Free online pokies: demo play, features and RTP

How do free online pokies work?

Free online pokies are demo versions of real money pokies that you play with virtual credits. The game, the reels, the features and the paytable are the same as in the real money version; the only difference is that the balance is not money. You cannot win anything, and you cannot lose anything.

Most demo pokies open straight in your browser. Many game providers and casino sites let you launch a demo without an account, while some casinos ask you to log in first. When the virtual credits run out, you can usually reload the page to start again.

Free pokies are useful for one thing above all: learning a game before you put money on it. This page explains what demo play can tell you, what it cannot, and how to move to real money online pokies with limits in place.

What can demo play tell you, and what can it not?

Demo play can tell you how a pokie works and how it feels, but it cannot tell you how a real money session will go. Keep the two separate.

A demo run of a few hundred spins is a tiny sample. Pokies are designed to pay out over millions of spins, so a demo session that looks generous or tight says almost nothing about the game's true return.

Can you play free pokies with no download?

Yes, you can play free pokies with no download. Modern pokies are built in HTML5, so they run in Safari, Chrome and other mobile and desktop browsers. On a phone, the game adapts to portrait or landscape mode.

You only need to install something for social casino apps, which are a different product. They use virtual coins that you can often buy with real money but never cash out. Our guide to real money pokies apps explains the difference between browser play, casino apps and social apps.

What do RTP and volatility mean in demo mode?

RTP and volatility work the same way in demo mode as with real money, but a short demo session will not reveal them.

RTP (return to player) is the share of all money wagered that a pokie returns over a very long run, for example 96%. Providers often release a game in several RTP versions and the casino chooses one. The demo you play on one site may run a different version from the real money game on another site, so always check the game rules in the version you play for money; our guide to high RTP pokies explains how.

Our guide to how pokies work explains RTP, volatility and the random number generator in full.

Volatility describes how wins are spread. Low volatility pokies pay small amounts often. High volatility pokies go longer between wins but can pay much more when they do. Demo play is a good way to feel the difference before you choose a game for your budget.

Which free pokies are most played in Australia?

The free pokies Australians search for most fall into two groups: venue favourites and online-first games.

Venue favourites. Aristocrat titles such as Lightning Link, Dragon Link, Queen of the Nile, Where's the Gold, More Chilli and 5 Dragons lead Australian searches for free pokies. Aristocrat offers its games online mainly through social casino apps and, in some regulated markets overseas, through licensed online casinos, so the original venue games are rarely available as demos at the casino sites Australians use. Hold and spin pokies from other studios use a similar money symbol respin feature and are widely available in demo mode; our guide to Lightning Link pokies explains the feature.

Online-first pokies. Games built for online casinos are easy to find in demo mode: Sweet Bonanza, Gates of Olympus, Big Bass Bonanza and Wolf Gold from Pragmatic Play, Book of Dead from Play'n GO, and many more. They are also the games you will find at real money sites.

For every type of pokie and how to read its information screen, see our pokies games guide, and for recent releases, new online pokies.

How are free pokies different from social casinos?

Free pokies and social casinos look similar but are different products. Demo pokies are a free trial of a real money game, with virtual credits that reset and cannot be bought. Social casino apps are games in their own right: you play with virtual coins, you can usually buy more coins with real money, and you can never cash coins out.

That difference matters. Buying coins in a social casino is spending money without any chance of a return, and the apps are designed to keep you playing with daily bonuses and levels. If you use them, set a spending limit in your phone's app store settings.

How do you move from free to real money pokies?

You move from free to real money pokies by choosing a site, checking its terms and setting your limits before your first deposit. A few habits make the switch safer:

1. Check the RTP in the real money version's game rules, not the demo.
2. Pick your stake in advance. A stake that felt fine with virtual credits can be too high with real money.
3. Set a deposit limit in your account when you register.
4. Decide on a session budget and stop when it is gone.
5. Read the bonus terms before you accept any offer. Our guide to no deposit bonus pokies explains wagering and cashout caps.

The list at the top of this page shows the sites we currently feature for Australian players.

When are free pokies a warning sign?

Free pokies are a warning sign when you play them to fill time you would rather spend on other things, when you buy coins in social apps to keep going, or when demo play makes you feel sure you will win with real money. Gambling Help Online offers free, confidential support 24/7 on 1800 858 858.

Gambling is for adults only (18+).