Know in other parts of the world as slot machines or fruit machines in the UK, pokies machines were developed in USA by Charles Fey who made the 3 reel slot machine and later Sittman and Pitt developed the 5 reel machine.

At this time the objective was for players to have a winning hand of poker and the value of the prize was determined by which cards were held.  They became very popular in bars and pubs.  The machines giving out money became more popular than those that gave away chewing gum.  These slot machines later appeared in Australia and were made legal in 1956.

During the 1990’s online pokies came on the scene and online casinos began including these games.  They were very similar to the land-based casinos, just a lot quicker.  At the start the paylines were fewer and the graphics basic, but gaming developers soon realised the popularity of these games and began improving them to include animations and 3D graphics.  More bonus rounds were added and sites began to network to create large jackpots that rewarded players with huge amount of money.

Mobile Online Pokies

Online pokies are extremely popular especially in Australia and with the development of mobile gaming the popularity of these games has increased considerably.  Technology has advanced so that players can now play online pokies from their smartphone or tablet.

Online pokies Australia game developers have been able to make games that are compatible with Android, Apple iOS and Windows without scrimping on quality.  Online casinos will offer players the choice of either downloading an app or to play directly from their browser.

Online Pokies Games

Online pokies players in Australia will find a good and varied range of games, which will include 3 reel classics, fruit machines, 5 reel video slots and 3D online pokies some of which offer 243 ways to win and some go as high as 1024 ways to win.

Many of the online pokies have themes, which make the games more enjoyable and are often based on popular movies or franchises such as Tomb Raider and The Dark Knight.  Online pokies has the advantage over land-based casinos in that players can play up to 9 pokies games at the same time and this of course increases their odds of winning the progressive jackpot which keeps growing.

Safety while Playing Online Pokies

Safety for Australian players who play online is important and players should do some research before playing for real money on a particular site.  Players should look for casino sites that are licensed and offer encryption technology to protect their players and to safeguard their personal and banking details.  Also look for sites that are approved by regulators such as eCOGRA who give their approval to online casinos offering good quality gaming in a secure environment.

Bonuses and Incentives

Sites of online real money pokies also offer great bonuses and incentives.  These sites will often offer welcome bonuses and a loyalty programme.  Players should also be aware of the terms and conditions of these bonuses to make sure that they are legitimate and once again it is important to do some research before signing up and accepting these offers.  Bonuses are a great way to increase the size of the bankroll.

Australians love a good game of online pokies and with the way technology is advancing players can look forward to a larger variety of games and great quality as gaming developers find new ways to make online pokies even more exciting