Australia vs. New Zealand: Who Rules the Pokies in 2025?

On This Page

Australia and New Zealand share many similarities—from cultural values to a love of outdoor living—but when it comes to pokies, they follow vastly different paths.

This article explores which country is more invested in the pokies scene, how their regulatory models compare, and what the latest data tells us about spending, availability, and impact.

Note: All figures are based on the most recent available data we could find as of 2025 and refer to land-based gambling, unless otherwise noted.

What Are “Pokies”?

In most of the world, these games are known as slot machines, fruit machines, or video slots. But in Australia and New Zealand, they’re simply called pokies—short for “poker machines.”

Despite originating from physical card-based machines, pokies have evolved into fast-paced, reel-based games that dominate pubs and clubs in New Zealand, and both casino floors and local venues across Australia.

The Numbers at a Glance

Metric	Australia	New Zealand
Total pokies (2023)	~230,000¹	~14,500²
Non-casino pokies	~200,000¹	100% of machines²
Casino-based pokies	~30,000¹	None allowed²
Total pokie losses (2022–23)	A$12.2 billion³	NZ$1.015 billion⁴
Per-adult pokie loss (latest)	~A$608³	NZ$165-188⁴

Note: Australia has over 15x more pokies than New Zealand, and nearly 4x higher losses per adult. New Zealand operates pokies exclusively through non-casino charitable venues, while Australia has a mix of pubs, clubs, and casinos.

Australia: Global Pokie Powerhouse

Massive Machine Volume

Australia holds a staggering ~18% of the world’s pokies despite having just 0.3% of the global population¹. The majority are located outside casinos, particularly in pubs and clubs across New South Wales, Queensland, and Victoria.

Enormous Spending

In 2022–23, Australians lost over A$12.2 billion on pokies³. For context:

Queenslanders lost A$326 million in a single month⁵.
New South Wales leads with over A$8 billion in annual pokie losses⁶.
The average adult loss to gambling (not just pokies) in Australia is over A$1,500 per year⁷.

State-by-State Regulation

In Australia, pokie regulation varies by state:

Minimum Return-to-player (RTP): 85%–87.5%
Maximum bet allowed:  A$5–10
Pre-commitment trials: Victoria is pioneering mandatory player cards, requiring users to set loss limits before playing⁸.
There’s mounting pressure to ban gambling ads and implement cashless gaming⁹.

Online Gambling Restrictions

Australia allows domestic sports betting and lotteries but actively blocks offshore online casinos. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) maintains a blacklist of prohibited sites¹⁰.

Industry Power

Aristocrat Leisure, based in Sydney, is one of the world’s largest pokie machine manufacturers, supplying land-based games to casinos globally¹¹.

New Zealand: Smaller, Safer, and Charitable

Fewer Machines, Stronger Oversight

New Zealand has ~14,500 pokies, none in casinos². All non-casino machines are operated by licensed charitable trusts. At least 40% of profits go to sports clubs, youth groups, and local initiatives².

Player Losses & Transparency

In 2022, players lost NZ$1.015 billion on pokies⁴.
Real-time displays of time played, money inserted, and session losses are mandatory on all machines⁴.
ATMs are banned in pokie venues, and machines must not be visible from the outside.

Growing Online Gambling via Offshore Sites

While domestic online casinos are not yet legal, up to 80% of NZ players access international gambling sites¹². However, New Zealand is actively preparing legislation to regulate online casinos, aiming to bring this market into a safe, taxed environment.

Why Australians Outpace Kiwis on Pokies

Sheer Accessibility

In Australia, pokies are nearly everywhere—casinos, bars, pubs, and clubs. New South Wales alone has more machines than all of Canada. By contrast, New Zealand strictly limits venues and machine numbers.

With such high machine density in Australia and broad venue coverage, access to pokies is almost effortless for most players. In New Zealand, where machine numbers are lower and venues more tightly regulated, online play has filled the gap for many.

Higher Spending Habits

Australian pokie users spend an average of A$140 per land-based session⁷. While New Zealand doesn’t publicly report median session spend, per-adult losses are significantly lower—suggesting more casual engagement.

However, potentially high offshore online play may dilute New Zealand’s reported land-based figures.

Cultural Normalization

In Australia, pokies are woven into the social fabric. Pokie venues—especially clubs—use gambling revenue to sponsor local sports teams or events, bars advertise jackpots, and players often view it as leisure rather than gambling.

Weak National Reform Push

Despite public concern, national reform is slow. State governments depend on pokie revenue, making machine caps or ad bans politically unpopular⁹.

More Aggressive Machine Features

Australian pokies are known for rapid spins, “losses disguised as wins”, and higher bet limits, making them more immersive and potentially more harmful than their NZ counterparts⁸.

Final Verdict: Australia Leads—By a Mile

From total land-based machine count to per-capita spend, Australia is the global capital of pokies. New Zealand offers a more measured and socially-conscious approach, but can’t compete in terms of volume or financial engagement.

However, with New Zealand eyeing online casino regulation and Australia facing political pressure over gambling harm, the gap could shift in the coming years.

Who’s More Into Pokies: Australia or New Zealand?