Machine guide
Pokies Machines in Australia: How They Work, Types, Features and RTP
Pokies machines are electronic gaming machines that use a random number generator (RNG) to determine the outcome of each play, with features such as reels, symbols, paylines, bonuses, jackpots, RTP and volatility varying between games. In Australia, you can find them in approved venues such as pubs, hotels and clubs, depending on your state or territory. Explore how pokies machines work, the main features found across different machines, and the terms commonly used to describe them.
18+ only. Directory and information service. Gambling involves financial risk. Responsible gambling support.
The basics
What Is a Pokies Machine?
A pokies machine is an electronic gambling device that generates a result using a random number generator (RNG).
Modern machines may look like traditional slot machines, with reels, symbols and paylines displayed on a screen, but the outcome is determined electronically. When you press the play or spin button, the machine generates a random result and then displays the corresponding symbols and outcome.
The apparent spinning reels are therefore part of the game’s presentation. The machine’s software and random-number process determine the result.
In Australia, you may hear several names for the same general type of machine:
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Pokies | Common Australian term |
| Pokie machine | Singular form of pokies |
| Poker machine | Another common Australian term |
| Gaming machine | Common regulatory term |
| Electronic gaming machine (EGM) | Technical term |
More terms are explained in our pokies terminology guide.
Step by step
How Do Pokies Machines Work?
The basic process is straightforward.
You choose your bet
You select the amount you want to wager and, depending on the game, may select credits, paylines or other betting options.
You press play
The machine’s software determines the outcome using its random number generator.
The result is displayed
The machine displays the corresponding symbols, animations and sounds on the screen.
The game checks for a winning combination
The result is compared with the game’s rules and pay table.
Your balance is updated
If the result qualifies for a payout, the applicable amount is added according to the game’s rules.
The important point is that each play is independent. A previous win or loss does not make a future result more or less likely.
Randomness
What Is an RNG in a Pokies Machine?
RNG stands for Random Number Generator. It is the computer process used to produce random game outcomes.
The NSW Government’s GambleAware resource explains that poker machines generate thousands of possible results and select an unpredictable result when you play. Each spin is independent of the previous one. This means:
- A machine does not remember that you lost on the previous spin.
- A previous jackpot does not determine the next result.
- You can’t make a machine pay by pressing the button at a particular moment.
- A machine is not automatically “due” for a win.
- Watching another person win does not make the next spin less likely to win.
You cannot predict the next result from the previous results.
On the screen
What Are the Reels on a Pokies Machine?
Reels are the columns of symbols you see on the machine’s screen. Older mechanical machines used physical reels. Modern electronic machines generally display simulated reels on a screen.
A game may show symbols such as numbers, letters, animals, fruits, characters, themed symbols, wild symbols, scatter symbols and bonus symbols. The symbols and their values depend on the individual game.
The visual reels are part of the game’s presentation, while the underlying software determines the result.
Reading a game
What Are Paylines?
A payline is a pattern a game uses to determine whether a combination of symbols qualifies for a payout.
A traditional game may use a small number of fixed paylines, while modern games can use many different patterns or alternative ways of calculating winning combinations. The exact system depends on the individual machine, so check the game’s pay table rather than assuming every machine calculates wins the same way.
What Is a Pay Table?
The pay table explains how the game’s symbols and combinations relate to payouts. It can show symbol values, winning combinations, paylines, bonus, wild and scatter symbols, free-game features, jackpot conditions and other game rules.
Before playing a machine, the pay table is one of the most useful places to look if you want to understand how that particular game works.
What Does a Linked Jackpot Mean?
A linked jackpot connects multiple machines to a shared jackpot system. Instead of a prize being available on only one machine, qualifying machines can contribute to and participate in the same jackpot structure.
The rules for triggering and awarding the jackpot depend on the game and configuration. A linked jackpot does not mean that one machine is “better” because another machine recently contributed to the jackpot; each play remains independent.
Features
Common Pokies Machine Features
Modern pokies can include many different features. The exact features vary between games.
Free Spins
Some games award additional spins after a particular symbol combination or bonus trigger. Free spins are commonly presented as a bonus feature, but they do not change the underlying fact that game outcomes are determined by the machine’s rules and random process.
Wild Symbols
A wild symbol can substitute for certain other symbols when calculating a winning combination, depending on the game’s rules.
Scatter Symbols
Scatter symbols can trigger bonuses or other features without necessarily needing to appear on a traditional payline.
Bonus Games
A machine may include a separate bonus round that is triggered by a particular combination or event.
Hold-and-Spin Features
Some popular Australian machines use a hold-and-spin style feature where certain symbols remain on screen while additional spins are provided.
Progressive Jackpots
A progressive jackpot can be linked across multiple machines. When connected machines contribute to the same prize pool, a qualifying jackpot can be awarded according to the game’s rules.
Return to Player
What Is RTP on a Pokies Machine?
RTP means Return to Player. It is a theoretical percentage describing how much of the money wagered a game is designed to return over a very large number of plays.
For example, a game with a theoretical 90% RTP is designed so that, over its applicable mathematical model and game cycle, approximately 90% of the amount wagered is returned as prizes. It does not mean that you will receive $90 back if you put $100 into the machine.
RTP is not a prediction for one spin, one session, one day, one player, or a particular machine at a particular moment. The Australian Institute of Family Studies explains that theoretical return is determined by the game’s underlying mathematics and is unlikely to be achieved during an individual player’s short session.
Simple example: a theoretical RTP of 90% does not mean “bet $100 and receive $90 back.” It describes the game’s theoretical long-term return across a very large number of plays. Read the full RTP explained guide.
Distribution of results
What Is Volatility?
Volatility describes how a game’s wins are distributed. In simple terms:
| Volatility | General pattern |
|---|---|
| Lower volatility | Smaller wins may occur more frequently |
| Medium volatility | A mixture of smaller and larger results |
| Higher volatility | Wins may occur less frequently but can include larger payouts |
Volatility does not tell you whether you will win during a particular session. It also doesn’t mean a high-volatility machine is “better” or that a low-volatility machine is more likely to make you money. It describes the distribution of results within the game’s design.
Common myths
Are Pokies Machines Random?
Yes. Pokies machines use random processes to determine game outcomes.
Random does not mean every possible outcome has an equal chance: the game’s mathematical design determines how symbols, combinations and payouts are distributed. The NSW Government explains that each poker-machine play is independent and that previous results do not affect the next result.
Are Pokies Machines Ever “Due” for a Win?
No. A machine does not become more likely to win because it has recently produced several losing results.
If a machine has produced a long sequence of losing results, that history does not require the next play to win. Likewise, a recent jackpot does not determine what happens next. Each play is independent.
Can You Improve Your Chances by Changing Your Strategy?
You cannot control the random outcome by changing the time you play, pressing the button differently, choosing a particular seat, playing after someone wins or after a long losing streak, using a lucky charm, or switching to a machine that “looks ready”.
You can, however, make informed decisions about whether to play at all and how much money and time you are willing to spend.
Makers
Common Types of Pokies Machines
Australian venues can contain machines from different manufacturers and game families. The hardware and software available depend on the jurisdiction, venue and approved games. Some manufacturers represented in the Australian gaming-machine industry include:
| Manufacturer | Examples of machine families / models |
|---|---|
| Aristocrat | Dragon Link, Lightning Link, Buffalo series |
| Ainsworth | Various gaming-machine families |
| IGT | Various electronic gaming-machine systems |
| Konami | Various gaming-machine titles |
| Bally | Various gaming-machine titles |
| Novomatic | Various gaming-machine systems |
The range of machines available is much broader than any single list. Diamond Tech Gaming, for example, lists gaming machines and models associated with manufacturers including Aristocrat, Ainsworth, Aruze, Konami, IGT, Novomatic, Bally and others. Availability can vary by venue and state.
Popular Pokies Machine Families
Dragon Link
A linked-jackpot machine family associated with Aristocrat and known for its hold-and-spin style bonus features and multiple jackpot tiers.
Lightning Link
Another Aristocrat linked-jackpot family featuring hold-and-spin style bonus gameplay across different themes.
Buffalo Gold
A Buffalo-themed game family with bonus features involving free games and additional prize opportunities.
Dragon Cash
A linked gaming-machine family with themed bonus features and jackpot elements.
The specific version, mathematics, RTP and approved configuration can vary by jurisdiction and game version.
Where to find them
Pokies Machines in Australian Venues
The machines you can find depend on where you are. Different Australian states and territories have different rules governing gaming machines and approved venues. For example:
| Location | Common gaming venues |
|---|---|
| NSW | Hotels and registered clubs |
| Victoria | Hotels and clubs |
| Queensland | Hotels and clubs |
| South Australia | Hotels, pubs and clubs |
| Tasmania | Approved hotels and clubs |
| ACT | Approved gaming venues |
| Northern Territory | Hotels, pubs, clubs and casinos |
| Western Australia | Electronic gaming machines are restricted to Crown Perth |
If you want to find a venue rather than research a particular machine, use the Pokie Finder venue and location guides.
Legal context
Pokies Machine vs Online Slot
The terms can be confusing. A pokies machine generally refers to an electronic gaming machine found in a physical venue in Australia. An online slot is a digital gambling game accessed through an online service. You should not automatically treat these as the same thing from a legal or regulatory perspective.
Australia has specific restrictions covering prohibited online gambling services. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) states that prohibited online gambling services include online casinos and online slot-machine services.
For that reason, Pokie Finder focuses on Australian venue and pokies information, rather than directing users to unlicensed online gambling services.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions About Pokies Machines
What is a pokie machine?
A pokie machine is an electronic gaming machine that uses a computerised random process to determine the outcome of each play. In Australia, it is also commonly called a poker machine or gaming machine.
How does a pokie machine work?
You place a bet and press the play button. The machine’s random number generator determines the outcome, which is then displayed through the game’s reels, symbols and features.
Are pokies machines random?
Yes. Each play is independently determined by the machine’s random process. Previous results do not determine the next result.
What does RTP mean?
RTP means Return to Player. It is a theoretical long-term percentage describing how much money a game is designed to return through prizes over a very large number of plays.
What does volatility mean?
Volatility describes how a game’s results are distributed. Higher volatility generally means larger results may occur less frequently, while lower volatility generally involves smaller results occurring more frequently.
Is a pokie machine ever due for a win?
No. A machine does not become more likely to win because it has gone through a losing streak. Each play is independent.
Can you predict a pokies machine?
No. The outcome of an individual play cannot be reliably predicted from previous results, timing or betting patterns.
Who makes pokies machines?
Several manufacturers produce gaming machines and related systems used in Australia, including Aristocrat, Ainsworth, IGT, Konami, Bally and Novomatic. The machines available at a particular venue depend on the venue and applicable approvals.
Where can you find pokies machines in Australia?
You can find pokies in approved venues such as hotels, pubs and clubs across several Australian states and territories. Western Australia has a different arrangement, with electronic gaming machines restricted to Crown Perth.
Before you play
Understand the Machine Before You Play
Pokies machines can look simple, but the underlying software and mathematics are more complex than the spinning reels suggest. If you are researching a machine, focus on the information you can actually verify:
- The game’s rules and pay table
- Available features
- RTP information where published
- Volatility information where available
- Jackpot conditions
- Betting options
- Venue and state requirements
Do not rely on claims that a machine is “hot,” “cold,” “due,” or ready to pay. Every play is a new, independently determined outcome. If gambling stops being fun, see our responsible gambling page.
Pokie Finder
Explore Pokie Finder
Pokie Finder is an independent Australian pokies information and venue directory. It does not operate gambling machines or accept bets. 18+ only. Directory and information service. Gambling involves financial risk. Responsible gambling support.