How Much Does It Cost to Buy a Pokie Machine?

Every time you step into land-based casinos in Australia, you’re sure to find lots of pokie machines. These machines often pay out large sums of money to gamblers. But have you ever asked yourself, how much does a pokie machine cost? To be honest, there are lots of factors that determine the price. In this piece, we shall reveal all you need to know about the costs of slot machines and related expenses. Let’s get to it!

Expenses Associated With Developing a Pokie Machine

While you might know the best way to play pokies, there are other interesting things behind the scenes. For example, the varying expenses involved in buying and maintaining the machine. The cost depends on the brand, model and year, size and type, etc. However, there are essential parts that every gaming machine must have. Based on these details you can estimate the total price of the default pokies.

The crucial parts contain the cash-handling device, the LCD (Liquid-Crystal Display), and the cabinet. Each of them comes in different types with varying prices. Still thinking how much do pokie machines cost? Just take a look at the list below:

• Cash-handling device: A$300 – A$600
• LCD: A$375 – A$450
• Cabinet: A$750 – A$3,000
• Embedded Gaming Board: A$150 – A$1,500
• Game Software: A$4,500+
• VGA (Video Graphics Array) Converter: A$75 – A$150
• I/O (Input/Output) Evaluation Board: A$150 – A$300
• Security Mechanisms: A$375 – A$750
• Connection and Transferring: A$75 – A$150

As you see, the average price of creating good gaming machines can’t be less than A$7,000! Of course, there are cheaper options even for A$1,000, but they would lack a lot of essential functions.

Is It Possible to Purchase an Online Pokie Machine?

Well, creating an online pokie is quite different from creating a physical one. The best online pokies real money Australia casinos know this and work with the best software providers to make online gaming machines available.

Making a video slot employs the skills of web and mobile developers, graphic and interface designers, and product managers. So to answer the question, yes you can purchase an online pokies machine, but be ready to part with thousands of Australian dollars and dive into dozens of documentation.

How Costly are Pokie Machines?

How much does a pokie machine cost at a regular casino and a high-end casino? So, it’s never easy to just determine the price of a gaming machine. Apart from the costs incurred in making one, other factors also affect the price. For example, the location and reputation of the casino, and any additional features or technology integrated into the machine play a huge role. The average cost for a new slot machine that’s just out of the box is between A$22,500 and A$37,500.

Pokies with the most reputable licensing deals will have the highest prices. The most expensive slot machine ever costs $21M (about A$30M) — it was designed by Sydney Mobel. If a casino wants to buy a pokie machine, they will have to part with a lot of money. Now imagine casino hotels and how many machines they’ll need. What most casinos do is lease them for a couple of years.

How Much Do Casinos Pay for the Rights to Online Slots?

One would think that the physical gaming machine would be way more expensive than the online one. Well, that’s not always the case, as the average Australian online casino pays around the same thing for both physical and digital pokies. What most software providers do is give online casinos the license to their games. The casinos would then pay fees for the licence which lasts for a specific period. Here are the key things to note:

• The average online slot’s price is between A$15,000 to A$30,000.
• It is cheaper to get a licence for ready-made games than to get a software provider to produce a custom-made game.

Buying a Pokie Machine and Collecting Are Not the Same

If you visit e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon, you will find some gaming machines for hundreds of AU dollars. This might lead you to wonder why casinos in Australia cannot just buy lots of these cheap games instead of parting with thousands to get one.

The reason is that the gaming machines on those websites cannot be used for casino purposes as they have run their course in casinos. Anyone who buys them only gets to keep them as collector’s items. If you are wondering what are pokies, then playing these ones that are not for casino purposes may be a good way to start.

Do Casinos Provide a Lower RTP on Pokies?

Online casinos do not really provide low RTPs (refer to Return to Player rate) to offset the expenses of online pokies. Rather, it is land-based casinos that may be fond of doing this. The comparison below perfectly shows the difference in your chances to win at digital and physical slot machines:

• The average payout percentage in online casinos is 95% to 97%.
• The average payout percentage in land-based casinos is 88% to 93%.

This significant difference in payout rates means that over time, you are more likely to win more at online casinos even with a minimum bet than at land-based casinos. The logic behind land-based casinos in Australia is that they provide a live gaming experience and they incur more costs. Ultimately, it’s up to you where to play.

Final Thoughts

The cost of purchasing a slot machine in Australia varies based on numerous factors, including the type of machine, components used, and associated expenses. Physical pokies in land-based casinos can range from A$22,500 to A$37,500 for a new machine.

Online pokies for casinos demand a similar investment of around A$15,000 to A$30,000. While there are cheaper machines available on platforms like eBay and Amazon, they are collectables and cannot be used for casino purposes.