The two figures are set under different rules, and neither source gives a reason for the gap. A machine in a Victorian venue must return at least 85% of what is wagered on it over a calendar year: that is a legal floor for the venue as a whole, not a typical figure. An online game's percentage is the one the operator prints for that title, and no Australian Act sets it, because offering online pokies to people in Australia is itself an offence for the provider. So the comparison is a floor against a published figure, and this page shows both rather than explaining the difference with a cause no document states.
What the Act says
Victoria: the return a venue machine must be set to
(1) An entitlement holder must ensure that the pay- out table on gaming machines at each venue is set so as to return to players the players' proportion of the total amounts wagered each calendar year at that venue, after deduction of the sum of jackpot special prizes determined as prescribed and payable during that year.
Section 3.6.1 of the Gambling Regulation Act 2003 (Vic), in-force text on content.legislation.vic.gov.au, pulled 12 September 2026.
Victoria: where the 85% floor is written, the next subsection
(2) The players' proportion is - (a) not less than 85%; or (b) if the Commission determines in accordance with subsection (3), a fixed percentage greater than 85%.
Section 3.6.1 of the Gambling Regulation Act 2003 (Vic), in-force text on content.legislation.vic.gov.au, pulled 12 September 2026.
Queensland: how the percentage return is calculated
the percentage return to player, for a game, is the percentage calculated using the formula - where - B is the amount that will be bet if bets are made on every result in the game. W is the amount that can be won, other than promotions, if all winning results in the game are obtained.
The Act prints the formula as an image, which the text above leaves out; it reads (W x 100) / B, with B and W as defined in the quote.
Section 11 of the Gaming Machine Act 1991 (Qld), in-force text on legislation.qld.gov.au, pulled 12 September 2026.
What the operators' own game pages print
1295 game pages out of the 7569 opened on 13 September 2026 print an RTP figure. They run from 99.0% down to 90.0%, with 96.00% in the middle. Sorted by the figure printed, these 12 come first:
| Title | RTP the page prints | Site | Read on |
|---|---|---|---|
| Book of 99 | 99% | 7Bit | 13 September 2026 |
| Cricket X | 98.8% | 7Bit | 13 September 2026 |
| Plinkox | 98.5% | 7Bit | 13 September 2026 |
| Burning Ice 10 | 98.4% | 7Bit | 13 September 2026 |
| Spire | 98.25% | 7Bit | 13 September 2026 |
| Gamba Mamba | 98.21% | 7Bit | 13 September 2026 |
| Xperiment Gold | 98.21% | 7Bit | 13 September 2026 |
| Sweet Punks | 98.2% | 7Bit | 13 September 2026 |
| Double Diamond Night | 98.08% | 7Bit | 13 September 2026 |
| Chicken Road | 98% | 7Bit | 13 September 2026 |
| Christmas Wheel | 98% | 7Bit | 13 September 2026 |
| Underwater Treasure | 98% | 7Bit | 13 September 2026 |
What this does not settle
The two sides are not measured the same way: the Act sets a floor for a venue machine, while an online figure is the operator's published number for one title. This page puts them next to each other and does not call either one better.
Licence status in Australia
None of the sites on this page comparing published returns names an Australian licence; each is an offshore operator as far as Australian law is concerned. The Interactive Gambling Act 2001 and the ACMA's powers under it are quoted on our law page. Amounts are quoted as each operator prints them; nothing is converted to A$.
Play safely
18+ only. Gambling Help Online 1800 858 858 - free, confidential, 24 hours a day, Australia. Self-exclusion register: BetStop.