New Zealanders, also known as Kiwis, have a special place in their hearts for playing pokies. While Americans call it playing slots, Australians and New Zealanders refer to it as playing the pokies. Let’s explore the cultural significance and history behind this beloved pastime.
Nowadays, New Zealanders can play pokies online at christchurchcasino.com at any time of the day, without being limited by the operating hours of physical casino locations. This is one of the six land-based casinos in New Zealand that also offers online pokies games.
What Are Pokies?
Pokies is the term used by New Zealanders and Australians to refer to slot machines. It’s a game of chance that may also be called a poker machine, but it shouldn’t be confused with the card game, poker.
Pokies are essentially the same as slots, just with a different name. Typically featuring 5 slot reels, pokies have various symbols, pay lines, and wild symbols that can help create winning combinations, even if the original spin would have been a loss.
The term “pokies” is derived from “poker machines.” In the past, New Zealand casinos had machines that offered both slots games and video poker. Due to the New Zealanders’ accent and the way they abbreviated the term, “pokies” was born.
When Was Pokies Introduced In New Zealand?
Pokies have been legal in New Zealand since 1988. The first pokies machines were manufactured by the renowned gaming developer company, Aristocrat Gaming. The company, now known as Aristocrat Leisure, is still in business today and is headquartered in Sydney, Australia.
The Ease And Simplicity of Gameplay
Playing pokies is straightforward and easy. Kiwis love the thrill and excitement that comes with spinning the reel and waiting for the winning combinations to appear. When combined with the Maori cultural influences incorporated into the pokies games from the early days of land-based casinos in the country, the gameplay experience becomes even more enjoyable for residents.
The Evolution Of Three Reels To Five Reels And Modernized Effects
In the past, pokies only had three reels with multipliers for winning combinations. This wasn’t as appealing to Kiwis because the wins were not as exciting or substantial as those experienced today.
Now, pokies have matured to include American influences, such as the five-reel slots machines. There are more winning paylines, depending on the return to player (RTP) rate and the overall volatility of the machine. Wild symbols have increased the win rate on machines, enhancing their overall low volatility.
Various modernized effects have heightened New Zealanders’ love for pokies. Music composers have created captivating themes to match the specific game, while game developers have improved the visuals to be more engaging during gameplay. The random number generators (RNGs) for pokies games are regularly updated to ensure fairness for Kiwis playing on various online or in-person machines.
The Fiscal Year Of 2020 to 2021 Was Successful for New Zealand Because Of Spending Pokies
During the fiscal year 2020 to 2021, New Zealand reached a five-year peak in pokies spending. Gaming machine expenditure during that year was $987 million, a 23% increase from the $802 million spent in the previous fiscal year.
