{"id":12795,"date":"2024-05-12T20:17:46","date_gmt":"2024-05-12T20:17:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.casino.com\/blog\/?p=12795"},"modified":"2024-05-22T05:00:06","modified_gmt":"2024-05-22T05:00:06","slug":"what-are-pokies-explained","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.casino.com\/blog\/2024\/05\/12\/what-are-pokies-explained\/","title":{"rendered":"What are Pokies? Full breakdown of Pokies explained"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Even those who don\u2019t actively play them generally know about slot machines. What you may not have realized is that in Australia\/New Zealand, they aren\u2019t called by that name. They are referred to as \u201cpokies\u201d instead. The history behind the name is fascinating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Slot machines<\/a> are almost universally known. The simple game involves any number of lines and symbols. You pull a lever or push a button, the symbols spin around, and the hope is that several of those symbols come together to create a winning combination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What you may not have realized is that slots aren\u2019t called the same thing all around the world. In Australia and New Zealand, they go by another name: pokies. What\u2019s the story behind the name? Let\u2019s take a deeper dive into the history of \u201cpokies.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What are Pokies? Where Did the Name Come From?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Simply put, the term comes from video poker<\/a> machines. Poker machines grew in prominence during the 1970s and 1980s, eventually reaching places like Australia. The Aussies have their own unique slang for popular terms and this is not different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The term \u201cpokie\u201d is shorthand for \u201cpoker machine.\u201d This is a common occurrence as you can see with things like mosquito (\u201cmozzie\u201d), relative (\u201crellie\u201d), etc. If anything, the confusion comes from the fact that the name references poker machines and not slot machines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This seems like one of those \u201cit\u2019s just how it has always been\u201d things. Even early advertising in Australia calls them \u201cpokies.\u201d The term has stuck, carried into the online realm, and doesn\u2019t seem to be going anywhere. Pokies, both physical and online, continue to be popular in Australia and New Zealand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Brief History of Pokies<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

It is believed that the very first slot machine was developed in 1894. San Francisco\u2019s Charles Fay, calling it the Liberty Bell, created the foundation for the game that we know today. It featured three spinning reels, a fully automated payout system, and a single pay line. Even some of the symbols are familiar today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Slot machines made their first appearance in Australia in the early 1900s. They were illegal but still quite popular with the gambling crowd. After decades, the Australian company Aristocrat developed the first Aussie-style game in 1953. \u201cThe Clubman\u201d would remain popular for two years before ultimately being replaced by \u201cThe Clubmaster\u201d in 1955.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The government of NSW would legalize gaming machines just a year later, allowing registered clubs to carry them. Gambling in Australia would be forever changed, with pokies becoming a hit despite their basic nature. Though we picture slots with flashing lights and sounds, those wouldn\u2019t hit the Australian scene for several years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The landscape changed only slightly for pokies in the next few decades. Jackpots were relatively small and there was zero interaction other than pulling the handle. These machines were nothing like the ones we are familiar with today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Introduction of Video Slots<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A major change to the pokie scene came in the mid-1980s. Though they were created in 1976, video slots would not come to prominence on the continent for nearly a decade. It was easily the biggest development in slots since Fey\u2019s initial creation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Video pokies took the step up from three reels to five. More importantly, jackpots increased, and the free\/bonus spin feature became an option. It was essentially the leap into the modern pokies that Aussies are familiar with today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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