21 Jan

History of Pokies in Perth

There are very few pokies in Western Australia, and none of them are located in pubs and clubs. This may come as a surprise to those who have visited places like New South Wales, where there are seemingly endless banks of pokies in every pub, club and hotel, but Perth, and other Western Australian towns and cities, are devoid of pokies. There is even a suggestion that other states will use Western Australia as an example, eliminating these addictive machines from their own state, although there have been no attempts to do that as of yet.

So how do people in Perth gamble? What choices are available to them? Well, luckily for the citizens of Perth, online gambling is still legal and widely available. That means that they can try their luck at online casinos, such as Platinum Play, Royal Vegas and Euro Palace, and at bookmakers, poker sites and more. More importantly though, Perth is home to the only land-based casino in the state.

The Crown Casino is a huge complex, big and bold enough to rival anything in Las Vegas, but with a distinctly Australian flavour. There are over 2.000 pokies on the gaming floor at the Crown, with hundreds of different games available. At the time of writing, one of the newest games is The Flintstones, based around everybody’s favourite stone age family. Some other new games include Elvis the King and Rock Around the Clock, which have been rocking the casino floor for several weeks; 88 Fortunes, which has tested the fortunes of many of Perth’s pokie lovers, and Golden Maiden.

These games can be played in the main casino, or in the Meridian Room, which is a sophisticated gaming lounge. This is VIP play at its best, with dedicated and professional hosts, cheap snacks and drinks and its own cafe, known as the Cafe Meridian. The Meridian Room is open 24 hours a day (although its cafe is not) and it has over 400 gaming machines, but access to this room is very exclusive and is by invitation only.

If you fancy yourself as a high-roller, then check out the Riviera Room. This five-star section of the casino has plenty of high-stakes games, including blackjack, baccarat and roulette, and it is open 24 hours a day. If this sounds a little too rich for your blood, then all of these games are available on the casino floor as well, where the stakes are much lower, but the games are just as fun and the jackpots are still very tempting. apple AirPod Alternatives There is also a Pearl Room, which offers an experience like no other, and one that is “unrivalled anywhere in the world”. The Crown Casino also has games of poker (with a wide range of buy-ins) Keno and more, not to mention the scores of promotions and jackpots that dish out millions of dollars to lucky winners every year.

The Crown is also much more than just a casino. It is an all-round entertainment facility, with plenty to do even for those who don’t like to gamble. Throughout the early part of 2015, for instance, the Crown Theatre will be hosting a performance of Les Miserables, touted as the “theatrical event of the year”. There are also plenty of other top musicals including Wicked. The stages in the Crown also host singers, comedians and other performers, making this a top destination for entertainment lovers from across Australia.

After an evening on the machines and a night at the theatre, guests at the Crown can relax in one of the many restaurants. There is enough to cater for all tastes, including a Bar and Grill, a French restaurant, an Italian restaurant and a Noodle Bar. There are also cocktail bars and sports bars, ensuring that whatever your taste, there will be something here for you.

There may be no pokies in the clubs and pubs of Perth, but there are plenty of them in the Crown Casino, and when you consider everything else that this venue has to offer, you’ll understand why Western Australia, and Perth in particular, is still a great destination for gamblers.