Slot machines are among the most popular casino games in the world due to their simple rules and fun gameplay. But, did you know that in New Zealand and Australia, they refer to these gambling products as pokies?
If not, then don’t worry as some Kiwis and Aussies also can’t tell why are pokies called pokies. The simplest answer has to do with the cultural background, as locals used this name when referring to a slot machine.
From Slots to Pokies – The Origins of the Pokie Machines
The term pokies has deep roots in the gambling scene and culture in New Zealand and Australia. Here, players even refer to online slots as online pokies. This name has become part of the regional identity, as no other country in the world uses it.If you’re new to the gambling world, then you might ask “What are pokies?”. They are gaming machines where you have to match symbols on paylines to get a prize. Now, this definition doesn’t have a single detail that connects the game to the name “pokie”.
The truth is that no one can tell for certain why Kiwis and Aussies decided not to use the term slot machine. But, we can find a strong connection with the appearance of the first gambling machines in these countries. This took place in the 1950s when the government approved them in registered Australian casinos and clubs. In New Zealand, the first pokie machine games appeared around 30 years after. Among the several products featured on them were poker variants.
As one can easily tell, there is a big resemblance between both terms. Plus, it’s not a mystery that Kiwis and Aussies love their abbreviations. Because of that, locals started categorizing all video games as casino pokies, regardless if they referred to slot or poker machines. We must also note that playing land-based and online pokies NZ is one of the favourite pastime activities in the country. Kiwis as well as Aussies have a long gambling tradition with these games.
But, gambling for fun and collecting a payout isn’t the only benefit of the pokies in NZ. These games provide a substantial amount of funds to the community in the form of grant funds. Such initiatives help a variety of local group activities such as arts, health, education, and sports.
Pokies Terminology Globally
Now, that we’ve established why Kiwis and Aussies called poker machines pokies, it’s time to turn to other regions. Before we move on, you must know that all of these terms refer to the same casino slots. As such, you can stumble upon different names for the same products such as:
- Slot machines
- Fruit machines
- Puggy
- Pachislo
The old term slots started out in the USA and then it found its way in countries worldwide. This name dates back to 1894 in America when Charles August Fey invented the first slot machine. In the UK, locals started calling these games fruit machines. This is due to the featured fruit symbols used in these products such as lemon, cherry, orange, grapes, watermelon, etc.
Next, we have the term puggy, which you can find in Scotland. This one is very close to the pokies machine name used by Kiwis and Aussies. It shows that these countries have a similar naming process. The global popularity of pokies didn’t leave out Japan. Residents in this country refer to pokies casino as pachislo. Just like Kiwis, they too adopted a name that resembles another game machine in the country. This time it’s not a poker machine, but the local pachinko gaming sets.
Additionally, we must note that there are slight distinctions between land-based and online pokies New Zealand. The first ones you can play on physical machines while the latter are available on gaming websites. Also, you can enjoy casino online pokies at any time and place.
Top Online Casinos for Pokies in New Zealand
Kiwis are free to join online pokies sites where they can play the featured casino games. But, it’s super important to pick a trustworthy and safe gaming platform, as there are many scam websites out there.
To help you find a legitimate and secure operator we went through the troubles of examining a good number of them. Here are the best pokies casinos that you can choose from:
While looking for TOP online casinos, always make sure to check whether they have valid gaming licenses. After that, examine if they utilize the latest 128-bit SSL encryption, which is a key security feature.
Next, inspect if the operators offer the best online pokies on the market. These are usually products developed by the most reputable software providers. Such game suppliers always create safe and fair products, which is what every Kiwi should look for.