‘slots’ in this country. Why is it so? In our article, we’re going to investigate the issue.

The History of Slots

It’s globally known that games of this type were invented in the USA. Pokie machines achieved the Aussie coast much later. It wasn’t earlier than in the first years of the 20th century. What’s more, such entertainment was still illegal for the following 50 years.

The first company, which launched the production of pokie machines, was Aristocrat. The first product was developed in the 1950s under the name Clubman. After a few years, the authorities finally decided to officially legalize pokie machines. However, the operating allowance was granted only to certain gaming venues.

Since the first steps to legalization, pokies became a hit even though the software of that time was truly mediocre and limited. Only much later, the developers manage to create more advanced games and then transfer the industry into the online space.

The actual transfer took place somewhere in 2004. The next step was the development of mobile casinos, the issue of which is relevant now.

The Essence of the Term

The pokie is just one more name of a slot machine. The word is widely spoken and written in Australia & New Zealand. In fact, there’s no difference between the two words. It’s just important to know the etymology to understand Aussie players better.

The term came from the word ‘pok’, which is a kind of shortening to a ‘poker machine.’ Aussies are known for their passion for various types of abbreviations, so it’s not a surprise this phrase was shortened as well. For them, it’s too long to pronounce the whole phrase. The same thing happened to the word ‘surfer’, which was transformed into ‘serfie’ and many other lexical units.

There’s a reasonable question why the poker machines were not called slots (they look absolutely alike). It’s difficult to answer. The fact is that it has just always been so. We can just suppose. And one of the theories considers that the first game introduced to Aussie players at the very beginning of the iGaming industry was video poker. With the growing popularity of slots, it became much easier to call every next one-armed bandit a ‘pokie’ instead of inventing additional names.

Even after a long time, the term is still used. Thus, it was naturally transferred to the online gambling world.

What Pokies Are the Most Popular Among Aussies?

Punters in Australia and neighboring countries are very fond of pokies. Today they play them anywhere and at any comfortable time. It will be fair to mention that a great number of Internet players like slots, which are accessible for free. The games have many advantages:

  • No risks to losing money
  • A nice way to practice the skills
  • An interesting choice to pass the spare time
  • A comfortable option to test the game before real money play.

There’re many ways to play the most exciting pokies without deposits. There’re demo versions for Aussie gamblers available at reputable online casinos (for instance, Uptown Pokies casino). Besides, punters can find free games on the official sites of software developers. Reputable companies such as Microgaming, NetEnt, Playtech, and others always publish the information about each pokie and offer a free play version.

Selecting Gaming Clubs for Aussies

With a great number of modern gambling houses on the Internet, it’s really hard to choose one online casino to play pokies. There’re a few recommendations to select a reliable and comfortable gambling establishment:

  1. Make certain it’s accessible in Australia/your country of residence (almost every gambling club has a list of restricted countries)
  2.  Consider the list of pokies and other games (pay attention that the used software is certified and created by reputable developers)
  3.  Estimate the interface of the selected site (the online gambling club should be comfortable to navigate, register, and use)
  4.  Pay attention to an operating allowance (it proves the reliability)
  5.  Observe the bonus program (welcome, replenishment, no deposit, and other promos).

The Best Casinos to Play Pokies

Punters from Australia and other countries can feel safe to create a profile at one of the gaming establishments from our list:

Gaming club License Providers of pokies Description
Uptown Pokies Curacao RTG It’s a comparatively new but reliable club with an active operating allowance. It’s popular in Australia, the US, and New Zealand. It offers a wide range of pokies by well-known developers and a comfortable interface.
Casinonic Curacao Microgaming, IGT, Belatra, Quickspin, Pragmatic Play, etc. The gaming house contains a diverse collection of games from the majority of reputable providers. The interface is nice, the bounties are generous.
Fair Go Curacao RTG The collection of games is presented by the Aussies’ favorite provider. The interface and design of the site are nice and relaxing. Punters can enjoy both pokies and other gamble games.
Joo Curacao Amatic, EvoPlay, Habanero, BetSoft, etc. On the website, punters will find the latest products created by the industry giants. The casino offers diverse games and looks very user-friendly.

 

Pokies a.k.a. slots are a popular type of entertainment in Australia. Aussies have their own traditions in what concerns gambling and want to have access to high-quality platforms, where the best pokie machines with interesting plots and advanced graphics are presented. Choose one of the reliable gaming clubs and win generous prizes in your favorite games.

1 Comment

  1. IGT Machines (3 reels)which used to be coin/token operated were alot of fun. I’ve hit for $20,000, $10,000 multiple times, 9K, 5K multiple times. I quit gambling after a 50K hit. Once machines went to video, my interest waned. Haven’t gambled in nine years now. Quit drinking around the same time.

    Do the hokie pokie and turn yourself around.

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