There almost seems to be something mystical about the spinning reels, firmly cemented in Australian pop culture for more 125 years, which is why pokies continue to remain present in the digital age. These games fascinate and engage, reaching far beyond just being a form of gambling, becoming a cherished part of the societal experience in this country.
Old newspaper archives date the arrival of pokies
Regardless of the varied opinions people have regarding the activity, gambling has been considered a popular and enjoyable pastime in Australia for many generations. Mostly associated with sports and competitive pursuits, wagering on the outcome of events, history shows that gaming had actually taken root beforehand.
This is evidenced by the arrival of what became known as pokies, when slot machines invented in America were first showcased in Melbourne and Sydney, based upon archived newspaper stories published in 1896. These were simple mechanical devices, which featured playing cards glued to spinning drums, activated by pulling a lever.
Sitmann and Pitt of Brooklyn, New York, had already developed the original gambling machines, while around the same time during the 1890s, Charles Fey of San Francisco invented the first machines that featured automatic payout mechanisms. Therefore it would seem likely that a combination of these two ideas, would have soon made their way to Australia.
“Among the many aids to gambling which are yearly introduced to the colonies, I notice that American ‘poker machines’ are becoming quite numerous, especially in hotels and tobacconists’ shops,” wrote one reader of the Sunday Times in Sydney, highlighting the quick adoption of such machines throughout the city.
Also known as slot machines in the United States, referring to the aperture where coins were inserted and the tray where payouts were delivered, the Australian love for abbreviations and shorter names quickly led to an alternative name. Hence why poker machines became known as pokies within a short space of time, something which stuck and remains present even today.
Popularity of pokies in Australia has grown
Something that is often forgotten to the mists of time, pokies were actually present in bars and clubs before the introduction of tote machines, which brought gambling around horse races to the Australian masses. This is perhaps why pokies have formed such an intrinsic part of Australian pop culture, given they have always been around in some shape or form.
Of course, the march of time and progress has also brought fascinating advances to the pokies, beginning with improvements to the mechanical design, followed by electronical components replacing many of the mechanical and automating machines. Then came video gaming machines, adding a whole new layer of audio and visual entertainment.
Advancing to the digital age and with the rise of the internet, video games have now become firmly mainstream, especially now that more than 80% of Australians play games on mobile devices. Since 1996, the Asia-Pacific hub for gaming giant Konami has been located in Botany, New South Wales, where casino games account for the biggest portion of development activity, including a vast selection of pokies for their Aussie audience.
But they are just one company involved in the global iGaming industry, which tends to be stringently regulated to ensure pokies or slots are fair. Now that games are based entirely around software rather than mechanical devices, payouts are decided by random number generators (RNGs), which gambling licensing bodies around the world, including those in Australia, will thoroughly test and check before games are approved.
Exploring where to play exciting pokies online
Choice and variety are important factors, leading to many fascinating innovations for pokies over the last couple of decades, particularly now they have become the most popular games. For players, seeking the best online pokies in Australia reviews is highly recommended, whenever experts look at the gameplay on offer, while highlighting the safest and most reputable casino sites with the broadest selection of games available.
Getting feedback from players and reviewers is always useful, given that pokies now feed the enthusiasm surrounding a wide range of entertainment genres, themed around everything from hit movies and TV shows to some of the most famous musical acts. In fact, Aussie rock legends AC/DC even have their very own pokie, featuring their greatest hits to accompany the spinning reels.
Such innovative ideas are what continue to make pokies entertaining for Australians, who are keen to engage and try their luck at winning these games of chance. New features will soon become commonplace, including pokies based around virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), as developers introduce wonderful new concepts that will maintain the popularity of pokies for generations to come.
