Who Plays Pokies in Australia?

Well, the answer to this question is simple: Everyone loves to play Pokies in Australia. Why? Because it is a fun full of entertainment; and a gives each punter a chance to fair win at online pokies in Australia.

Pokies can be found in thousands of hotels and pubs, in big cities and small towns. They’ve transformed neighborhood social clubs into gleaming gambling palaces. In many cities, it’s hard to walk more than a few blocks without encountering a “VIP Room” or “VIPLounge.”

Few facts to prove this:

• Australia has over 20% of the worlds gaming machines
• There are close to 200,000 pokies machines in Australia
• 100,308 of these are in New South Wales
• Australia’s population is 20,264,082 – one game for every 101 people
• 38.6% of adult Australians play the pokies
• The average player loses $380 dollars every year
• In 2003 / 2004 gamblers lost $16.21 billion ($9.1 billion on pokies)
• As per estimation, there are over 300,000 problem gamblers
• The average problem gambler loses $12,000 each year
• The average payout percentage of pokies is 90.89%
• Average chance of winning the jackpot playing 1 line is 1 in 50,000,000
• Average chance of winning the jackpot playing 20 lines is 1 in 2,500,000
• The highest jackpot you can win in a pub is $10,000
• The average poker machine in clubs and hotels makes A$56,000 per year. Some machines are much more profitable, with pokies in several venues in Victoria making more than A$200,000 each.
• Poker machines have minted a select few super rich, such as James Packer (net worth A$6,080 million), Len Ainsworth (net worth A$1,840 million), Bruce Mathieson (net worth A$1,160 million), Arthur Laundy (net worth A$310 million) and the Farrell family (net worth A$275 million).
• In addition, poker machines are mostly available in Australia’s poorest suburbs. Moreover, in Western Sydney’s relatively impoverished Fairfield, each adult lost an average of A$2340 on the pokies in 2010-11.
• When it comes to wealthy Ku-ring-gai and Willoughby, poker machine losses were just A$270 per adult.
• In 2010, the Productivity Commission estimated that there were around 115,000 “problem gamblers” in Australia, who account for 40% of losses on poker machines. As a matter of fact, people who live closer to poker machine venues are more likely to experience gambling problems.
• Around 30% of people who play poker machines weekly are problem gamblers or are “at risk” of becoming problem gamblers. In WA, where poker machines you can find only inside the casino, the rate of problem gambling is one-third of that in the rest of the country.
• Aside from banning poker machines outside casinos, the most promising harm-minimisation measures include reducing maximum bet limits and requiring gamblers to set a limit before they begin playing (pre-commitment).
• Poker machine reform is popular in Australia – 70% of people agree that gambling should be more tightly controlled; and 74% agree that people should be limited to spending an amount they nominate before they start gambling.

Some other Facts

The most important fact to keep in mind when playing online pokies in Australia is that they all have a payout percentage of less than 100%. Any gambling game with a payout of lower than 100%; will eventually lead to you losing all of your money if you play long enough.

While some players will be short term winners; only those that win massive progressive jackpots or win a big amount; and never play again will be long term winners.

The next thing to keep in mind is that every spin is random. And is in no way changed by the previous spins. Every spin has the same shot at winning the top jackpot or any other prize. This means that even if you have lost on a machine for a long period; it is no guarantee that the game will start to payout.

Playing pokies in real casinos or online casinos

Aussie punters on the lookout for online casinos to play real money pokies, and there is not dearth of such casinos at the web. Infact many new online casinos have been launched in the past years where you can play real money pokies with AUD and Bitcoins. These casinos offer great real money pokies from various top notch gaming developers like Microgaming, Betsoft, Rival, PlaynGo, QuickSpin and many others such software companies. These casinos also offer great table games, live dealer games, sports betting or esports to enjoy. Moreover all this with lucrative welcome packages, no deposit bonuses and free spins to enjoy real money pokies with your mobile or PC or tablet.

• Convenience of play
• There are thousands of pokies to play with many game variations
• Can be played on mobile as well
• You can even play for free without risking money
• You get bonus offers that add value to your bankroll if you play real money
• Online casinos often publish their game payouts directly on their websites, letting all players know what edge each game has.

Land casinos on the other hand have huge complexes with not only pokies machines but hotels, restaurants and entertainment. Land-based casinos offer a fun, social experience. Unlike at online casinos, you’ll get to meet other players and dealers face-to-face, as well as chat to your bartender or waiter. While you won’t receive many bonuses at casinos, you will often get comps– rewards for playing – such as free drinks.

There is no long term win on pokies

You cannot win on the pokies in the long term. This is made somewhat worse for players; that the maximum win in a pub is $10,000 per spin which is very small compared to the odds of winning.

Considering the odds of getting a win; this big are roughly 2,500,000 to 1 the actual win is really quite small. You have roughly the same chance of winning the lottery where you will get a much bigger prize.

Who wins? That is to say, the players are not the big winners so who is? Above all, the answer is the gaming operators (Pubs, Clubs, Casinos); and the biggest winner of them all is the government; who collect billions every year as gambling taxes – a much bigger prize. These are the things you must consider when playing online pokies in Australia.

What about the pokies addiction in Australians?

Australia is home to less than half a percent of the world’s population but has 20 percent of its pokies — and 80 percent of those located outside casinos. The result is a nation with the world’s worst average gambling losses: About $1,000 per adult each year. Opponents of gambling say pokies fuel suicides, domestic violence, insolvencies and financial crimes.

In a recent survey  it was found that online gambling or land casino pokies was much more likely to end up in gambling addiction. The report of year 2021 released by the State Government has revealed that almost one in five online gamblers bet over 25 times on an annual basis, in comparison to one in ten other gamblers who did not gamble online. Also online gamblers are also more likely to be at a younger age in comparison to people who prefer to place their bets in more traditional ways.

An interesting part of the study is the one which emphasises on the relationship between all forms of problem gambling and deterioration of self-reported physical health. People in good health turned out to be 3.5 times more likely to become problem gamblers than the ones who enjoyed excellent health. In addition, it was nine times more likely for people in fair health to get hooked on gambling, while the ones in poor health were 10 times more likely to get addicted to gambling.

According to one study, the share of Australians who have a gambling problem doubled over 10 years, to more than 1 percent. The gambling industry says pokies are legal, regulated and enjoyed responsibly by millions of Australians. 

What you should do if you addicted to playing online slots or pokies?

If you are also one of the punters who spend time playing slots or pokies online then remember that to avoid addiction or habit to such slots set a time limit to play slots online. Also set a bankroll to play real money slots and avoid going beyond those limits. If you are losing or winning slots stop after your time limit and set budget. Also engage yourself to other interesting outdoor or indoor hobbies like gardening, cooking, trekking, hiking or camping. Send your time with good friends who are least interested in pokies and games. If still the problem persists contact your nearest problem gambling centre.