Where do pokies come from?

Pokie. The five-letter word that we just can’t get enough of at PlayCroco online casino. But where does the word “pokies” come from?

Croco wanted to get “I Love Pokies” tattooed across his arm, but we advised him against it. This just proves how passionate he is about these online casino games though. Turns out… we’re not the only ones.

Our pokies are enjoyed by thousands of members the world over. From blokes in Bunbury to shielas in Sydney and beyond. PlayCroco online pokies are more popular than even Croco himself… and that means they’re pretty darn popular.

But where does “pokies” come from when we talk about the actual word? We all bandy it around and use it in our marketing material, but did you know that its origins are distinctly Aussie? You probably could have guessed. Aussies, Kiwis and residents of the Land of PlayCroco love shortening words. After all… the more time we save on talking, the more time we can play online casino games!

In this article, we’re going to discuss where the term pokies comes from. We’ll also include a quick step-by-step guide on how to find your favourite online pokies using your mobile or desktop browser.

What is a pokie? 🎲

Where does “pokies” come from? It’s the question that has had us scratching our scaly domes for some time now. The truth is though we can’t start talking about the term “pokie” before we lay out what a pokie is, so here it goes…

A pokie is either a physical gambling machine or a term used for online software that replicates the gambling and betting mechanics of said machine. Like many gambling games, pokies are a game of chance. Unlike other types of casino games, pokies come in all different shapes and sizes depending on their theme, gameplay or style.

For the sake of this argument, we’ll talk exclusively about online pokies. Incredibly different from their bricks-and-mortar counterparts, online pokies are strictly available to play online via your mobile or a browser application.

They still come with bright lights, multiple bonus round functions and jackpots! However, instead of buttons and levers you only need to tap your thumb or click a button. Some would say this makes them less fun. Nah. We say it makes online pokies more convenient, faster and infinitely more amusing. But hey… we might be a little bias!

Where to find the best online pokies 🔎

Stop. The search is over. You’re already in the right place to find the best online pokies! But we’ll let you in on a little secret… there’s much more to discover than meets the eye such as who invented pokies or how to play pokies... If you’d like to learn where do pokies come from AND play some of the hidden gems that we currently have on offer, follow the steps below:

Enter the PlayCroco lobby
Login or sign up if you’re not already a member
Head to the coupon section and pick your bonus
Browse our list of pokies, slots and specialty titles
Click to reveal information about a game you’re interested in
Select the pokie in question and click “Play for Real” to play for real cash

play now

Origins of the word “pokie” 🎭

Pokies, it seems, is a word that’s undergone the same cut and trim that many Aussies and Kiwis apply to all of their words.

Take “arvo”or “avo” for example. Two words that mean nothing to the individual who calls anywhere but the Great Southern Land or the Land of the Long White Cloud home. In actual fact, these words are shortened versions of afternoon and avocado. Go figure!

The answer to the question “Where does pokies come from” can then best be described as being the result of Aussies and Kiwis taking the original name for pokies (which is poker machines) and giving it the Down Under snip.

It’s a slang word, no doubt. But everyone in Australia and New Zealand delight in using slang words on a daily basis. Plus… whose got time to pronounce every word in its entirety? We’ll leave that to our cousins in the northern hemisphere thank you very much!

Other theories as to where “pokies” comes from 🗺️

Another theory that attempts to tackle the question as to where pokies come from stems from back in the early days of Australia. At time before the Land of PlayCroco when men and women didn’t get along with crocodiles. Hard to imagine, but it really happened!

Anyway, back then, coins were inserted into the slot and a lever was pulled in order to start the pokie machine. According to this theory, the action of putting the coins into the machine was more of a “poking” motion. Hence the nickname that’s stuck around for over a century – pokie!

Either was this term has stuck. Nowadays, the term “pokie” is used throughout these two countries and on our own online casino. You can of course call them slots or poker machines if you’d like, but if you really want to be a local in the Land of PlayCroco… you best stick to pokies!

Pokies in Australia and New Zealand 🦘🥝

So we’ve more or less covered where do pokies come from, but let’s have a chat about the pokie culture in Australia and New Zealand (and by extension the Land of the PlayCroco). Starting with the fact that Australia has the most pokie machines in the world… no joke!

This says volumes about our love affair for gambling, but it’s no secret that our friends across the ditch don’t mind betting either. Wagering on online pokies is also massively popular in both countries, and our casino is chocka block full of savvy Aussies and crafty Kiwis…

When you look at the reasons for this, it always comes back to the same thing: we’re serious about having fun and pokies are a damn good time! This tremendous enthusiasm for winning and slots goes back to the early days of Aussie and Kiwi pubs and clubs. But in the modern era, everyone who’s anyone is playing online pokies such as Cash Bandits 3.

Pokie vs. slot 🎰

Now, we use the term “pokie” and “slot” interchangeably… but there’s a small difference that can be traced back to where pokies come from. For example: you’re more likely to hear the term “pokie” in Australia and New Zealand, while “slot” is more commonly used in the rest of the world.

So if you turn up at a Las Vegas casino or step onto the high rollers floor in Monaco and ask “where da pokies at?”, you’ll get a strange look from the staff on hand. Conversely, if you walk into a casino in Melbourne or Sydney and want to play the slots, you’ll only ever find signs pointing you towards the pokies…

Different names aside, pokies and slots are at their core the same thing – gambling machines that are available in both brick-and-mortar clubs, pubs and casinos in addition to being available online.

But where does “pokies” come from when we talk about the actual word? Well, we think we’ve covered that quite extensively. All that really matters now though is where the world of online pokies are going!

If you’re a PlayCroco member, the answer is clear. We’re only going one way and that’s up, up and away. So grab Croco’s tail and hang on tight. Your journey through the Land of PlayCroco starts by knowing the differences between pokies and slots and where the term original came from. Then you can start collecting double comp points and having a crazy Croco time!

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