In fact, in the early 20th century, demand for coins to operate a coin-op poker machines was so high that the design of the Liberty Head nickel in the United States was briefly delayed. Card-operated poker machines have taken over from the more traditional coin-op poker machine, though there is still a lot of interest in coin slot machines and other antique slot machines from gaming enthusiasts. Today, most poker machines are card operated, with value being added directly from the user's credit card. Excluding Western Australia, statistics suggest that between 20 per cent and 30 per cent of adults use a poker machine at least once a year, with a large proportion of those people using a poker machine once a week or more.
Australia has more poker machines per person than any other country in the world, except for Monaco and Macau which are considered 'gambling destinations.' Poker machines are legal throughout Australia, except in Western Australia, where they are only permitted within a casino.
