The casino gaming industry has grown at a stunning rate in recent years. It is one that seems to be able to weather any changes in the wider economic climate.
One big reason for that is the enduring popularity of online pokies. At this point it should be clarified: pokies are just another name for slot games; so if you come across a site that lists the best casinos for no deposit free spins pokies, you know you’re in the right place.
Pokies are games that have very simple rules. Players just have to choose how many pay lines they want to bet on, how much to bet on each and then spin them.
A win is achieved if a matching reel of icons appears. All players have to consider is what sort of game they want to play and what sums they want to spend on it.
This article will delve more deeply into pokies and look at why they remain so well liked. It will also cover some of the most popular so you can play confidently without being worried about trusting a fake review.
What Makes Pokies so Popular
‘Pokies’ is the name that is used for slot games in Australia and New Zealand and they are hugely popular in those countries. Really that popularity is mirrored everywhere else too though; research routinely reveals slots to be the casino games that draw the highest numbers of players.
There are some very clear reasons why the majority of online casino users prefer those games to any of the others on offer.
- Simplicity
Many casino games are ones that require study and practice to achieve competency and real skill. For example, it is hard to play either blackjack or poker well if you do not know the different strategies and rules, but none of that applies to the pokies.
The rules of those games are incredibly simple and essentially the same across the board. That makes them games that anyone can play as soon as they sign up to a casino site.
- Fairness
All casino games have a house edge, but players want to know that the games are fair and honest. Online pokies use algorithmic tech called Random Number Generators (RNGs) to ensure that every spin produces arbitrary sequences of numbers or reel icons.
It is a guarantee that the game cannot be rigged and the player has a reasonable chance of winning.
- Entertainment
Pokies may be simple games, but the companies that make them work hard to provide entertainment. They come up with a variety of different themed storylines, which are played out through top quality video graphics and sound effects.
Those themes can range from sports to ancient Egyptian adventures. Modern online pokies are far ahead of the old fruit machines that were found in casinos and bars.
- Bonuses
Another reason why online pokies have remained immensely popular is the lucrative bonuses most of them offer the player. These are usually activated through features like Free Spins, or an additional gaming round that players can trigger by getting a particular sequence of reel icons during the main game.
They typically come with attractive prize money. That will always make games a big hit.
- Convenience
Online casino is built on convenience: its biggest selling point is the ability to play from home rather than having to go out to the casino. Pokies are probably the most convenient games of all though.
Firstly they are better suited to mobile play than table games and mobiles are portable. Secondly they can be played alone, which means people do not have to schedule playing time with a friend if they fancy a night of pokies play.
The Growth of Pokies and Their Future
The development of mobile casinos has helped with the growth of online pokies. It is the next stage in digital gaming and pokies are a type of game that is perfectly fitted for it.
Mobile gaming has led to more women playing games too, including the pokies. That expansion of the demographics for the games has been supported by the ability of games companies to keep coming up with hot new pokies that people enjoy playing. Examples include 50 Lions, which is the first ever 50-line video slot to hit the market.
New titles that contain fresh, innovative twists on the pokies format are what will help the growth to go on. For all of their considerable success, companies like Pragmatic Play and Microgaming cannot afford to rest on their laurels. They have to continue coming up with ways of keeping a demanding pokies customer base engaged with the games in the future.
Pokies are popular because they are simple but fun games that offer plenty of variety and the possibility of winning some money and prizes. Those are features that would appeal to anyone.
