Aristocrat Pokies: History, Achievements, Scandals & Best Slots by the Developer

Free to Play Aristocrat Pokies

At Pokies Bet, you can access free pokies online, instantly without registration. We host games by a range of providers, including Aristocrat. To play for free Aristocrat pokies just do the following:

• Set your stake per spin according to the Fun balance
• Set the number of paylines you would like to bet per spin
• See the rules through the ‘i’ window to know what to expect from each Aristocrat game

Only after you spin the reels of Aristocrat pokies you will be able to appreciate the skill and expertise that goes into their games. Some titles are inspired by their classic land based slot machines, while other free pokies are exclusively offered online.

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If you are not interested in free Aristocrat pokies but real money casino games, we still got you covered. On our homepage, as in this part, you will easily find the best casinos in Australia that offer games by the provider. The same casinos provide access to pokies and table games from 30+ casino vendors, as long as you deposit A$20 or less.

The good thing with real money Aristocrat casinos is that they also offer bonuses in abundance. Every approved casino rewards you for signing up and/or making a minimum deposit. VIP bonuses, reload match offers, free spins and cashback are granted to loyal players. Select any of listed casinos and play Aristocrat pokies and games from other companies from home.

Strategies to Win at Aristocrat Slot Machines

There are no 100% strategies to win at slots and the same holds true for Aristocrat games. Still, there are few tips that come into play when you play online pokies by Aristocrat:

Demo Play: Practicing on distinct Aristocrat slots online for free is the best way to see how they play out and their gaming features. By doing so, you will also identify how often the games hit winning combinations, bonus rounds and what they pay on average.

Research RTP/Volatility: Both of these figures are based on statistical data that emerge after millions of spins on each Aristocrat slot. The higher the RTP, the lower the casino edge for the same game. Volatility, on the other hand, highlights the payout rate and size of each title. High rollers should go for high variance slots, as they pay less often but larger amounts.

Coin Denomination: Despite luck being the primary factor driving online slots, wagering higher amounts on each active payline will result in higher wins. However, you should not increase the size per coin in spite of activating all lines. The latter is more important.

Play Linked Jackpots: Aristocrat pokies that are part of a progressive jackpot system offer multiple significant prizes. You can trigger the bonus round by matching certain symbols, and expect one of the available pots. The mini jackpot pays out every five minute on average, so it is worth playing these games instead of normal slots.

Cheating Land-Based Aristocrat Pokies

Although cheating is impossible at online pokies, players have employed various tricks over the years to cheat classic slot machines from IGT and Aristocrat. Evident examples include:

• The Coat Hanger – The most widespread cheating method was the coat hanger, as it was easily accessible by most players. By inserting it in the electromagnetic slot machine, players could make the game pay out.
• Yo-yo Trick – Several gamers inserted a string instead of a coin to play free Aristocrat slot machines at land based casinos.
• Shaved Coins – Players often used shaved coins on classic slot machines. These tricked the first sensor to add game credits, while the coin was returned by the second sensor.
• Fake Coins – Similar to the above trick for Aristocrat slot machines, some players used fake coins to play the games. If they won, they would receive real coins as a prize.
• The Light Wand – Employed through a small device that players could sneak into the coin censor; this trick blocked the slot machine’s censors for larger payouts.
• The Monkey Paw – Pioneered by a famous gambler that shall not be named, this Aristocrat cheating device employed a piano or guitar string. After placing it within the EGM, players could trigger payouts at will.

More recent cheats and tricks include the bonus abuse hack, which is also feasible at digital casinos.

History of the Provider

You might know the name Ainsworth from the iGaming company under the same name, but it is this man who founded Aristocrat in 1953. The company has been making slot machines since then and today it has over 2,000 employees and its products are available in over 200 regions.

Aristocrat expanded its business early on, as it keeps doing to this day, releasing products for different markets, such as: Electromagnetic gaming machines (EGM), online games, gaming solutions, social and mobile games.

Products and Services

Aristocrat is a huge company operating with equal success online and offline. Therefore, the products of the provider cannot be covered under a singular company.

Physical Casino Services by Aristocrat

Aristocrat Gaming is the part of the company focusing on RNG-based slot machines featured at physical casinos worldwide. Such titles are not limited to slot machines, as Aristocrat powers a range of blackjack, craps, roulette and other card games. The emergence of RNG based games instead of Class I and Class II casino games is one of the biggest innovations in the industry as a whole. Some of the best RNG Aristrocrat slot machines include:

• Caribbean Gold
• Dollar Storm
• Cash Fortune Tiger Pays
• Big $ Boomer
• Choy’s Kingdom Tiger Reign

Nonetheless, VGT Class II casino games are still offered in over 140 locations in the US, all powered by Aristocrat since 1991. Games that are part of these series include:

• Super Hits Jackpots
• Lucky Ducky Red Spin Run
• Mr. Money Bags Red Spin Deluxe
• Mr.Money Bags Vault
• Antique Boutique

Digital Businesses by Aristocrat

Besides online slots, Aristocrat offers a number of other digital services, which is partly what differentiates this company from the rest casino software providers.

• Product Madness – since 2007, this project incorporates a range of social casino games inspired by classic Aristocrat titles. Cashman Casino Slots are the most recognizable. Heart of Vegas, Lightning Link Casino and FAFAFA Gold apps are also top games that resemble casino titles but are played for free.
• Plarium – established in 2009, this leg of Aristocrat focuses purely on mobile games for casino players and casual gamers alike.
• Big Fish Games – BFG was the first digital business of Aristocrat, launched in 2002. Under this group, social casinos, social gaming and premium casino games are being offered, satisfying players worldwide. Big Fish Casino is the number one social app offering premium in-app purchases for games like slots, blackjack, Texas Hold’em and others.
• nLive – this free play platform was launched in 2013 by Aristocrat, allowing its land-based partners to feature their slot machines in any online environment for free.

Innovations by the Gaming Giant: First Ever Payline Slot Game

There are a few landmarks that must be mentioned in relation to Aristocrat, as they changed the iGaming world as a whole.

Firstly, the Hyperlink jackpot system is patented by the provider, whereby various slot machines display the same bonus screen that can award one of four progressive jackpots. Such games are Big Top Keno and Cash Express.

The Reel Power system is another Aristocrat patent introduced in the 1990s, which has led to the development of multi-line slot machines. Until then, players could only bet on a single line. It is thanks to Aristocrat that we have games with up to 100 paylines today, adjusted as we see fit.

Aristocrat was also one of the first companies to offer remote gaming solutions, enabling casinos to host Aristocrat games connected to a remote server. This innovative move allows the provider to resolve problems and guarantee the fairness of the games without actually ‘being’ at the land-based or online casino.

Lastly, the company has not held back when it comes to sweeping awards for their land-based gaming solutions too. The Viridian and the Verve are the most advanced physical gaming machines, with outstanding double-monitors with high resolution, LCD buttons, digital audio and a cozy set up.

Aristocrat Mobile Slots

Although we discussed the mobile social apps and video mobile games that Aristocrat proudly develops; their perfectly mobile-optimized online slot machines also deserve a mention. Nevertheless, pretty much all iGaming software providers employ HTML5 technology, SFX graphics and sound effects without any 3^rd party plugin to power their online slots these days.

Likewise, Aristocrat slots are optimized for all devices and software systems, including iOS, Android, Blackberry, Google and Huawei.

Scandals & Controversies that involve Aristocrat Slot Machines

It is only natural for a company that has been operating for over 60 years within the gambling industry to be involved in some scandals. Although most of them are not major, we think that is only fair to briefly touch upon the ones that made headlines.

Aristocrat Pokies Lawsuit as a Result of Gambling Addiction

This lawsuit was initiated by the Maurice Blackburn law firm as a pro bono case against Crown Casino and Aristocrat. Ms Guy was the plaintiff, who had suffered from gambling addition for over 14 years. The two main points set against Aristocrat were:

• RTP – the lawyers rightfully argued that the 88% return that Aristocrat pokies offer sounds alright, but it is highly theoretical due to the way it is calculated (over millions and millions of spins).
• Winning Animations – another major point of this lawsuit was that when a player had wagered A$10 per spin, as an example, and as a result won, say, A$2 – the machine would present it as a win. In all honesty, in such cases the player would have lost 80% of the wager, so those animations were misleading, the lawyer argued. See more details on the case here.

Big Fish Games Lawsuit

A company that we touched upon above, Big Fish Games, offered its mobile apps with virtual coins in the US, as in other jurisdictions. After a lawsuit that was initiated in 2020 by a woman who downloaded the Big Fish Casino app, Aristocrat settled to pay $236 million to the plaintiffs. The hypothesis she highlighted and eventually won her the case was that the app is free, but she spent $3,000 in one month to purchase ‘free play tokens’, so that she has more playtime in the free casino games of the app.

Due to gambling activities being illegal in the US, Big Fish and Aristocrat had to settle. Still, as the scandal took place just a short period after the acquisition of Big Fish by Aristocrat, the fine was paid in part by the previous owner of Big Fish Games too. More details here.

Scandal with Executive’s Invoice

One of the big heads of Aristocrat was recently accused of sketchy financial arrangements, as the builders who renovated his home invoiced the company instead of him. Although the officer David Creary denied this, we will have to wait and see what happens with the lawsuit here.

However…

It is easy to find issues and scandals linked to big corporations and businesses, but we shouldn’t be overly critical of Aristocrat. The company has a proven record of suppling fair games to land-based and online casinos for decades – with multiple independent gaming companies testing them regularly in terms of RTPs and RNGs’ fair usage. Further, Aristocrat stands out for all of the following:

• Free games available online
• Licensed and regulated by pretty much all gaming regulatory bodies in the world
• Offering pokies with a variety of returns
• Original games with multiple themes and designs
• Progressive jackpots that payout consistently

Aristocrat Pokies Themes

If you have realized the majesty that the Aristocrat Gaming software is, you should be aware of what kind of slots this company tends to produce – before actually playing them for free or real money.

• Oriental: Slots linked to luck and superstition are often tied to an Asian theme. Dragons, Fishes and charms are the inspiration behind the symbols of such slots and Aristocrat has developed various, such as Lucky 88, 5 Dragons and Lightning Link.
• Popular Culture: Thanks to its huge success, Aristocrat had the funds to invest on purchasing the rights from famous movie characters to turn them into branded slot machines. Games like Batman, Sons of Anarchy and Big Bang Theory are some of their biggest hits to date.
• Money: Most punters play Aristocrat slot machines to win money, and thus, the company rightfully provided slots with the same theme. Player’s Choice Gold Jackpots, Goblin’s Gold and Wicked Winnings are such titles.
• Animal: Although IGT mostly made character related slots, Aristocrat always leaned towards games that followed a natural theme; evident examples are Buffalo Grand, Wild Panda and Miss Kitty.
• Female Characters: Slot machines of today are more politically correct than those of the 1980s and 1990s, so Aristocrat normally offers a range of games with a female over-sexualized theme. Such slots are Black Rose, Geisha and Fire Light.

In contrast to newer iGaming providers, like Betsoft and RTG, Aristocrat does not stray too much outside their expertise – developing classic slot machine themes that resonate with players.

Games Graphics

The negative side of classic themed pokies is that such games also follow traditional symbols and graphics. Since most of the pokies machines of this provider were developed decades ago, their online versions look equally rusty and dated.

If you decide to play Aristocrat slot machines online, do not expect dynamic animations, vivid graphics, 3D movements and ambient sounds. The games of this provider are more basic in that respect – unlike Rival games that are also available on Australian casinos.

Pokies Features

Although Aristocrat slots suffer in terms of graphics and design, while also covering classic themes mostly, the company’s titles are as innovative as any top video slots in terms of mechanics, bonuses and prizes.

• RTP – determines the long term payouts of slot machines. The closer to 100%, the better the winning odds for punters. Although Class I and Class II Aristocrat games do not have an official RTP value, RNG-based slots and online games from the developer carry higher RTPs than 88% – often reaching 97%+.
• Volatility – this figure should always be considered before playing an Aristocrat slot, as it indicates the size and frequency of the games’ payouts. The provider offers pokies from a range of volatility levels, whereby the higher ones pay more but less often.
• Progressive Jackpots – small software companies rarely offer pokies with progressive pots, as not enough people play their games for the prize pool to increase. In contrast, with up to 12 pokies linked under the same jackpot prize, Aristocrat jackpots are equally sought after as the ones from Microgaming and Playtech.
• Multiline & Reels – older games by the provider feature three reels with symbols alligning horizontally to form wins. Nonetheless, over 30 five reelers carry Aristocrat’s signature, whereby players can form huge wins on different levels. Some Aristocrat games host over 1,000 paylines and ways to win format.
• Bonus Features – Besides jackpots and dynamic base gameplay, Aristocrat pokies often feature free spins rounds, multipliers, respins, wild reels and stacked wilds. Some bonuses are triggered at random, while others require specific symbols to land on the reels. Indifferent to the above, the bonus features apparent at Aristocrat games can pay over 10,000x in various occasions.

Types of Aristocrat Slot Games

Now that you know what to expect when approaching any Aristocrat slot machine, we will expand on a few specific slots by the provider that have captivated players for years.

Branded Games

Walking Dead was the most anticipated slot release since the 2000s, with all casinos rushing to add it in their ranks. Grand prize in this pokie often exceeds A$500,000.

The original Batman movie rights were also purchased by Aristocrat, who then turned it into a hit slot machine. Although most online readers will not even remember the characters that starred in the show, the grand prize of A$250,000 fascinates to this date.

Sons of Anarchy also turned into a branded slot under Aristocrat license, offering wilds, free spins and a large progressive jackpot seeding at A$500,000.

Big Bang Theory slot machine was also inspired by the modern TV series, which instantly attracted players to spin its reels. All bonus features are linked to the main characters of the series, with Raj Koothrappali Scavenger Vortex Feature being just one example.

Lastly, Britney Spears is another branded slot game by Aristocrat, offering multipliers, wilds and free spins titled after the singer’s biggest hits!

Aristocrat Linked Jackpots

The linked slots by Aristocrat are the most popular games at Aussie casinos. That’s expected, as they have prizes that progressively increase according to the players that wager on all the linked games. The company’s revenue is closely tied to those games, with the following being the most popular Aristocrat jackpot slots:

• Queen of the Nile is the most popular Egytpian themed slot by Aristocrat, with letters and themed symbols populating the reels. Thanks to the multipliers apparent, punters can win up to 9,000 coins.
• Cash Express is a 1024 ways to win slot by Aristocrat, featuring multiple jackpots. To win the progressive pots, players must collect same coloured trains, with the highest paying one offering 2500 credits.
• Lightning Link, Dragon Link and Lightning Cash games by Aristocrat feature the popular Hold and Spin progressive jackpot game. Players must fill the whole screen with symbols before they are out of respins to win the highest prize.

All the above are offered as stand-alone jackpot slots or linked with each other, with a maximum of up to 250 machines. The more linked jackpots, the higher the potential to win massive prizes at Aristocrat casinos.

Best 10 Aristocrat Online Pokies

Indifferently to specific features, some Aristocrat games stand out from the rest, with millions of players preferring them year after year.

1. More Chilli is by far the most loved Aristocrat slot machine. More Chilli includes stacked wild reels, multiple screens and free spins that offer higher wins when you land extra chilli symbols!

2. Red Baron is a uniquely themed UK slot by Aristocrat, paying tribute to WW1. Players can win up to 8x multipliers and bonus spins.

3. Choy Sun Doa, or the God of Prosperity, is 243 ways to win slot by Aristocrat. Wilds and multipliers assist in winning combos, while the free spins lead the way to big wins.

4. Buffalo slot game is also very popular, with tigers, elks, hawks and other animals populating the reels. The action unfolds on 5 reels and 3 paylines, with the Xtra Reel Power feature skyrocketing the winning ways to 1024.

5. Lucky 88 slot machine by Aristocrat follows an Asian theme and an exceptional 97% RTP. Multipliers, free spins and scatters are all at play here, so play it now!

6. Zorro is probably the most played game of Aristocrat online, with the younger audiences barely remembering the movie itself. The infamous Z is the wild of the game, while the scatters unlock 4x different free spins rounds with corresponding multiplier values.

7. Red Dragon is one of the few 6 reel slot games by Aristocrat. Free spins, ying yang symbols and wilds/scattered symbols are the highlights of this game.

8. Big Ben itself is the wild of the game, with 5x paying a 1,000x multiplier of your bets. Free spins can also be triggered in this Aristocrat slot machine.

9. Werewolf Wild is one of the few fantasy themed slots from Aristocrat, with the name hinting the bonus features. 5 wild symbols unlock the game feature, which can pay out a 1000 coins jackpot. Gamble/Risk is also available during any base game win.

10. Miss Kitty is a spectacular game, even if you discount the fascinating theme. Bonus spins come with stacked wilds, while the base game is played across 50 paylines with scatters and stacked symbols hyping things up!

Other Casino Software Providers

Aristocrat is indeed one of the most loved and recognized gambling providers in Australia. The company has reached pretty much all countries that allow gambling through its products. Although few companies can be placed side by side with this iGaming giant, there are a few products that you might equally enjoy.

Ainsworth

Founded in 1995 by the CEO of Aristocrat, this company also primarily focused on land-based slot machines. Like our company of focus in this guide, Ainsworth develops more simplistic slot machine that do not incorporate flashy bonus rounds and base game features.

Most Ainsworth slots have stacked wilds, free spins and multipliers, which are pretty standard features of online slots these days. In terms of RTP, however, this company is more generous that Aristocrat; check out these games to see for yourself:

50 Dolphins

Sheer Magic

Pac-Man Link

Zed Lion Triple Shot

Grand Dragon

IGT

International Gaming Technology, which is owned by Scientific Gaming, is the only iGaming company that surpasses Aristocrat in terms of slot machines and products. The company was founded in 1975 but it has swept the market with its stunning slot machines featuring flashy graphics and unconventional gameplay.

Even today, they keep winning awards for their products, with Fortune Coin winning the Game of the Year Award in 2021. Some of their classic and newer hits include:

Cleopatra

Double Da Vinci Diamonds

Vegas Nights

Black Widow

Day of the Dead

Microgaming

Although the above companies are considered the pioneers of land-based casinos, Microgaming developed the first online casino; before becoming the driving force of the first mobile casino. With over 1,000 slot machines, two major progressive networks, and billions of dollars in prizes, it’s a company that cannot be ignored.

The Mega Moolah network now incorporates 10+ games under its wings, with the Absolutely Mad title paying over A$20 million through a 2022 jackpot win. Classic pokies and modern slot machines with unique gameplay are part of Microgaming’s catalogue, among which the following pokies stand out:

Mega Moolah ISIS

Mermaids Millions

Break Da Bank Again

Thunderstruck 2

Book of Atem WOWPOT!

Conclusion

It is true that the Australian Government has cracked down on online casinos by enforcing its 2001 Interactive Gaming Act. Since then, players from Australia have lost access to awesome casinos, like Pokerstars, 888 and BetVictor. Nonetheless, several legit Curacao licensed casinos still offer slot machines similar to Aristocrat pokies without any real dangers for the players.

On this page, you can find licensed casinos compliant with the highest standards related to safe gambling, payments and customer support. Although Aristocrat pokies aren’t widely featured at online casinos, you can find thousands of similar pokies by using our referral links.

Nonetheless, if you would like to play Aristocrat pokies onshore, Australia is the best place to be. The company was founded here and although it powers physical and online casinos in over 200 regions – it primarily focuses on Australian locations. The highlighted casinos offer almost every slot machine that Aristocrat has ever produced, including all major progressive jackpot networks:

• Crown Casino Melbourne
• Treasury Casino Queensland
• Adelaide Casino
• Wrest Point Hotel Casino Tasmania
• Country Club Casino Tasmania
• The Star Sydney

• About the Author
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Mike Fatouros Chief Editor

Michael has reviewed and verified all information on this page. Having worked in the iGaming industry for over 8 years, he is the most capable person to help you navigate online casinos, pokies, and the Australian gambling landscape.

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