One of the most popular games offered at Australian online casinos is slots, also commonly referred to as pokies. No skill is involved, so both long-term players and rookies can sit, spin, and win. Finding the best online pokies Australia has to offer can be tricky, which is why we’ve created this handbook.
Land-based gambling opportunities are plentiful in AUS, but locally regulated online pokies are not allowed. Internet casinos that operate out of other countries can legally accept punters in Australia, and the top providers we recommend here offer the best online slots available.
Are Online Pokies Legal In Australia?
The Interactive Gambling Act (IGA) of 2001 prohibits local operators from offering online casinos in Australia. However, offshore casinos are able to legally offer pokie games online to players in the country starting as young as 18 years old.
The reason that out-of-country gambling sites can accept AUS-based members and allow them to play real money slots is that there are no local laws that prohibit them. This is a unique scenario where the country has no domain over these international online casinos.
Until gambling laws are changed, pokie sites that are located overseas will remain the only legal and legitimate option for Australian punters. The sites that we recommend in this guide are based outside of AUS.
The Best Legal Online Pokies Australia
| Site Name | Bonus Offer | Rating | AU Friendly | Visit Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 100% up to $1,000 AUD + 50 Free Spins - Claim 5X |  |  | PLAY NOW |
 | 100% up to $3,000 AUD | | | PLAY NOW |
Types Of Slots Games You Can Play Online
There are several types of slot games, each offering unique gameplay features and mechanics. All of these games feature randomly generated results, so there is no skill required to win. Here’s a list of some of the most common types of slot games you’ll encounter:
- Classic Slots (3-Reel Slots): These are the traditional slot machines that usually have three reels and simple gameplay, often featuring fruit symbols and a single payline.
- Video Slots: These are modern slots with more complex features, often including 5 or more reels. They may include animations, sound effects, and bonus rounds.
- Progressive Slots: These slots are linked to a network, where the jackpot increases with every spin until it’s won. The jackpot can grow to enormous amounts and are often referred to as Hot Drop Jackpots. These can drop once an hour, per day, or randomly.
- 3D Slots: These are similar to video slots, but they employ enhanced 3D graphics that are more entertaining from a visual perspective.
- Multi-Payline Slots: These slots have multiple paylines, allowing players to win across several lines (vertical, horizontal, diagonal) on the reels. This increases the chances of winning but may also increase the bet.
- Cluster Pays Slots: These slots don’t use traditional paylines. Instead, winning combinations are formed when matching symbols land in adjacent positions, often in clusters.
- Branded Slots: These are games that are based on popular entities such as movies, TV shows, video games, or celebrities.
- Arcade Slots: These include video game-like graphics, special effects, and bonus rounds that resemble mini-games.
Is There A Difference Between Slots And Pokies In Australia?
No. The term pokie is used more often than slots, but they both refer to the exact same type of gambling machine. The name pokie was originally given to poker machines, but in time, the moniker was applied to slot machines as well.
Real Money Pokies Apps
Since there are no locally regulated casino sites in AUS, the only way to play slots on your mobile device is to become a member of an offshore gambling site like the ones we recommend. Any of these sites offer their services to any Australian-based tablet or smartphone with an active connection to the web.
These mobile gambling apps will grant you access to all of the same games that you can play over the web on laptops and PCs. All you need to do is log in to your account using a web browser application and start playing.
The slots work perfectly with smartphone touchscreens, allowing you to ditch the mouse and play pokies with your fingertips. The larger screens on tablets give them an advantage over smartphones, but the games work perfectly on both.
Should I Accept An Online Pokies Sign-Up Bonus?
The answer depends on how much gambling you intend to do. First, these bonus cash offers are based on a percentage of your deposit. For instance, if you accept a 100% bonus worth up to $500, you get $1,000 added to your account on a $500 upload.
The reason we say it depends on your gambling frequency is that there are terms of completion attached to these promotions. The industry terms used for these conditions are playthrough and rollover, and they both mean the same thing – the amount of times the bonus cash must be gambled at the casino before a payout can be requested.
If you partake in slots often, then you should have no problem working through the playthrough terms. If you play the pokies infrequently, perhaps you can consider making a smaller deposit so the rollover can be completed. To learn more, see our AU online gambling site reviews, where we discuss wagering requirements and different bonus options available to players.
Remember, a casino bonus is optional, so you can skip them altogether if you don’t think you can complete the rollover requirements before the time limit.
How To Identify A Legitimate Online Slots Provider
The two pieces of information we are most concerned with in regard to online pokies is their country of origin and whether they are licensed to operate by a respected gaming commission. This information can be found in their terms and conditions, or at the bottom of their homepage.
Country Of Origin – While any offshore gambling site can choose to accept punters in AUS, not all of them are legitimate. By locating the country that the site operates out of, you can then determine whether that country allows for international legal online gambling.
Licensing Credentials – To ensure fair gameplay and payouts, we only recommend using online slots providers that are licensed by a gaming commission or their local government. The presence of appropriate licensing means that the sites are routinely inspected and their RNG technology is certified.
How To Fund My Account And Get Paid
Credit And Debit Cards – Most of the sites that you see here in this guide will accept your deposit using popular credit card brands. However, no payouts will be issued to a credit or debit card. This is referred to as a chargeback and is only used for refunds. Also, fees are attached to card deposits in most cases.
Cryptocurrency – All of the sites that we recommend accept cryptocurrency deposits and will also issue payouts using altcoins. Crypto deposits can take a few minutes to complete if there is blockchain processing involved. Altcoin payouts are usually the fastest option available, with completion times that are often less than 24 hours.
Australian Dollar Payouts – These options are not common, but some gambling sites will issue payouts using bank wires or the delivery of Cashier’s Checks. Some banking institutions will flag and cancel any transactions that they believe are gambling-related, so we typically avoid bank wires. Australian gambling laws don’t prohibit offshore casino payouts, but banks may cancel them out of preference.
Help With Problem Gaming In AUS