Why pokies are legal in licensed venues but treated differently online, and how regulation, protections and payout rates compare.
Poker machines in clubs, pubs and casinos are regulated by each state and territory. Machines are generally required to be approved under local rules, and the venue must hold a gambling licence.
Venues also have responsibilities, including checking age, following responsible service of gambling rules and offering venue self-exclusion programs. If you have a complaint about a venue, the state or territory regulator is the place to take it.
Online pokies are covered by a different law. Under the federal Interactive Gambling Act 2001, providers may not offer real-money online casino-style games, including pokies, to people in Australia.
Free-to-play pokies apps that do not pay real-money prizes are generally treated differently, because nothing of value can be won. Read the detail in our guide The Interactive Gambling Act Explained.
| Topic | Club and pub pokies | Online pokies |
|---|---|---|
| Where you play | Licensed clubs, pubs and casinos | Websites and apps |
| Who sets the rules | State and territory law | Federal Interactive Gambling Act |
| Real-money position | Legal in licensed venues | Providers may not offer real-money online pokies to people in Australia |
| Machine approval | Must meet local approval rules | Not approved by Australian regulators if unlicensed |
| Complaints | State or territory regulator | Little or no regulator support for unlicensed sites |
| Self-exclusion | Venue exclusion programs | BetStop does not cover pokies, so blocking software is the main tool |
Both types of pokies use a return to player (RTP) percentage, which is the long-run share of bets a game pays back. For venue machines, each state or territory can set its own minimum return, so the figure can differ between jurisdictions.
RTP is a long-term average and says nothing about any single session. Learn how it works in our guide How Does Pokies RTP Work?
Whether you play in a venue or online, the same habits help you stay in control:
See the tools in our guide Responsible Gambling Tools and Help in Australia.
This guide is general information only and is intended for readers aged 18 and over. It is not legal advice.