Foreword｜Money88
If you’ve ever been to Australia or just browsed online casino sites, you’ve probably heard or seen the word “pokie”.
“Slot machines” is just another name for slot machines used in Australia and New Zealand. There is no difference between a slot machine and a slot machine other than the name.
Origin of the name “Pokie” ｜Money88
The word “pokie” comes from “pok” in “poker machine”.
As you probably know Australians have grown fond of abbreviating everything to ‘rellie’, surfer to ‘surfie’, mosquito to ‘mozzie’ etc – it might make sense that the long-standing ‘pokie machine’ is shortened to ‘pokie’ .
But why are these machines called “poker machines” even though they are more like slot machines than video poker games? Can’t be sure – it just seems to be one of those “always there” things. The adverts you want to see even refer to them as slot machines.
One theory is that in the early days of casinos in Australia (circa 1900’s), one of the first games was actually poker “machines”, or video poker as they might be called in other parts of the world. However, once the slot machines became popular and placed next to those machines, it was easier to refer to all the gaming machines in the room as “slot machines”.
The term has apparently caught on and is even used in online gambling, with all online slot machines and video poker games also known as pokies. Free online slots tend to be the most popular with Australian players, as do casual slots in Australian bars and clubs.
Other slot machine slang words from around the world｜Money88
Although a deck of cards is the same no matter where you go in the world, the popular electronic gambling machines are given different names around the world.
Slot machines are sometimes called “fruit machines” or “fruities” in England, and “puggy” in Scotland.
Elsewhere across the globe, some people prefer the old-fashioned colloquialism and call them the classic name “The One-Armed Bandit.”
