When you take a look at some reports on the gambling industry, you will see that slot machines are the most popular casino games out there. There are many arguments out there for this happening. Still, it needs to be said that it relies solely on luck is probably the most important one.
Slot machines are popular all over the world, and there are only a couple of regions in Asia where this game is the most widespread one. It needs to be said that Australia is the place where this game has become particularly popular. Australians love it so much that they gave them a nickname, pokies.
Some would say that this nickname is a name for a local phenomenon. You can find these wherever you look. We found onlinepokies4u.com to be a good source of free to play pokies for Australian players. Now, let’s take a look at the most important points that can shine a light on this story.
The History of Slot Machines in AUS
As we all know, the first slot machine was developed in the United States. These appeared on the shores of Australia during the first years of the 20th century. Even though they remained illegal for half a century, they have certainly amassed quite a big popularity during that time.
In the 1950s, Aristocrat, a company from this country has developed its first slot machine game, which was known as the Clubman. A couple of years later, the government has decided to legalize these machines, but only in some clubs. Many historians believe this was a game-changer for pokies.
From that point, pokies have become an instant hit. It needs to be said that these were just a couple of simple software at that time. Over time, the developers have managed to create many interesting games that we can see today. The introduction of jackpots has only made them more popular.
Not to mention that their shift to the online concept has brought them on a whole another level. It practically started in 2004. The current chapter in this short history is online mobile casinos. Not only that, we can access these from practically any sort of device we want. Pretty impressive, huh?
The Nickname’s Origins
Now that you understand the basics of a love story between Australians and slot machines, the next logical step would be to discuss the origins of this nickname. Those who are from this country, or know someone who comes from it, fully understand that Aussies simply love to abbreviate everything.
For instance, they add rellie in practically any word out there. Therefore, they would call a surfer, a surfie. When you know that slot machines were referred to as poker machines, then nobody should be surprised with the fact that Aussies address these as pokies. It has become some sort of a local attraction.
We can see that this nickname is a pretty funny one, and it is not a surprise that all Australians simply love to use it whenever they have a chance. It is significant to say that this nickname has stuck to these even after they have gone online. Still, many love to play these in many clubs and pubs like old days.
Besides Australia, we can see that this term is quite common in New Zealand as well. No matter what city you are in, just ask where you can play some pokies, and you will get an instant reply. Plus, the locals will appreciate that you find their local name for slot machines interesting. You can be sure of that.
Other Similar Names and Nicknames
Those who are not aware of the history behind this concept simply do not understand why it happens. We can draw an obvious parallel between this situation and many others in the world. For instance, Americans love to address European football as soccer. The name stuck, and there’s no way to change it.
Another parallel can be found in the Italian language. They have a unique name for the same sport. They call it calco. Both of these things have been occurring for more than a hundred years, and there is simply no way to expect that they will change in the future. People just got used to them.
So, you can see that Australians are not alone with this practice. We admit that pokies sound much cuter than. It is rather obvious that this is something interesting to take a look at, and those who use it will gladly elaborate on this topic when asked. Still, we do not advise you on convincing them otherwise.
Pokies Today
The current state of pokies in Australia is nothing short of exceptional. Just take a look at the number of machines in this country, and all will be clear to you. The number we’re talking about is around 200k. When you compare this number to the other counties, you will see that it is practically unparalleled.
Of course, we are talking about the number of those per person. There are only two places in the world where you can find more than here. We’re talking about Macau and Monaco. Since they are not nearly as big as Australia, and they do not have so big a population, they are not good for comparison, right?
As we’ve mentioned before, pokies have made a significant step forwards. They are now available in the online form. Since all the global trends are pointing towards digitalization, this is an obvious next step. Still, we want to say that the nickname, pokies, has managed to stay relevant.
The Bottom Line
As you can see, we’re talking about a term that is stuck in the local population. You have to admit that it has a touch of sweetness to it, doesn’t it? We’ve provided you with all the relevant information about how this term was coined by Australians, and why they perceive it as their original term. We are sure that this short story about these will be both informative and entertaining for you.
