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Pokies casino was one of the many gambling platforms that contributed to the negative growth of the economy of Australia, putting the whole gambling community under even closer supervision. The casino was very appealing to the users not only because of the great range of games which could be found on it, but also because of the clear instructions and terms and conditions listed, which is not often the case with rogue casinos.
However, the bad things overthrew the good ones, and one of the biggest were the unnecessary fees. That’s why the casino was blacklisted by many respectable websites, and the users were advised to avoid it at all costs. It eventually closed down, but its website is still up, as a memory of the way things were.
General Information
Pokies was an online casino that was founded not so long ago, in 2012. It quickly became a leading online gambling platform in Australia. It offered a wide range of slot machines for pokies lovers and also featured games of a number of famous software providers that helped it grow. It operated under a dual license — one from the Malta Gaming Authority, and the other from the United Kingdom Gambling Commission.
Though these games, popularly named Pokies (which is another term for “slot machines”) are appealing to many users, this Australian-based casino quickly came under fire for using vague points in their terms and conditions section, as well as being predatory towards the players’ winnings.
Being based in Australia, it targeted mostly Australian players, but why stop there? The casino offers were actually open to all, as long as the users were not physically present in any country listed as restricted on the Pokies’ website.
To be fair, the casino was fairly new to the online gambling community at the time, so the information was not easy to obtain, and there were not a lot of user reviews to begin with.
Most of the complaints that came up were not that serious. They usually concerned the somewhat unclear rules of playing.
Pokies casino was often marked as not trustworthy, to say the least. Many websites accuse it of being predatory towards the players, with suspicious and unclear terms and conditions. For example, a clause stating that the UK players need to pay an unusually large fee for the maintenance of their accounts left many users frustrated and hesitant to ever come back.
The topic that we couldn’t go without mentioning are the methods of payment, which included different types of debit and credit cards, and were all completely secured by the SSL encryption, the same one used in banks and online stores. And the payout process lasted up to 72 hours using the same payment method players initially used to make their deposits.
Pokies casino is currently closed, though their website is still up and running. Moreover, watchdog websites are stating that Pokies inexplicably disappeared without a trace from the market one day. However, bear in mind there has to be a good reason for shutting down a website that has been such a prominent member of the gambling community.
First Impression
Pokies Casino had a very simple but effective website design, with a palette of colors that combines blue, gold, and black, with a kangaroo picture playfully hidden on a golden poker chip in the title. The site was very easy to use, with only two tabs in the top right corner, which offer a short list of games available and tips for playing each one.
All of the bonuses were clearly displayed in simple and bright letters, with the return to player rates also available. Moreover, all of the casino features are listed in great detail on the website, which is helpful for first-time users.
The website clearly went out of its way to suggest whenever it can (every two or three paragraphs) that it offered its players slot machines with the best odds and no deposit needed.
What was even more interesting to users is that this casino did not require you to download an app if you want to use it on your mobile device. You just need to go to the webpage, enter your account information, and start playing. This, however, brought up different opinions — some users thought it was very outdated and even confusing, while many others liked the feature, stating it made things much simpler. Either way, the website can be easily reached on any device with any operating system.
Games and Software
Pokies casino used to provide a decent range of games. Aside from the obvious players’ favorite slot games, users could have chosen blackjack, poker, roulette, or live games. Moreover, Pokies offered a choice of over 500 different games from a multitude of software providers. And aside from live poker, you could have even tried every game for free.
Pokies casino’s offer predominantly used title from the Microgaming software provider, but it also featured games from various other developers, such as Net Entertainment, Amaya, NYX Gaming, Thunderkick, Genesis, NextGen Gaming, Leander Games, Big Time Gaming, and many more. Microgaming is one of the top software providers in this area and has been a market leader since the 90s.
They offer both the download and instant play options, which makes things simpler for the players. The auto-hold feature also offers an option of suggesting which cards to hold and which to discard. Also, this casino software is highly acclaimed to provide the highest jackpots available today.
Furthermore, minimum deposit to enter was £20, which could activate a bonus with a wagering requirement of 50x. Also, there was no limitation to how high a deposit or a win could get. But how is that possible, you might ask? Well, the trick with these bonuses is quite simple — they are sticky, so they can never actually be withdrawn.
They’re technically just borrowed, and when the wagering requirement is met, they disappear from your account. Moreover, casinos that offer bonuses with such high wagering requirement are frowned upon in the gambling community. Not to mention that the wagering requirement of 50x is almost impossible to reach, or very frustrating to do so. It can also be extremely damaging to the players’ trust and will to come back and gamble again.
User Experience and Review
Pokies players have conflicted thoughts about their experiences with customer support. Some say it was very attentive and fast at resolving issues, while others classify it as poor customer service. Many users had bad experiences with their emails never being replied to, and their issues never being addressed in any matter.
Many users from around the globe did not like the difference in fees needed to be paid for account maintenance. In this case, however, all of these clauses were listed on the website, and the company otherwise holds the right to create and change the rules, as long as they are under the jurisdiction of the license provider. Which was being respected by the Pokies casino.
Pros and Cons
Pokies casino offered over 500 games which could have easily been played on any device, mobile or desktop. The payment methods were all secured by an SSL encryption, which provided the highest protection of users data. The payout speed was only 3 days, and many users chose Pokie casino because of it, not only in Australia but in other countries as well.
The biggest downside of this casino, which made many players furious, was the fact that they charged an “inactive account fee” of 10% of your current account balance, which was not only predatory but also not clearly explained on their website. They also used to charge a dormancy fee of another 10% for accounts held by UK players.
Other than that, not everyone appreciated the limited approach to customer service, which was not available by phone, making communication somewhat harder.
To sum it up, the wagering requirements were far from ideal, or even average. Yes, many players will initially be drawn to this casino for its glossy letters and detailed explanations, but many important facts were not actually listed or explained at all.
Our Verdict
Pokies casino appeared as legitimate online, with all of the rules clearly displayed on a simple but interesting website that contains almost everything you will need to enter and play a couple hundred games available. Almost.
Other than the poor support that dealt with the customers in a rather indifferent way, this casino site has come a long way when it comes to licenses, rules for every game and overall design. Up until their demise, that is.
The impression of the website was very appealing, and characteristics of every game listed in detail leave players reassured, which is why they kept choosing Pokies casino. However, since the casino is closed now, maybe it was all too little, too late.
Casino Rating
Complaint Resolution: 1/10
Cashout Time: 7/10
Software: 9/10
Jurisdiction: 8/10
Total score: 6/10
