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

Free to Play Aristocrat Pokies

On 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 you will not need to do anything other than:

• Set your stake per spin according to the Fun balance.
• Set the number of paylines that you want to bet on per spin.
• See the rules through the ‘i’ window to know what to expect from each Aristocrat free pokie.

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. Further, these casinos also provide access to pokies and table games from other software providers, as long as you deposit with one of the various payment methods they offer.

The good thing with real money Aristocrat casinos is that they also offer bonuses in abundance. All such sites will reward you for signing up and/or making a minimum deposit. VIP bonuses, reload match offers, free spins and cashback will also be awarded to qualifying players. Select any of the below casinos and play Aristocrat games for real money today:

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2. PlayAmo
3. Casinonic
4. GunsBet
5. Woo Casino
6. Joo Casino
7. Loki Casino
8. Spin Samurai
9. BitStarz
10. Tangiers Casino

Strategies to Win Aristocrat Slot Machines

There are no 100% strategies to win at slots and same holds true for Aristocrat slot machines. 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 be able to see how often the games’ hit winning combinations, bonus rounds and what they pay on average.

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

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

Play Linked Jackpots: Aristocrat pokies that are part of a progressive jackpot system offer multiple pots. You can trigger the bonus round by matching certain symbols, resulting in a 100% win of 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 many 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 cheat the game into paying out.
• Yo-yo Trick – Using a string to insert a coin and play slot machines, while pulling it out afterwards.
• Shaved Coins – Players often used shaved coins on classic slot machines, cheating the first sensor that allowed them to play real money and had the coin 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 would block the slot machines censors, offering larger payouts.
• The Monkey Paw – Pioneered by a famous gambler that shall not be named, this Aristocrat cheating device was employing a piano or guitar string. After placing within the EGM, the players could trigger payouts at will.

More recent cheats and tricks include the bonus abuser method, which could peak your interest.

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 that applied to 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 that focuses on RNG-based slot machines that are featured at physical casinos across the globe. 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
• And hundreds more.

Nonetheless, VGT Class II casino games are still offered on 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
• And 50 other slot machines

Digital Businesses by Aristocrat

Then, besides online slots, Aristocrat offers a number of other digital services, which is part of what differentiates this company for the rest software providers in the industry:

• Product Madness – since 2007, this project incorporates a range of social casino games inspired by classic Aristocrat titles, with Cashman Casino Slots being 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 – 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 that offers 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 where able to only bet on a single line but thanks to Aristocrat we have up to 243 paylines today, which can be adjusted at will.

Aristocrat was also one of the first companies to offer remote gaming solutions, whereby the casinos would be able to offer Aristocrat games connected to a remote server. This innovative move allows the provider to solve any issues and maintain 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 an cozy set up.

Aristocrat Mobile Slots

Although we discussed the mobile social apps and video mobile games that Aristocrat proudly develops, it is also notable that the online slot machines of the provider are also optimized for all devices. 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.

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 operates 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 most trending ones.

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 has suffered from gambling addition over 14 years. The two main points set against Aristocrat were:

• RTP – the lawyers rightfully argued that the 88% return that Aristocrat pokies were offering sounded alright, although that percentage was very 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 $10 per spin as an example, and as a result won say $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 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 players. The hypothesis that she highlighted and eventually won 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 Gaming 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 homes 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 with 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 excels through all the below traits:

• 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 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 that were linked to luck and superstition are often linked 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 available funds to invest on purchasing the rights from famous movie characters to turn them into 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 are developed decades ago, their online versions look equally rusty and classic.

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 ranging within classic themes mostly, the company’s titles are as innovative as any top video slots in terms of mechanics, bonuses and prizes.

• RTP – is the figure that determines the long term payouts of slot machines. The closer to 100%, the best 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 they determine 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 – The older games by the provider tend to offer a single reel or three reels, whereby symbols can align on few rows to form wins. Nonetheless, the company has released over 30 five reelers, whereby players can form huge wins on different levels. Some Aristocrat games carry over 1,000 paylines and ways to win format.
• Bonus Features – Besides jackpots and dynamic basic gameplay, Aristocrat pokies often features 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. Indifferently to the above, the bonus features apparent at the games of this provider 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 2000s, with all casinos rushing to add it amongst their lists. Grand prize in this pokie is $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 $250,000 fascinates to this date.

Sons of Anarchy is also branded under Aristocrat license, offering wilds, free spins and a large progressive jackpot that exceeds $500,000.

Big Bang Theory slot machine is also inspired by a modern TV series, with players running filled with joy 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 song hits!

Aristocrat Linked Jackpots

The linked slots by Aristocrat are very popular, 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 one of the Egytpian themed pokies 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 highest the potential to win higher prizes at Aristocrat casinos.

Best 10 Online Aristocrat 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, offering stacked wild reels, multiple screens and free spins that offer higher wins when you land more 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 online. Wilds and multipliers assist in winning combos, while the free spins are 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 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 on your bets. Further, free spins can also be triggered during 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 will unlock the game feature, which can pay out up to 1000 coins jackpot. Gamble is also available during any base game win.

10. Miss Kitty is a spectacular game, even if you don’t count 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 Software Providers

Aristocrat is indeed one of the most loved and recognized gambling providers in Australia, which 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 was also primarily focused on land-based slot machines. Similarly to our focused company of this piece, Ainsworth develops more simplistic slot machine that do not incorporate flashy bonus rounds and base game features.

Most of 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 Ainsworth; 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 with flashy graphics and unconventional gameplay.

Even today, they keep winning awards for their products, with Fortune Coin being crowned the game of the year. 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 somehow linked to the pioneers of land-based casinos, Microgaming was the provider behind the first online casino, and then of the original 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 8 games under its wings, with the Absolutely Mad title paying over 19 million euros in 2022. Classic pokies and modern slot machines with unique gameplay are part of its catalogue, amongst which the following pokies stand out:

Mega Moolah ISIS

Mermaids Millions

Break Da Bank Again

Thunderstruck 2

Book of Atem WOWPOT!

Play Aristocrat Pokies in and from Australia

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, some Curacao licensed websites still offer slot machines by Aristocrat without any real dangers for the players. On this page, you can find licensed Aristocrat casino sites that you can play casino games for real money – which follow all the standards related to safe gambling, consistency in payments and offer great customer support.

Nonetheless, if you want to play Aristocrat pokies without breaking any laws, 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 below casinos offer almost every slot machine that Aristocrat has produced, featuring major progressive jackpots:

• 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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