Land-based casinos have been around for forty-five years in Australia, ever since the Wrest Point Hotel Casino, in the Hobart-suburb of Sandy Bay in Tasmania, first opened its doors on 10th February 1973. Wrest Point was the first legal casino in Australia. Before 1973, casinos were illegal in our country, as they were seen as difficult to control, and a destructive force within society.
Although locals’ opinions on the opening of a legal casino were divided, it kick-started the casino industry in Australia. Today, there are thirteen land-based casinos in Australia, including the Wrest Point Hotel Casino, which is still operating. Gambling is a favourite pastime in our country, and winnings are not taxed, as the Government sees winnings from gambling not as income, but as a result of good luck. Gambling operators are taxed instead.
Slot machines, also called pokies, have always been among the most popular casino games in Australia. Approximately a quarter of all the slot machines throughout the world are in pubs, clubs and casinos in Australia, more than half of them in New South Wales. According to statistics, there are around 200000 pokies machines in Australia, one to every 114 people. This is higher than in any other country, and makes pokies more available in Australia, than anywhere else in the world.
Since 2004, Australian style pokies can be played online. This was the year Microgaming released Thunderstruck, which marked an important milestone in the history of pokies. Mobile gaming took off, and with the invention of smartphones and tablets, pokies have now become easily accessible to a wide audience. Pokies can be played and won anywhere, at any time, by anyone.
Some online casinos allow players to try out different pokies for free, before gambling with real money. This will enable players to get a feel for online casino pokies and choose a game that suits them, before making a cash deposit.