What are Pokies?
If you’ve ever spent any amount of time in a New Zealand pub, club, or casino, then you’ll have almost certainly come across a pokie machine. Short for poker machine, the term “pokie” is used across New Zealand and Australia to describe electronic gaming machines – or, what the rest of the world typically calls slot machines.
Pokies are among the most popular forms of gambling in New Zealand, and they’re found virtually everywhere, from Sky City Auckland’s massive casino floor, to local sports bars, arcades – and, of course, at online casinos. Pokies are easy and simple to play, they come in a massive range of themes and formats, and they make up a major part of the country’s gambling revenue, both on and offline.
But how do pokies actually work, and where do they come from? Here’s everything you need to know.
The Origin of Pokies
The story of the slot machine dates back to the late 1890s in San Francisco. Charles Fey, a Bavarian-born mechanic who later emigrated to the US, built what’s generally considered to be the first mechanical slot machine in his workshop, and this was around 1894 to 1895.
His most well-known creation, the Liberty Bell, featured three spinning reels, a handful of symbols including horseshoes, diamonds, spades, hearts, and a cracked Liberty Bell, along with an automatic coin payout mechanism. Players who landed three Liberty Bells in a row were awarded the game’s top prize of 50 cents. While that all sounds pretty simple by today’s standards, the design was so effective that it ended up laying the foundation for every single slot machine that followed.
Now, in New Zealand, pokies arrived much later. Gaming machines were legalised for clubs back in 1987, and this legalisation extended to pubs and hotels in 1991. Casinos followed shortly after, with Christchurch Casino opening in 1994 as the first licenced casino in the country. Today there are six land-based casinos, thousands of pokie machines, and tens of thousands if you take into account those found at online casinos.
How Pokies Work
Every modern pokie – whether it’s a physical land-based on, or an online game you play on your phone – runs on what’s called a random number generator (RNG) for short. This is, basically, a computer algorithm that constantly generates random numerical sequences – even when nobody is currently playing.
When you, as player, hit the “spin” button, the RNG selects a number at that exact millisecond – and that number that’s chosen then determines where the reels land – the outcome of the spin. Every spin is 100% random and independent from the last, and there’s no such thing as a machine being “due” for a win – previous results also have zero impact on future spins.
Now, the gameplay itself is pretty simple – and you just need to place a bet, spin the reels, and hope that the matching symbols land across one or more paylines. Different symbols pay different amounts, and most modern pokies also include bonuses and features – things like Free Spins, “Pick me Bonus” rounds, Hold & Win features, jackpots, Wild symbols, and much more. Another thing to understand is the Return to Player – RTP, for short. This percentage represents the total amount of money that a slot machine (pokie) is expected to pay-out over its lifespan.
A 95% RTP, for example, means that for every NZ$100 wagered, it will on average return NZ$95 to players. The remaining 5% is the game’s house edge. RTPs, however, are calculated over millions or even billions of spins – and they don’t guarantee anything in the short-run.
Types of Pokies
Pokies have come a long way since Fey’s three-reel Liberty Bell – and today’s games look nothing like what you’d have found even 20 years ago. Here’s the main types you’ll come across today:
Classic Pokies
These stick closest to the original slot machine format, and they tend to have 3 reels, simple symbols like fruits, bars, and sevens, and rarely bonus features. They are fast, easy to play, and generally appeal to players wanting something a little more old-school.
Video Slots
These are the most common type of pokie machines you’ll find today, both on and offline. Video Pokies usually feature 5 reels, have multiple pay lines, and offer rich visual themes. And they almost always include bonus rounds too, including free spins features, expanding wilds, and more.
Megaways Pokies
Developed by Big Time Gaming, the Megaways engine randomises the number of symbols appearing on each reel with every spin, and this means there can be up to 117,649-ways-to-win active on each spin – if you’re lucky!
Progressive Jackpot Pokies
Progressive pokies pool a small portion of every bet placed across a network of linked games, and this “small portion” of your bet is then fed into a constantly-growing prize pool that continues increasing until a lucky player hits the winning combo required to scoop it!
Pokies in New Zealand
Pokies have quite a unique place in New Zealand, because not only do they provide a major source of entertainment for Kiwis, but they also are a genuine source of concern – one that doesn’t look to be going away.
From an economic point of view, pokies generate a massive amount of money for community organisations – and this is because, under the Gambling Act of 2003, a portion of all profits from Class 4 gaming machines (the ones you find in pubs and clubs) must be returned to the community through grands – mostly to charities and sporting groups. This type of funding model isn’t unique to NZ, and it’s similar to what we see in other regulated markets like the UK.
On the other hand, though, problem gambling continues to rise in New Zealand, and as a result, the government has introduced a number of responsible gambling measures, including a limit on the number of machines that are allowed throughout the country, maximum bet limits, and funding for organisations like the Problem Gambling Foundation.
Tips to Gamble Responsibly on Pokies
While gambling on pokies can be a very fun wan to kill time – and maybe even win some cash – like with all forms of online gambling, things can get out of control if you’re not careful, the the single most important thing to do, in my opinion, is always set a budget before you begin playing. Figure out how much money you’re comfortable to lose – and, no matter what happens, never exceed your limit, regardless of how much you’ve lost.
I’d also suggest making sure you know the ins and outs of the game you’re looking to play before you hit spin, as this will ensure you actually understand what’s going on during gameplay.
You should also consider using online casino’s responsible gambling tools if you feel things are getting a bit “on the line”. Consider setting deposit/loss/wager limits, and if you feel yourself losing control slightly, think about taking a time-out or entering into a self-exclusion agreement, too.
Conclusion
Pokies have become an integral part of gaming in New Zealand, and every year millions of players are entertained by them, trying to hit lucrative bonus rounds and win some money. Pokies have a fascinating history too, and they continue changing, with providers and game developers creating new concepts and mechanics.
Understanding what pokies are and how they actually work gives you a better understanding of what you’re likely to experience when playing them for yourself, whether you’re looking for the simplicity of classic slot machines or the volatility and win-seeking thrills offered by modern online video slots. Always remember to play responsibly.
Check out DashTickets’ best pokies sites, too, if you want to know the best online casinos that offer these slot machines – at the highest RTPs.
