Pokies are found in nearly every Australian state and have become a part of Australian culture. To play a pokie, just choose the bet amount and spin the reels. You’ll win money if you get a winning combination of symbols on the reels. Those outside of Australia will probably instead know them as slot machines.
While they were invented in the US at the end of the 19th century, it wasn’t until the 1950s that pokies became commonplace in Australia, as this was when they were legalised in New South Wales. Aside from Western Australia, all other states legalised pokies in the 1990s. Nowadays, there are nearly 200,000 pokies spread across the country, with almost half found in NSW.
But what did the first ever pokies in Australia look like? And did they have any noticeable features? You’ll find the answers to these questions and much more on this page.
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The First Pokies in Australia
The first pokie machine called the Liberty Bell, was invented by American Charles Fey in 1894. This slot had three reels and six symbols: horseshoes, stars, spades, diamonds, hearts, and Liberty Bells. The reels were mechanical and were spun by pulling a lever on the side of the machine. It cost five cents to play, and the top prize was 50 cents, won when three Liberty Bell symbols landed on the single payline.
But while the Liberty Bell was the world’s first slot, it wasn’t abundant in Australia. Instead, pokies didn’t really hit Australia until the 1950s, when the Aristocrat gaming company invented the Clubman pokie. Designed by Joe Heywood, this simple slot was made in Australia, giving it an immediate advantage in the country. In 1955, it was replaced by the Clubmaster.
The Clubmaster slot was widely distributed. It was still a simple slot, with three reels and just one payline. There were no bonuses or other features – players just had to get a winning combination on the single payline to win money. It also had a simple mechanical design – just pull the lever and the reels would spin.
The Clubmaster was exceptionally popular, and its popularity only increased when New South Wales legalised pokies in 1956. Pokies would then continue to get more popular, becoming widespread in many parts of the country.
Advancements in Pokie Design
The next big leap forward in pokie design came in the late 1970s when video pokies were designed. These got rid of the mechanical components and replaced them with electronics. Instead of the mechanical reels, the reels were displayed on a screen, plus the mechanical arm would eventually be ditched in favour of a simple button.
One immediate change this caused was the gameplay speed – it was now possible to get through many more spins per hour. Moreover, the games both looked and sounded much better, adding to the fun they offered.
Additional reels were now possible, and many video slots boasted five reels, which is still the most popular number today. It was common to see slots with multiple paylines, adding extra opportunities to win on every spin.
Pokies would also soon offer various features, hugely enhancing the enjoyment of gameplay and giving players several ways to hit winning combinations. In 1993, the Three Bags Full slot appeared, pushing the boundaries of slots even further. This was the first video slot to offer a second screen bonus, where the display changed to show a bonus game, which offered some large prizes. Not even US casinos had slots with second-screen bonuses yet, so Australia was at the industry’s forefront.
The next advancement in the design of pokies was the biggest yet, as they went online. This revolutionised the pokie world, allowing for an almost limitless number of themes and bonus features. As online pokies developed, some started to offer hundreds of paylines, while others had progressive jackpots worth millions.
While online pokies have not been legalised in Australia, this hasn’t stopped them from becoming exceptionally popular. Players from throughout the country head to offshore casinos to spin the reels of the many online pokies available.
Controversies Surrounding Pokie Design
Pokie machines have courted controversy through the years, which isn’t surprising. When designing new pokies, the key consideration is making games more attractive to players and persuading them to part with more money. But as games got more exciting, the levels of problem gambling increased.
Very little was done by governments to limit the impact of pokies on individuals and communities, which saw addiction turn into a major issue for the country. In fact, Australia has the world’s highest per capita gambling losses by a considerable margin.
There is now increasing pressure on state and federal governments to introduce laws to curb pokies. The New South Wales government plans to force all pokies to be cashless, enabling players to set limits on the amount they can lose. Tasmania is also planning something similar, forcing players to select a limit before they can start playing.
Of course, gambling lobbies will resist anything that will negatively affect their finances, and they hold a large amount of influence in most parts of the country. Politicians will have to stare down these lobbies if they’re going to introduce meaningful reform and protect those most vulnerable to gambling addiction.
Conclusion
Pokies have changed hugely since the first machines were introduced in Australia over 100 years ago. These initial machines had rudimentary designs and small prizes, but more modern pokies are electronic and can offer five or more reels with hundreds of paylines. Pokies can now even be played online, further increasing the features offered to players.
As pokies have become more modern, their attractiveness has increased, and this has contributed to a significant gambling problem in Australia. It’s now up to Australian lawmakers to introduce laws to protect the public while allowing people to still enjoy spinning the reels of these hugely popular games.
