Pokies providers: the studios behind Australian pokies

What is a pokies provider?

A pokies provider is the studio that designs a pokie and supplies it to venues or online casinos. The provider decides the game's maths (its RTP versions, volatility and hit frequency), its features and its look. The casino or venue then chooses which games, and which versions of them, to offer.

Knowing the provider helps you in two ways: it tells you what kind of game to expect, and it lets you check that a game is genuine. A pokie that uses a famous name but shows a different provider in the lobby is a different game.

Who are the main providers Australians know?

Many other studios supply online casinos, each with a style: some focus on Megaways, others on hold and spin, others on high volatility games with large maximum wins.

How do venue makers and online studios differ?

Venue makers such as Aristocrat build games for machines in clubs, pubs and casinos, approved under each state's rules. Their best known games reach the internet mainly through social casino apps, and as real money games only in some regulated markets overseas, so they are rarely found at the sites that accept Australians.

Online studios build games for online casinos first. They release new titles often, offer demo versions and typically provide several RTP versions of each game. Our guide to new online pokies explains how to judge their latest releases.

What do providers publish about their games?

Providers publish their games' descriptions, features and, for many online studios, an RTP figure on their own websites, often with a demo. Pragmatic Play, for example, lists an RTP on each game page, such as 96.48% for Sweet Bonanza. Play'n GO describes each game's features and release date. These pages are the most reliable source for how a game works, and they are the sources we use on our game pages.

RTP versions matter because the same game can return different amounts at different casinos. A provider may offer, for example, a higher and a lower RTP setting, and the casino picks one. The game looks and plays the same; only the long-run return changes. Always check the RTP in the game rules of the version you play. Our guide to best payout pokies explains how.

How do you check a provider's games before you play?

1. Find the provider in the casino lobby or on the game's loading screen.
2. Open the game rules and note the RTP, volatility and max win.
3. Try the demo where available; see our free online pokies guide.
4. Compare with similar games from the same provider; our pokies games guide explains the main types.

How do you keep play under control, whoever made the game?

No provider makes a game you can beat over time: every pokie has a house edge. Set your budget and time before you start, and stop when you reach either. Gambling Help Online offers free, confidential support 24/7 on 1800 858 858.

Gambling is for adults only (18+).