The best online casinos in Australia
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Australians have a wide range of choices when it comes to online pokies and casino games. The keystone at the centre of all these games is the software providers that work tirelessly to create them — and with decades of experience in creating compelling and exciting pokies, we’re excited to share more information about them with you. After all, given the recent boom in online gaming in Australia, there’s more than ever before to discuss.
But what makes a great casino software provider? Is it their range of games? The themes they specialise in? The inherent safety features their game utilise? Or their exciting and often unique bonus features that set them apart from the rest? We hope to answer all these questions and more within this article. So strap in tight! You’re about to go on a casino software provider adventure — courtesy of Top Aussie Pokies.
If you’re searching for an online pokie experience that’s secure, safe and most importantly — enjoyable, it’s important to search for games that come from reputable casino software developers. We don’t want to state the obvious too much here — but games from less-than-reputable developers may well result in potentially negative consequences for both you and your bankroll.
Limited pokie variety and poor playability are two crucial aspects — but there are other issues that can arise that aren’t necessarily noticeable at first. New developers looking to cut corners, or even established ones that lack scruples may decide random number generators aren’t all that important — which may result in inherently unfair games. Or, alternatively, security measures may become less of a priority — meaning fraud or data-breaches are more likely after sustained play.
But before you stake any of your hard earned dollars, it’s important to do your due diligence and make sure that any casino you have decided to play at has games from reputable software companies. Below you’ll find a wide range of software providers Top Aussie Pokies has reviewed and found to be reputable.
Founded in 2013, Yggdrasil could be considered somewhat of a newcomer to the world of online gaming — but this is only relative when compared to the likes of Microgaming, Bally, Playtech etc. who were founded in the 90s. Quickly gaining recognition for its range of visually impressive pokies and table games — all with engaging features — their pokie range has increased dramatically since launch and is now a mainstay of many reputable online casinos. On top of this, Yggdrasil has gained licences from a wide range of gambling authorities — and is well-regarded for its commitment to both fair and safe play. So, it’s safe to say, if you’re hunting down a truly immersive and entertaining pokie experience, alongside cutting-edge and immersive graphics, Yggdrasil is the software provider for you.
What do you get when you combine two Irish brothers, a passion for iGaming and a vision to pioneer in the world of online pokies? Casino gaming bliss is the answer. But pioneers would be an understatement. Microgaming was the first company to offer virtual casino games — literally dragging the world of casino gaming into the digital era. That’s certainly no mean feat. In 2010, Microgaming made the bold move of integrating 3rd party pokies within its existing framework to allow for a larger offering of games — and since then, we have seen an explosion of thrilling online pokies. So if you’re looking for someone to thank for all the great games available in Australia today, it’s down to these two Irish brothers.
If you’re looking for a diverse and extensive portfolio, then Novomatic is the game provider for you. These guys have been around the block, back, and then around again some more — with a legacy that stretches all the way back to the 1980s. Supplying both land-based and online casinos with a huge range of high-quality products — it’s clear their focus on innovation has truly paid off. Now known for their reliability and commitment to responsible gambling, they have firmly established themselves as a safe and secure key player within the world of iGaming.
Known in the industry as RTG — Real Time Gaming kicked their pokie journey off in 1998. Offering a plethora of online video poker machines, speciality games and of course, the regular suite of table games — they have gone on to develop some of Australia’s most well-loved jackpot pokies.
NetEnt is a stalwart in the world of online casino games production — given it’s developed many games for the world’s top online casinos. While their initial focus was on the likes of blackjack, roulette and baccarat (alongside the typical suite of online casino games), they have since ventured into the world of online pokies. As of today they offer over 300 online casino games and 200+ online pokies. Exciting times ahead for this brand!
Formed on the eve of the millennium in 1999 — Playtech is well-regarded for its vast array of casino games and online pokies. Holding the rights to produce both Marvel and DC Comics pokies, this games provider is the one for you if you’re a lover of Batman, Spiderman or other superhuman men or women as the focal point of your pokie games. One thing that is telling as to Playtech’s true ambitions is their strong commitments to compliance and regulatory requirements — which makes them one of the top partners of many online casinos around the world.
Cast your mind back to 1932. I bet you can’t. It’s likely you weren’t alive. That’s just how long Bally Technologies have been around. Being one of the oldest and best-known pokie brands in the world, and literally the first company ever to be listed on the New York Stock exchange, it’s safe to say that when it comes to reputation — Bally Technologies are one of the finest. While known for their physical pokie machines, they too crusaded into the world of pioneers as the first to produce a touch-screen style pokie machine. Since 2013, they started off by shipping these machines to physical casino sites — but have since gone on to design online-only games.
You know Konami. Everybody does. We’ve all experienced the thrills of Castlevania, or Metal Gear Solid — so it’s quite clear these guys know how to knock up a great digital gaming experience. As such, given their vast powers of game development, they too decided to foray into the world of online pokies in 2005. Since then, they have become one of the industry’s leading pokie developers — creating over 400 titles, with the vast majority of these being converted to online games.
Play ’n GO. What can we say about these heavyweights that you don’t already know? One of the most creative game providers in the market at the moment. Known for curating a repertoire of visually-engaging games with themes so exciting your attention will be compelled to new heights. Alongside creating cutting-edge pokies, Play’n GO are also highly-regarded table game and bingo software providers — with a huge range of dynamic games to boot.
Betsoft is a worldwide brand recognised as one of the top online casino games providers in the market — specialising in 3D games. Developing high-quality animations that would make even Pixar or Disney quake in their boots — their catalogue of 160+ games, all with million-dollar progressive jackpots and five-reel pokies, with the additional thrill of 50+ pay lines, will keep you firmly on the edge of your seat.
Anybody who is anybody in the industry knows who IGT are. They are one of the most familiar casino software companies in the world of online gaming. Almost half of all the pokie machines in North America utilise IGT’s technologies. And they’re not stopping there. With their ever-increasing amount of games playable across the wide range of online casinos on the market, it’s safe to say these guys are industry leaders. Sadly, for now, their virtual offerings aren’t available to Australian pokie players.
2006 saw the grand opening of Evolution Gaming and since then the world of online gaming has never been the same. Now considered a titan of live dealer games — it would be strange to find an online casino that doesn’t take advantage of their best-in-class network. Not only is the reliability of their network well-known, but their range and diversity of games is also, quite simply, the best. Whether it’s 3am, or you’re kicking back in the afternoon in the garden with a couple of cold ones, you will find a consistent and healthy amount of live blackjack, roulette, baccarat, three card poker and many more games available — all, of course, fronted one of their esteemed live casino croupiers.
Aristocrat Pokies came to life in 1953 — when the online casino industry was just a sparkle in the eyes of brick-and-mortar casinos. An Aussie company through and through, they have released industry favourites such as Queen of the Nile, Dolphin Treasure, 50 Lions. Aristocrat has also worked with popular brands and TV shows to release their own dedicated pokie games — such as the much revered Game of Thrones series.
There are a wide range of software developers on the market to choose from — that’s pretty clear to see from the above. But this isn’t an exhaustive list. Below you can find additional companies you can trust to ensure a safe, exciting and great all-round gaming experience:
Hunting down high-quality casino games does provide several inherent benefits — this generally goes without saying. So here are some of the key differences between those avoidable low-quality games and the games you want to play:
It’s all about the graphics. Online pokie games are designed to stun your eyes and blow your mind. So, we recommend searching for those that have amazing sound quality, immersive storylines and graphics that take you on a journey.
RTP, also known as ‘return to player rate’ is the percentage of your stake that is expected to be paid back over the course of extensive play. The closer this is to 100% – the better. For example, if a game has a 98% RTP, then over the course of 1000 spins and $1000 in playthrough, it is expected you will receive $980 back. Online casinos are always going to look to make a profit – this comes in the form of ‘house edge’. So, the smaller this edge is, the better it is for you.
The best game developers are industry innovators. Their passion for creating top-quality pokies spills out with every iteration of game they develop. Let’s be honest — if the likes of IGT or Playtech consistently re-released the same games and features, it would all get very boring. This is why, when looking for the best pokie developers, we’re keen to see genuine progression.
Above all though, and arguably the most crucial aspect of any legitimate game developer, is their embodiment of fairness. But what does this mean? Well, it’s quite simple — their games need to be transparent, honest and fair.
While some game developers specialise in Provably Fair Games (another topic entirely, but in short results are displayed publicly on the blockchain) — all legit game developers will have certifications to ensure random number generators are used when determining results.
There’s a wide range of unique casino software types out there — and while they are similar in terms of their offering, we are able to point out a few key differences. Let’s take a look:
As you can imagine from the name — this type of casino software is a downloadable program which must remain physically on your device. Think of it like any other game or application that you download throughout your day to day computer-using life.
And while they’ve become less popular over time due to the progression of web browser technologies — there are many online casinos and poker clients still available.
Like we previously mentioned — instant play is accessing casino and gaming software via your web browser. When instant play kicked off it was normally the case that games were stripped back — given web browsers had less oomph. But, nowadays, this isn’t normally the case — especially as modern computing and processing power has improved almost exponentially. All that is required is a fast internet connection and you’ll get an almost equitable experience when compared to downloadable software.
We’ve all got smartphones in our pockets. They have become so ubiquitous in modern society that it was just a matter of time until casino brands started tapping into this wide and varied user-base. And so, the dawn of the mobile casino was born — and with that came pokie developers looking to reshape their classics to fit the smaller screen.
We don’t blame you if you’re getting analysis paralysis — there are so many options out there. But with choice, comes a variance in quality. This is why we recommend checking the following before choosing a pokie or casino platform:
Return to Player — or RTP to the layman — is something we’ve touched on a couple of times; but let’s dive deeper into what one of the most crucial acronyms in pokie gaming really means.
House edge is something you may have heard about before when discussing the probability — or chance — of winning money playing classic table games. The easiest way to think of it is as the casino’s profit margin. At the end of the day, like any other business operating in fair market conditions, casinos are in the game to make money. With pure, equal, games of chance — such as a coin flip — this just isn’t sustainable. Hence, games need to be designed in a way that over the course of time — and we’re talking thousands of plays — the casino will end up with more money than it started. Otherwise, casinos would go bust, and a whole arena of entertainment would be wiped out in a heartbeat.
RTP is just another way of displaying the casino’s profit margin as a result of operating the game on their premises. Displayed as a percentage, it reflects the amount of money that is returned to players over an extended period of time — a period which differs between game providers — and is always less than 100%. Let’s take a working example:
The RTP of Big Bad Wolf by Quickspin is generally set at 97.3%. Starting with a bankroll of $1000 — you play a thousand spins at a dollar a go. At the end, the expectation is that you will have recouped $973 — making the casino a gross profit of $27 before operating costs.
Sounds less than ideal, right? You’ve spent maybe a few hours playing pokies only to have less money in your pocket. On the surface, yes. But it doesn’t exactly work like that. Much like the house edge in blackjack is 0.5% – 2%, you may well end up playing ten hands and walking away in the black. You’re happy. The casino is happy. Because this is all factored in. In pokie terms, you may play twenty spins and hit the jackpot – again, given winnings are factored in alongside losses, both parties walk away happy.
It’s ultimately how you frame it. All casino games are set-up in a way that there are winners and losers. The closer a pokie’s RTP is to 100%, the less impact it will have to your overall balance — but then the potential pool of winnings is diminished. Hence, it’s about managing the risk and your appetite for more regular jackpot wins — which often come with pokies that have a lower RTP rate.
Finally, and just something to look out for — all pokies must display their RTP rate in some way. If one doesn’t then we highly recommend avoiding it.
If you’re eyeing up a new pokie software provider then we recommend you ask yourself the following questions:
Always, and we mean always, check whether a casino game provider takes safety and security seriously before downloading their software or playing their pokies. It’s important to check whether they are regulated by an authoritative body and are regularly audited. Also crucial is if they hold licenses from the likes of the Curacao, MGA (Malta Gaming Authority) and UKGC (United Kingdom Gambling Commission) authorities. The latter is less important for Aussie players, but if the software provider operates internationally a UKGC license is a huge green flag — as they are often seen as the gold standard of gambling regulation.
Top-notch game providers will always employ advanced security features such as SSL encryption and firewalls (especially important if it’s a downloadable program) to ensure players are fully protected.
This was a lot to take in — so let’s wrap this one up with a quick list of what to check for when choosing your next pokie software provider:
That’s it! If you take into consideration everything on this page and you’re getting good vibes — we recommend going for it. So what are you waiting for? Get in there and enjoy some top-quality pokies today.
A great casino software provider combines high-quality games with robust security features and fair play. They should also offer diverse game options, exciting bonus features, and be licensed by reputable authorities.
Choosing reputable software providers ensures a safe and enjoyable gaming experience. Trusted providers use certified random number generators, offer fair RTP rates, and implement advanced security measures for player protection.
Check if the provider is licensed and regulated by recognised bodies like eCOGRA or the UK Gambling Commission. Additionally, reputable providers use SSL encryption and other security technologies to protect player data.
RTP (Return to Player) is the percentage of money expected to be returned to players over time. A higher RTP typically means better chances of winning, so it’s important to check this before playing.
Yes, many top casino software providers design games that are optimized for mobile devices. This ensures you can enjoy a seamless gaming experience whether you’re on a smartphone or tablet.
