What you don't know about online pokies

When you think of pastime hobbies and life down under what do you think of? Some long-haired and deeply tanned Aussie hops on the 10.000 $ mountain bike to speed a few dozen miles to the beach to hit the waves on his surfboard? Or he is playing what us Europeans may consider a mish mash of Rugby and American football with no helmet? Alternatively our Aussie sportstar may be found at a remote bar in the outback chugging XXX Foster's with a few Sheila's whilst the ladies are at Bondi Beach playing volleyball... You would perhaps not expect them to play the best pokies for Australians with Guts?

Australians have a hobby you don't know about. You think they play frisbee and chase crocodiles all day, but in fact Australians love to play online pokies for real money.
Since these intoxicating slot machines have become available to anyone with a PC and an internet connection, pokies have become more in-house than outback.

Pokies are the new Billabongs
Australians, who already have a great fondness for the old pokie machine, have jumped on the bandwagon of online slot machines with gusto. The casino craze has changed the Australian slot enthusiasts' life. The amount of problem gamblers in Australia is closely observed by worried governments and NPOs who are really concerned that online pokies may really be the new billabong.

Whereas rain usually interrupts play when it comes to Cricket, nowadays it is the pokie machine that has moved into the living room, displacing Cricket as a favoured pastime. Waltzing Mathilda has taken on a whole new meaning. Since online gaming is banned, the Aussies flock to offshore gaming sites and find the slot machines they want to play whenever and wherever they want. In 2015 there were 2,443 online casinos and gambling websites available to Australians.

It is easy to imagine the Aussie player slowly building a canoe out of shedded porcupine needles whilst juggling a boomerang, planning their latest walkabout, but the truth of the matter is - they love to sit at home playing online pokies. Pokies, FYI, are just online slot machines. Since the beloved "pokie" has become available from the comfort of the home, it has peaked in Australia to the government's distress.

Is Skippy lonely?
Luckily, most of the online gaming sites have consolidated since the boom which kicked off around the millennium, and offer many ways for pokie-lovers to control their beloved hobby. Setting a budget and even timelines to your player account helps manage both precious bankroll as well as time spent on a game. The industry, regulated in most operational jurisdictions these days, is supportive of any measures that promote responsible gambling. Studies say most Australians play slot machines online to "relax" and for "entertainment". Next time you picture the rugged Australian a la "Crocodile Dundee" plowing through the wilderness with alligators and poisonous snakes chasing him - think again. He is most likely sat at home playing his favourite pokie.