The online gambling industry is booming in Australia. I’ve seen this market grow rapidly in the last couple of years, with thousands of Australian players turning to offshore companies that offer online gambling opportunities. While there are lots of these casinos to pick from now, it’s really important to understand they don’t all offer the same level of trustworthiness. Once you choose an online casino, the next step is to know which games to play, which I hope the content on this page will clear up for you.

Most Popular Online Casino Games in Australia

When you want to play some online slots in Australia, it’s important to ensure you pick ones that are great to get started with. Most online casinos claim to have the top pokie games to play, but I’ve found that some of them really lack titles from reputable software providers.

In this section, I’d like to go over some of the most crucial things to consider when it comes to online casino games. This will give you a better idea of what you can expect. Additionally, I also want to talk a bit about how these pokies work and the various features you can find in some of the best games.

How Slot Games Work Online

Let’s start by considering how exactly online pokies work. Years ago, the only way we could gamble was to go out to a land-based casino. When it came to pokies, you would have to sit in front of a slot, add your coins, and pull a lever to spin the reels. Whenever you wanted to play a different game, you’d get up from the chair and find other slot machines.

Things have changed a lot since then. Now, you can simply open up your laptop or even get your phone out to gamble. The internet has made the world more convenient, and there’s no longer a need to visit a land-based establishment when you feel like gambling.

Online slot games work by running on a backend. Software providers are responsible for creating these pokies. They generally use specific software to create a backend, which incorporates important features such as an RNG system. In turn, these features help to provide a fair experience to anyone who wants to try out some online pokies.

There are several software providers responsible for creating these games. Each one has its own way of developing and coding, as well as designing slot machine games. Some popular developers include Pragmatic Play, Evolution Gaming, NetEnt, Relax Gaming, and NoLimit City.

Slots with Wild and Scatter Symbols

As you browse through the large variety of slots that exist for Australian players, you’ll often notice two types of symbols that appear in several of them. These consist of wild and scatter symbols. I find that it’s very useful to actually understand what these are, how they work, and the functions they bring to an online pokie. Let’s take a moment to talk about these symbols.

Wild Symbols

The most popular kind of symbol that you’ll notice in online slots would be the wild symbol. This particular symbol usually acts as a substitute for other symbols that can appear as you spin the reels. Let’s say you get a couple of symbols to line up in a payline on the slot.

A wild symbol appears on the next part of the payline. Now, the slot uses this wild symbol and makes it appear as one of the symbols that lined up. It helps to increase your winnings in the end. There are also some slots that have special functions for their wild symbols, which you can generally find about in the paytable.

Scatter Symbols

Another kind of special symbol you’ll often see in online slots is a scatter. In many cases, the scatter symbol is linked with the bonus features that the slot has to offer. You’ll usually need to get three of these symbols to land on the reels, then the pokie activates the bonus round or features. Some pokies have a larger number of scatter symbols that you need to match. This is often the case with larger grids.

One thing that I like about scatters is that most online slots will not require them to line up in a payline. This means you’ll be able to access the bonus features as long as they do land on the reels during a spin.

Android Pokies

Android pokies are great if you have a smartphone that runs the Android operating system. These can come in the form of an APK that you download from a website. Sometimes, the website itself has coding that allows you to install an app without any downloads. In this case, it usually creates a shortcut to the casino’s website on the app menu of your phone. You won’t usually find real money casino apps on the Google Play Store. However, there are many free play apps on the store.

iPad Pokies

iPads offer the perfect balance between a mobile phone and a desktop computer. This is why iPad pokies are also very common in the modern day. Since an iPad runs iPadOS (or iOS for older models), you won’t be able to download any files and install them. Instead, you’ll usually visit a website in order to play pokies on your iPad.

Australia Online Casino Payment Methods

When you’re looking to gamble at casino sites in Australia, it’s important to understand how you can move money into and out of your casino account. That where casino payment methods come in to importance.

Something that I always pay attention to is the grey area in which online gambling activities lie in the country. Aussies aren’t allowed to set up a local online casino. Thus, when we want to gamble on the internet, we should first understand which payment options are appropriate for Australian players.

This section will focus on introducing you to some of the top online casino payment methods that you should consider using. I’ll also guide you through the various types and give you some tips to ensure you make an informed decision.

Types of Casino Payment Methods

There are multiple payment methods that you’ll be able to find at Australian online casinos. However, one thing that I do want you to note here is that this will generally not include bank transfers. While bank transfers are convenient, remember the fact that I talked about online gambling being a grey area in Australia. Many banks won’t actually allow you to use your account for gambling-related transactions. The good news is, there are actually several alternative ways to deposit and withdraw at these casino sites. These are the methods that I want to focus on here.

Credit and Debit Card Payments

A relatively popular option that many people opt for when gambling in Australia includes using their credit or debit card. These are convenient, as you simply enter a couple of details about your card, decide how much to deposit, and things will usually be straightforward from there on.

However, there’s still a problem with this particular payment option in Australia. Similar to banks blocking transfers to gambling platforms, you may sometimes find that your bank doesn’t allow you to use your credit or debit card to transact at online casinos. It’s a good idea to just check with your card issuer. This can help to clear up any confusion and ensure you get clarity in terms of what you should expect.

E-wallet Payments

For Aussie players, the most convenient way to deposit and withdraw at an online casino would include using e-wallets. These are digital wallets that allow you to easily manage your funds on an online platform. There are several e-wallet options available, but the ones a casino supports vary from one platform to another.

Something that you should also take note of here is that some e-wallet payment providers are more open toward gambling transactions than others. For example, Skrill is often considered one of the top rated options because of the close relationship they have with certain online casinos. In fact, they even offer regular exclusive bonuses if you decide to use skrill to gamble online. Apart from Skrill, there are several other options that you can also choose from, including:

• Neosurf
• FlexePin
• Paysafe
• AstroPay
• MuchBetter
• MiFinity
• Neteller
• PayId
• Slicpay
• Jeton

In some rare cases, an online casino will also allow you to deposit and withdraw using PayPal. The reason very few casinos have this payment method is due to the strict criteria and process that PayPal has in place to determine whether or not they will grant a casino operator access to their payment services. There are also other e-wallet options that some casinos may support. It’s important to always do your research and find a method that’s going to be convenient to use in Australia.

Cryptocurrency Payments

If you’re someone who likes to keep up with the world of finances and online gambling, then there’s a trend you’ve likely begun to realise over the last couple of years. Cryptocurrencies have been around for more than a decade now. Bitcoin launched in 2009 and since then, we’ve seen several altcoins come into existence. With the surge of interest and value of crypto coins, casinos have started to accept these as a payment method.

Some crypto casinos will allow you to manually send over cryptocurrency to a wallet address they create for you. In this case, you’ll need a wallet that already contains some coins. However, there are also many of these sites that actually partner up with crypto payment providers, such as Binance Pay.

Binance and several other of these payment platforms have made the process of transacting online using cryptocurrency significantly easier. You simply connect your bank account or credit card to Binance, select how much you want to deposit, and follow the prompts. Once you have money in your Binance wallet, you can easily convert between different crypto coins. You can then simply choose the Binance Pay banking method at an online casino, connect to your wallet, and confirm. The process actually works very similarly for other types of crypto payment systems.

How to Choose the Best Payment Methods for an Online Casino?

Now that you have a better idea about the various payment methods you can use to transact at an online casino in Australia, you’ll realise there are still quite a variety of choices to pick from. It can feel very confusing if you’re not sure which of these methods is the right choice for you.

There are a couple of things that I want you to keep in mind. When you have a list of criteria to go on, it becomes much easier to determine which payment method will be the most appropriate option. First of all, consider what’s available to you in Australia. The key here is to ensure you pick an option that will be easy to use. Just because a casino lists a large variety of Australian payment options doesn’t mean each of them will be easily accessible for you in particular.

If you already have an e-wallet or perhaps a crypto wallet with some cryptocurrency, then this could be a good starting point. Ease of access is something that I always prioritise when it comes to gambling. Apart from this, you also need to consider the minimum deposit and maximum deposit amounts for these payment options. Casinos generally implement these limitations, so it might take a bit of research. In order to do this, though, you’ll need to know how much you want to deposit before you start with the research process.

Security is another critical element. You have to make sure you only opt for payment methods that are run by verified, registered, and regulated companies. You need to make sure the company providing the payment service has been around for a while. They should also have great reviews from people who use them.

Pokies Online Casinos

Playing free pokies games can be fun, but a demo mode has its limitations. Sure, when you play the best free online pokies, you basically get unlimited credits to use on the game. However, there’s a major downside to this.

When you play online pokies in demo mode and hit the jackpot, you don’t get anything. While there are no risks to these, a jackpot that’s only in demo mode can be quite upsetting. This is why you might want to consider a real money deposit after trying out a couple of demo pokies.

I want to talk about real money pokies in this section and compare them to some of the social casino platforms we’ve seen. I’ll also cover some details about mobile pokies that you can play for real.

Real Money Mobile Pokies

If you think back to just before the launch of smartphones, thanks to the introduction of operating systems like Android and iOS, you’d remember that online gambling involved using a desktop computer or laptop. Things have changed, and with the rate at which mobile devices are evolving, people in Australia are turning to these platforms when they want to gamble.

In 2024, the number of mobile phone internet users in Australia stands at 25.03 million. By 2029, this number is estimated to go up to 26.58 million. As more people gain access to a smartphone, the interest in gambling on these mobile phones continues to grow.

Fortunately, casinos have noticed this trend and have been ensuring that their websites work great on any platform, including smartphones. Mobile casinos are great for players who prefer to gamble on the go.

Mobile Casinos

While some mobile casinos have specific requirements in terms of operating systems and the devices you use, this isn’t the case with many of them.

Standard mobile casinos are often just in the form of a website that works on any device. When you open these sites on your phone, they will immediately rearrange the layout to ensure everything fits on your screen.

Download Casinos

A download casino generally involves downloading an app either from an app store or via the website. For Android devices, this usually involves downloading and then installing an APK file. iOS devices are a bit different, as you can only download apps from the official Apple App Store.

Online Casino Bonuses

One of the most exciting benefits that you can get from an instant PayID pokies Australia real money casino would definitely be some exciting bonuses. There are different kinds of bonuses and promotions you can expect from these platforms, so let’s take a closer look at some of the most popular ones.

Welcome Bonuses

A welcome bonus is definitely the most common one. It’s also one of those bonuses that a lot of people are looking forward to. In most cases, this is a type of deposit bonus. Sometimes, you’ll need to enter deposit bonus codes, but that’s not always the case. In certain instances, the casino has a system that allows you to enable or disable promos on your account with just a few clicks.

Welcome bonuses often include both bonus cash and free spins. They can apply to just the first deposit you make, but there are packages that allow you to claim bonuses for multiple deposits as well.

No Wagering Casino Bonus

A no wagering bonus often forms part of a welcome offer that an online casino offers. However, unlike standard deposit bonus casino promos, this one does not come with wagering requirements. A wagering requirement is a set of checklist items that you have to check off before the casino allows you to withdraw money. Online casino sites with a no wagering bonus allow you to actually claim a bonus and then withdraw money at any point.

No Deposit Casino Bonus

Something that I found is that most Australian online casinos don’t offer no deposit bonus options. However, there are a few that give you access to these promos. This type of bonus gives you access to free money and free spins without the need to make a deposit. A free mobile no deposit bonus is a great way to explore these online platforms to find which one works best for you.

High Roller Bonus

Those who are willing to get started with a more substantial deposit should take a look at high roller bonus offers. These offers generally have a much higher minimum deposit compared to standard promos, but they can be great if you want better benefits.

Cashback Bonus

Think back to all the losses you’ve experienced while gambling online. A cashback bonus actually gives you an opportunity to get back some of these losses. It’s something that many online casinos actually offers, but the percentage you get back is usually quite low. If the casino offers a 10% cashback, then you get 10% of the losses you had while betting on pokies and other games over a certain period of time.