You might have your reservations about wagering real money on online pokies, and that is understandable. All gambling games have an element of risk about them, and internet pokies are no different.

However, there are certain things to look for in real money pokies on the net, which should assure you that they are safe (and fair) to play.

Here is what to look for when you want to play safe and fair real money pokies online at NZ casinos.

Before you decide to dive into the world of real money pokies, we have a few tips and ideas that we would like to share with you.

These should help you decide whether a real money pokie is safe to play, whether it is worth your time, and what your chances of landing a win on it are.

Without further ado, let us dive into the world of playing online pokies for real money down under.

The first thing you are going to want to know is whether an online pokie is fair. How can you tell that it is? Fortunately, there are ways to check.

Most internet pokie sites (licensed ones) will have their games independently audited by a third party such as eCogra.

These checks are carried out on the RNGs (random number generators) and algorithms used in a game.

The checks are done to ensure that pokies are fair and that you have a reasonable chance of success.

Any casino which is RNG-certified, regulated and verified will clearly display the necessary licensing information to prove that.

RTP also plays an integral part in this step, so we should look at this next.

All pokies have an RTP rate. Known as a Return to Player rate, this is the theoretical rate at which a player will win.

While they are never going to be at 100% (casinos must make money, too), most sit between 90% and 98%.

The closer to 98% a pokie’s RTP rate is, the better it will be for you. An RTP rate of 96% means that, in theory, players are paid out 96¢ for every $1 that is wagered.

Of course, RTP is calculated over the long-term, so do not expect to pocket that sum with each bet you make. It all balances out, but over time.

A handful of pirated pokies do exist, and these should be easy to spot. They often have RTPs of 40% or less and should be widely avoided.

Any casino supporting pirated and rogue pokies will likely be blacklisted, and you will find plenty of warnings about avoiding it online.

There is a way to improve your chances of success, and one of the best ways to do this is to claim a casino bonus.

Online casinos typically offer welcome bonuses for new players and reload bonuses for depositing players.

This gives you a chance to alter the house edge marginally. After claiming a welcome bonus, you can multiply that sum against the pokie’s RTP rate.

This should tell you the expected loss you can expect to make $100.

The volatility level in pokies is also essential to gauge. Volatility tells you how a pokie machine pays out.

Highly volatile pokies seldom pay out but deliver large wins when they do. By contrast, low variance games pay out frequently, but often with smaller winnings.

If you want a longer session, low variance games are the way to go. Highly volatile pokies are ideal for shorter sessions.

Games with low volatility are also suitable for players on a budget, as frequent but small wins help them to stay in the game longer.

Most of today’s games are mobile-friendly. However, not all pokie games have been designed to be used on mobile phones and tablets with ease.

Some have buttons which are optimised for fingers and thumbs, and others are quite clearly not.

Given that, it is essential to check out how they work before you decide to wager real money.

Most pokie games can be played for free at online pokie sites.

If you want to play via your phone or tablet, have a crack at playing them via those devices for free first.

How speedily can you receive your winnings and are you going to be able to cash out the entire amount won?

Of course, if you have claimed bonuses and promotions, you will likely need to fulfil any outstanding wagering requirements first.

After this, the amount you can withdraw will depend on the casino’s withdrawal limits. These could be daily, weekly, or monthly limits, so you need to check these out via the site’s cashier page ahead of time.

Not all casinos pay out progressive jackpot wins in one fell swoop, so check the terms and conditions or contact customer support for this information, too.

In most cases, e-wallet withdrawals will be processed in 1-3 days, while bank transfers and card cashouts take between 2-5 business days. Other payment methods may take longer. More info on the casinos that pay fast here.

These can vary from casino to casino, though, so again, check the cashier/banking page at your pokie site before depositing.

There are thousands of pokies you can play online for real money.

Naturally, you will be spoilt for choice. If you are not sure where to start, why not check out these pokie machines?

Each comes with a high RTP rate, a top selection of bonuses features, and they are fair.

Here is a brief taste of what you can expect in each game…