Located in tropical North Queensland, Cairns attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors each year thanks to the natural beauty on offer by the likes of the Daintree Rainforest, the Great Barrier Reef and some of the most pristine beaches Australia has to offer. But it’s not all about scenic environments and the great outdoors – many tourists and locals are drawn in to the Cairn’s casino and surrounding pubs and clubs with the prospect of striking it lucky on the pokies. Whether you live in Cairns or are just passing by, we explain where to play the pokies around the area and discuss the convenient online pokies alternatives for when you can’t make it to your local venue.
Pokies at The Reef Casino
The Reef Hotel Casino offers Cairns most premium destination for playing the pokies, with over 500 electronic poker machines on offer. New games are added all the time, with featured machines including Back to the Future, Frogger and Goliath. In addition to the pokies, The Reef also houses all the casino classics including blackjack, roulette, baccarat, sic-bo and some uniquely Cairns games like Reef Routine and Paradise Pontoon.
The casino features two main bars, outdoor smoking areas, TAB facilities, Keno Lounge and the biggest LCD screens in Queensland screening all the latest sporting events. There’s an onsite hotel with 128 rooms, 320 undercover parking sites and four restaurants to dine in.
The Reef Casino is open Sunday to Thursday from 9AM to 3AM, and Friday and Saturday from 9AM to 5AM. It is closed all day on Good Friday and Christmas Day, and on Anzac Day until 1PM.
Aquis Casino development
The Aquis Great Barrier Reef is an integrated resort currently in development in Cairns. The original plans for the $8 billion Aquis project was to offer a state-of-the-art casino, but in 2016 plans for the casino were squashed. Hong Kong developer Tony Fung dumped the casino plans, leaving rival casino operators to submit proposals to the Queensland Government for an alternative casino development. Whether or not another developer will get plans approved for a new casino license remains to be seen.
Playing pokies at Cairns clubs and pubs
There is no shortage of options when heading out to throw a few dollars into the pokies around Cairns. From sports clubs to pubs, these are some of the venues in Cairns offering the best pokies and gaming facilities:
- Brothers Leagues Club – 24-32 Armstrong St, Edmonton
- Cairns RSL Social Club – 115-119 Esplanade, Cairns
- Cazayl’s Social Club – 344 Mulgrave Road, Cairns
- Dunwoody’s Tavern – 317 Sheridan Street, North Cairns
- Q-Sports Bar – 86 Sheridan St, Cairns City
- Red Beret Hotel – 411 Kamerunga Road, Redlynch
- Stratford Bowling Club – 3 Rinks Cl, Stratford
- The Cock & Bull – 6 Grove St, Cairns North
- The Woodshed – 24 Shields St, Cairns City
- West Cairns Bowling Club – 16 Gatton St, Westcourt
Online pokies sites
If you live in Cairns but are miles away from The Reef Casino, or nowhere near a pub that houses electronic poker machines, playing the pokies online offers an excellent alternative. This is a convenient option for when you can’t make it to your local pokies venue but would still like to try your luck on a game. Not only do you not have to worry about dress codes or transport, you get access to a much wider selection of games at online casinos and can benefit from the lucrative welcome bonuses offered by online vendors. When it comes to the best online casinos offering the biggest range of reputable online pokies, these leading sites get our top recommendation:
Casino.com – Enjoy hundreds of games from leading software provider, Playtech, available download-free directly over your Web browser or by downloading the premium Casino.com software. Choose from a fantastic range of pokies including a large collection of progressive jackpot pokies like the Marvel Comics collection.
Slots Million – Slots Million offers the largest selection of real money pokies on the Internet, with over 1400 slot games available for instant-play from all the best software studios including Microgaming, NetEnt, BetSoft, iSoftBet and many more.
House of Jack – This vibrant online casino is one of our favourites for real money pokies, with a great range of online slot games from some of the best software developers available to play instantly over your Web browser.
Latest Australian casino news
Wild Tornado Casino’s unique social media promo gathering steam
Wild Tornado Casino has found a unique way to promote their brand, gifting customers special bonuses via their social media channels. From Monday through to...
Victorian lawmakers propose new gambling reforms for pokies
In a significant move to safeguard Victorians from problem gambling, the Allan Labor government has taken its first stride towards implementing pokies reforms.
Star Entertainment secures $800m funding injection
Star Entertainment has received a cash injection of $800 million in equity amidst a net loss of $1.26 billion for the first half of the...
ILGA chair to head NSW Independent Casino Commission
The government of New South Wales has appointed Philip Crawford, the chairman of the Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (IGLA), as head of the newly...
Star Casino hits snag over ‘disturbing’ tower design
The Star's plans for a new hotel and residential tower are in tatters after a scathing architectural review of the design.
Latest online casino promos
Chug away in North Casino Oktoberfest bonus offer
North Casino is giving Australian pokies players the opportunity to receive up to $300 daily in their outstanding Okotberfest Bonus. North Casino is celebrating the...
Boost your pokies bankroll with Boho Casino’s Weekly Reload
Boho Casino is giving customers up to AUD $150 in cash back every week, with this promotion outstanding for high rollers, or those who frequently...
Claim free spins and bonus money in Wildcard City loyalty program
Wildcard City Casino is giving customers an opportunity to score themselves free spins, bonus money and cash prizes simply for playing real money games. Wildcard...
Flatdog Gaming giving slots players a share in $2m in prizes
Flatdog Gaming is giving slots players a chance to win a share of over $2million in cash prizes, with their Cash Drop promotion, which runs...
Claim North Casino’s Weekend Playcation promotion
North Casino is giving online pokies players the opportunity to receive up to $500 free, with their Weekend Playcation promotion. To enter North Casino’s Playcation...