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Slots Boom in Australia (1 of 2)

Australians, like Americans, really like their slot machines! The Land Down Under is home to hundreds of thousands of one-armed bandits, although that is not how Ozzies refer to their slot games. Australian parlance for slot machines deems that they be called “poker machines,” or “pokies” for short. When slots first came to the country, many were based off of the ubiquitous card game, with combinations based on poker hands designated as the winners. Australian slot machines may also be called “video poker” devices, or “gaming machines.”

In Australian, unlike the United States, video slot machines are popular. These devices have a single video display monitor in the place of the typical slot machine reels. Aussie slot games display five digital reels. As a plus, these video machines are generally tricked out with many, fancy bonus features and second-screen incentives like free games and bonus levels. The video screen also allows for flexibility: up to two hundred forty-three ways of play, and up to fifty lines.

The Australian national government does not regulate slot machine play, and leaves governance of the matter up to individual states. States’ positions on slot games vary wildly, and range from enthusiastic permission to strict regulation. Slot machines tend to be found primarily in Australian casinos, as well as pubs and clubs. The availability and access to slots depends on individual states’ view on the issue. New South Wales, for instance, was the very first Australian state to specifically authorize this popular type of gambling a half-century ago, when the state gave permission for slots to be installed in all registered clubs. 

Continue to part 2 here.

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