'Pokie' is short for Poker Machine and refers to slot machines and video poker consoles. Sports betting, casino gaming, horse and dog racing, lotteries and of course 'pokies' all draw significant interest. About 10% of all state revenues ($3.65 billion per year) comes from gambling. In 2015, Australians left some $17.5 billion ($949 per adult) in the machines and on the books. Gambling is very popular in Australia with well over 80% of all adults taking part in the pastime - the highest gambling rate on the planet.
There are casinos in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and the capital. The country is surrounded by the Indian and Pacific oceans and all major cities except the inland capital, Canberra, are coastal.
