Best Australian Pokies Online 2026: A Cynic’s Guide to Not Losing Your Shirt

The digital casino landscape in Australia heading into 2026 is a fascinating, if predictable, ecosystem. It operates on a simple principle: promise the moon, deliver a well-lit room with a decent internet connection. For the player searching for the best Australian pokies online 2026, the real task isn’t finding a place to play—it’s filtering through a mountain of marketing fluff to find the mathematically least-worst option. The market is saturated with platforms that have mastered the art of looking generous while running on a house edge that would make a loan shark blush. Your job is to see the code behind the curtain, not get dazzled by the flashing lights.

Forget the notion of finding a “winning” casino. The only guaranteed winner is the house. The objective here is to identify operators that offer the most transparent terms, the fastest payouts, and a game library that isn’t just a recycled dump of the same fifty pokie titles. We’re looking for the establishments that treat you like a customer, not a walking ATM card. The difference between a decent platform and a predatory one often lies in the fine print of their bonus terms and the actual speed of their withdrawal department—details they’d rather you not scrutinize too closely.

What Separates a Decent Pokie Site from a Digital Trap?

A decent site is built on a foundation of operational transparency. This means clear, unambiguous terms and conditions that don’t require a legal degree to decipher. The “best” platforms are those where the wagering requirements on a bonus are stated plainly upfront, without hidden clauses that void your winnings for minuscule technicalities. Look for a straightforward 30x to 40x playthrough on the bonus amount as a baseline. Anything significantly higher is a red flag, designed so you’ll bust your balance before you ever see a cent of bonus-derived cash. It’s a numbers game, and the house always sets the numbers.

The game library itself is another tell. A quality operator partners with a wide range of reputable software providers—names like Microgaming, NetEnt, Play’n GO, and Pragmatic Play are a good start. A site cluttered with obscure, no-name studios is often padding its lobby with low-RTP (Return to Player) titles that drain your balance faster. You want a curated selection, not a digital junkyard. Check the RTP percentages if they’re published; a difference between a 94% RTP pokie and a 96.5% RTP pokie is the difference between your bankroll lasting an hour versus two hours, all else being equal.

Payment processing is the ultimate litmus test. The “best” casinos are those that process withdrawal requests within 24 hours, ideally instantly for e-wallets. If a site advertises “fast payouts” but then imposes a 48-72 hour pending period where you can reverse your withdrawal, they’re not fast—they’re manipulative. That pending period is a psychological trap, counting on you to get bored or reckless and cancel the cash-out to keep playing. Always read the banking section’s fine print for minimum and maximum limits, fees, and the actual processing times for each method.

The Regulatory Maze: Legality and Licensing for Australian Players

Here’s the blunt truth: the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (IGA) makes it illegal for operators to offer online pokies and casino games to people located in Australia. The law targets the providers, not the players. This creates a grey market where offshore operators, licensed in jurisdictions like Curaçao, Malta (MGA), or Gibraltar, openly service Australian players. These regulators have varying standards. A Curaçao license, for example, is notoriously easy and cheap to obtain, offering minimal player protection compared to the stricter MGA or UKGC frameworks.

So, when you see an operator boasting about its license, context matters. A Curaçao e-gaming license means they paid a fee and met basic operational criteria. It doesn’t mean they’re subject to rigorous audits or have a robust dispute resolution process. Players have limited legal recourse if an offshore operator decides to withhold winnings. Your primary protection is due diligence: reading recent, independent player reviews on forums and watchdog sites, not just the glowing testimonials on the casino’s own homepage. If a pattern of delayed payments or confiscated winnings emerges, that’s your answer.

The practical implication is that you are operating without a safety net. Australian authorities can block some operator websites, and banks may block transactions to known gambling sites, but determined players always find a way via VPNs or cryptocurrency. The risk is entirely on you. Therefore, choosing an operator with a long-standing reputation (5+ years in operation), transparent ownership, and a history of paying out without fuss is paramount. It’s the closest you’ll get to a guarantee in this unregulated space.

Dissecting the “Bonus”: Free Money or a Cleverly Wrapped Math Problem?

Let’s kill the fantasy right now. That “generous” welcome bonus is not a gift. It’s a marketing acquisition cost for the casino, structured as a loan with very specific repayment terms. A typical offer might be “100% match up to $500 + 200 Free Spins.” The fine print will state a wagering requirement, say 35x on the bonus + deposit. That means if you deposit $100 and get $100 in bonus funds, you must wager $7,000 (35 x $200) before you can withdraw any winnings derived from it. With a house edge of 3-5% on most pokies, the expected loss on that $7,000 in wagers is $210 to $350. You’re paying for the privilege of playing with their money.

“Free Spins” are even more deceptive. They’re usually valued at the minimum bet per spin (e.g., $0.10 or $0.20), and winnings from them are credited as bonus money, subject to the same hefty wagering requirements. So, 200 “free” spins at $0.20 each give you $40 in bonus funds, which you then must wager 35x ($1,400) to clear. The casino is giving you a tiny taste of playtime in exchange for locking up a significant chunk of your real money in a wagering cycle designed to erode it. It’s a free lollipop at the dentist’s office—you’re still in the chair.

The most player-friendly bonuses, if such a thing exists, are those with lower wagering requirements (20x or less), no maximum cashout limits on winnings from the bonus, and a long expiry period (30 days or more). Some operators now offer “wager-free” spins or cashback on losses, which are mathematically more straightforward. Cashback, for instance, returning 10% of your net losses over a week as cash with a 1x wagering requirement is infinitely more transparent than a 200% match bonus with a 50x rollover. Always compare the actual expected value, not the headline number.

Feature	Typical “Generous” Offer	Mathematically Sounder Option
Wagering Requirement	40x (Bonus + Deposit)	20x (Bonus Only) or Wager-Free
Free Spin Value	$0.10 per spin, winnings as bonus	$0.20+ per spin, winnings as cash (capped)
Max Cashout from Bonus	Often capped at 5x-10x bonus amount	No cap or very high cap (e.g., 10x deposit)
Expiry Period	7-14 days	30 days or more
Game Weighting	Pokies 100%, Table Games 10%	Pokies 100%, some table games 50%+

Pokie Libraries: Beyond the Shiny Logos and Into the RTP

The size of a game lobby is a vanity metric. A casino boasting 5,000 games is often just aggregating hundreds of low-quality, identical-feeling titles from budget studios. The quality of the library is defined by its curation and the presence of high-RTP, feature-rich games from top-tier providers. You want access to the classics like Thunderstruck II and Immortal Romance, the modern cluster-pay darlings like Reactoonz and Jammin’ Jars, and the progressive jackpot networks that actually pay out life-changing sums, like Microgaming’s Mega Moolah or NetEnt’s Mega Fortune.

RTP is the single most important metric for a pokie player. It represents the theoretical percentage of all wagered money a game will pay back to players over time. A pokie with a 96% RTP will, on average, return $96 for every $100 wagered. This is calculated over millions of spins. In the short term, variance (volatility) dominates. High-volatility pokies like Dead or Alive 2 or Book of Dead pay out less frequently but in larger chunks. Low-volatility titles like Starburst or Blood Suckers pay out smaller amounts more often. Your bankroll and risk tolerance should dictate your choice. A $50 bankroll has no business chasing a progressive jackpot on a high-volatility slot.

Beware of operators who allow you to filter games by “provider” but not by RTP. Some casinos have been known to offer exclusive versions of popular games with reduced RTPs (e.g., 94% instead of 96.5%) to boost their margins. If you can’t verify the RTP in the game’s help file, assume the worst. The best pokie sites are transparent about this, sometimes even publishing monthly RTP reports for their entire library. That level of openness is rare, but when you find it, it’s a strong indicator of a fair operator.

Payment Methods: Speed, Security, and the Australian Reality

For Australian players, the payment landscape is a minefield of blocked transactions and limited options. Credit and debit card deposits (Visa, Mastercard) are frequently declined by Australian banks due to the IGA. The most reliable methods are typically e-wallets like Skrill and Neteller, prepaid vouchers like Neosurf or Flexepin, and increasingly, cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Litecoin. Crypto offers the dual advantage of bypassing banking blocks and providing the fastest withdrawal times, often within minutes once processed by the casino.

Withdrawal speed is where operators reveal their true character. A good site processes e-wallet and crypto withdrawals within 2-24 hours. Card and bank transfer withdrawals naturally take longer, typically 3-5 business days, due to processing times. The red flag is the “pending period”—a 24-72 hour window where your withdrawal request sits in limbo, during which you can reverse it. This is a predatory practice designed to exploit impulsive behavior. Reputable operators have eliminated this, processing withdrawals immediately. Always check the banking terms for this specific detail.

Minimum and maximum transaction limits also vary wildly. A typical minimum deposit is $10-$20. Minimum withdrawals can be higher, sometimes $20-$50. Maximum withdrawal limits are the real concern for high rollers or lucky jackpot winners. Some operators cap weekly or monthly withdrawals at $5,000-$10,000, which is absurd if you hit a $50,000 progressive jackpot. You’d be paid out in dribs and drabs over a year. The best operators have high or non-existent limits for verified accounts, especially for jackpot wins. Confirm this before you deposit a single dollar.

Payment Method	Typical Deposit Time	Typical Withdrawal Time (Post-Processing)	Common Limits (Min/Max per Transaction)
Cryptocurrency (BTC, ETH, LTC)	10-60 minutes (network dependent)	Instant to 1 hour	$20 / No Max (Varies)
E-Wallet (Skrill, Neteller)	Instant	0-24 hours	$10-$20 / $5,000-$10,000
Prepaid Voucher (Neosurf)	Instant	N/A (Deposit only)	$10 / $250
Bank Transfer	1-3 business days	3-7 business days	$20-$50 / $2,000-$5,000

New Casinos 2026: Fresh Paint on the Same Old Building?

The launch of a new online casino is met with a predictable wave of hype. “Innovative features,” “next-gen gaming,” “unprecedented bonuses.” In reality, most new casinos are white-label operations—pre-packaged platforms using the same software, game integrations, and often the same management companies as dozens of other sites. The “newness” is a skin. The underlying engine is off-the-shelf. This isn’t inherently bad, but it means the “unique experience” promised is largely illusory.

The primary advantage of a new casino is the welcome bonus. To attract players in a crowded market, they often offer more aggressive terms: higher match percentages, more free spins, or lower wagering requirements. This is their customer acquisition budget at work. The risk is that a new operator is unproven. They haven’t built a track record for paying out quickly, handling disputes fairly, or maintaining their platform reliably. There’s always a chance they’re undercapitalized and could fold, taking your deposited funds with them.

Due diligence is critical with new sites. Check who owns and operates them. Are they a subsidiary of a known, established group (like Aspire Global, Dama N.V., or ProgressPlay)? Or are they a standalone operation with a Curaçao license and a anonymous “About Us” page? The former offers a degree of borrowed credibility. The latter is a gamble in itself. Wait 6-12 months after launch. Let other players test the withdrawal process and customer support. Read the forums. If it’s still operational and paying out without major issues, it might be worth a cautious deposit. Never put more in than you can afford to see vanish.

Lucky Elf Casino Bonus 2026: A Veteran’s Cold-Blooded Breakdown of the Math and the Marketing

Mobile Gaming: The Illusion of Convenience

Every serious online casino in 2026 offers a mobile-optimized website or a dedicated app. The reality is that mobile gaming is about convenience, not a superior experience. Playing a complex, feature-heavy pokie on a 6-inch screen is a compromise. The interface is cramped, the auto-spin settings are fiddly, and the immersive sound design is lost through phone speakers. Mobile is for killing time on the train, not for a focused session where you’re tracking your bankroll and wagering requirements.

The technical performance of mobile casinos varies. A well-built HTML5 site will run smoothly in your phone’s browser without requiring a download. Dedicated apps, often found via direct download from the casino’s site (not official app stores due to policy restrictions), can offer slightly faster load times and push notifications for promotions. But they also require storage space and regular updates. The best mobile experience is one that mirrors the desktop site’s functionality: full game library access, easy deposit/withdrawal, and accessible customer support. If the mobile version is missing features or feels like an afterthought, it reflects poorly on the operator’s priorities.

Battery drain and data usage are practical concerns. Modern pokies are graphically intensive. An hour of play can consume a significant chunk of your battery and mobile data if you’re not on Wi-Fi. This is the hidden cost of “convenience.” Also, ensure your device’s operating system is up to date. Security vulnerabilities on older devices can be exploited, especially when entering payment information on a mobile site. A secure, convenient mobile experience requires both a good operator and a responsible player.

Responsible Gaming: The Only Strategy That Actually Works

Set a loss limit before you start playing. Not a “win goal”—a loss limit. Decide on an amount you are 100% comfortable losing, and when it’s gone, you stop. No exceptions. No “just one more deposit to win it back.” That’s the path to ruin. The tools reputable casinos offer—deposit limits, session time reminders, self-exclusion—are there for a reason. Use them. Setting a $200 weekly deposit limit is not a sign of weakness; it’s the only rational strategy in a game designed for you to lose over time.

The concept of “chasing losses” is the casino’s best friend. It’s an emotional response to a mathematical outcome. You lost because the house edge grinded down your bankroll, not because you were unlucky or due for a win. There is no “due.” Each spin is independent. The idea that a machine is “hot” or “cold” is a gambler’s fallacy. The only thing that changes is your remaining balance. Recognizing this emotional trigger is the first step to playing responsibly. If you feel the urge to increase your bets after a losing streak, that’s your cue to log out immediately.

Casino Dice Game Australia 2026: The Only Guide You’ll Need Before Losing Your Rent

Treat gambling as entertainment with a cost. The cost is the moneyyou’d willingly pay for a movie ticket or a round of drinks. If you can’t afford to lose it, you can’t afford to play with it. The moment gambling stops being a budgeted leisure activity and starts being a way to make money, you’ve already lost. The house edge is a mathematical certainty, not a suggestion. Your only defense is discipline.

The self-exclusion registers, like GAMSTOP in the UK or the Australian Communications and Media Authority’s (ACMA) blocking orders, are blunt instruments. They work by blocking access to licensed sites, but they don’t stop you from finding an offshore operator with a VPN. True self-exclusion is a personal commitment, not just a technical block. It requires honesty with yourself about your habits. If you’re hiding your gambling from family, lying about losses, or borrowing money to play, those are not signs of a fun hobby. They are red flags for a serious problem. Seek help from organizations like Gambling Help Online before the financial and social damage becomes irreversible.

Customer Support: Your Lifeline When the Machine Eats Your Deposit

Test customer support before you deposit real money. Send a simple question via live chat: “What is the current wagering requirement for the welcome bonus, and are there any game exclusions?” The quality and speed of the response tell you everything. A good operator will have 24/7 live chat with a human agent who can answer clearly and without copy-pasting generic paragraphs. A bad one will have a chatbot that loops you in circles or a support email that takes 48 hours to reply with a non-answer.

The language barrier is a common issue with offshore operators. If the support team struggles with basic English, imagine trying to explain a complex withdrawal issue or a disputed game outcome. Clarity is crucial. You need an agent who understands the terms and conditions and can explain them without ambiguity. Poor communication from support often signals poor internal processes. If they can’t explain the problem clearly, they probably can’t fix it efficiently either.

Look for operators that offer multiple support channels: live chat, email, and a comprehensive FAQ section. Phone support is rare and often reserved for VIP players. The FAQ should be detailed and searchable, covering common issues like verification documents, withdrawal times, and bonus terms. A casino that invests in a good knowledge base is one that expects and handles common queries professionally. It reduces your need to contact support in the first place, which is always the best outcome.

Verification and KYC: The Paperwork You Can’t Avoid

Know Your Customer (KYC) procedures are a legal requirement for licensed operators. You will need to provide proof of identity (passport or driver’s license), proof of address (utility bill or bank statement), and sometimes proof of your payment method. This is not optional. Do it immediately after registration. Waiting until you’ve hit a big win and want to withdraw will only delay your payout by days or weeks while the verification team processes your documents.

The best operators have a streamlined, secure upload portal within your account dashboard. They should process verification within 24-48 hours. Some now use automated systems that can verify documents instantly. If an operator asks you to email sensitive documents to a generic address like support@casino.com, that’s a security red flag. Your personal data should be handled with encryption and care. A breach of your ID documents is a far worse outcome than losing a deposit.

Be prepared for “enhanced due diligence” if you deposit or withdraw large sums. This is standard anti-money laundering (AML) procedure. They may ask for source of funds documentation, like payslips or bank statements showing your income. It’s intrusive, but it’s the law. A reputable operator will handle this process professionally and confidentially. An operator that seems overly casual about AML checks is one that might not be around for long when regulators come knocking.

What is the legal age for online gambling in Australia?

The legal age for all forms of gambling in Australia, including online pokies, is 18 years old. Operators are required to verify your age during the registration or first withdrawal process. Playing while underage is illegal and will result in the confiscation of any winnings and the closure of your account.

Can I play online pokies for free before depositing real money?

Yes, most reputable online casinos offer a “demo” or “fun play” mode for their pokie games. This allows you to test the game mechanics, features, and volatility without risking real money. It’s a wise way to understand a game before committing your cash, though remember that RTP and volatility can feel different when you’re playing with your own funds versus virtual credits.

Why was my credit card deposit declined?

Australian banks are prohibited from processing transactions to online gambling sites under the Interactive Gambling Act. This is the most common reason for a declined deposit. Your best alternatives are e-wallets like Skrill or Neteller, prepaid vouchers like Neosurf, or cryptocurrencies, which are not subject to the same banking restrictions.

How long do withdrawals actually take?

After the casino processes your withdrawal request (which should be within 24 hours), the time it takes to reach you depends on the method. E-wallets and cryptocurrencies are typically instant or within a few hours. Card withdrawals take 3-5 business days, and bank transfers can take 5-7 business days. The total time is the sum of the casino’s processing time plus the payment provider’s transfer time.

What does “wagering requirement” actually mean?

A wagering requirement is a multiplier that dictates how many times you must bet the bonus amount (and sometimes the deposit amount) before you can withdraw any winnings derived from it. For example, a 30x wagering requirement on a $100 bonus means you must place $3,000 in total bets ($100 x 30) before the bonus funds and any winnings become withdrawable cash.

The entire system is built on a foundation of calculated delay and psychological manipulation, from the pending period on withdrawals to the “free” spins that are anything but. It’s a business model that profits from impulse and obscures simple math with flashy graphics and the promise of a life-changing jackpot that has odds worse than being struck by lightning twice. You navigate it not by believing in luck, but by understanding the cold, hard mechanics of every offer, every game, and every term they bury in paragraph 7 of the user agreement. The house always wins in the end, but you can at least make them work for it by refusing to play their emotional game and sticking rigidly to your own budget and limits. It’s the only way to walk away with your shirt still on your back, even if your wallet is a little lighter. The real victory is closing the tab and going outside.

The real victory is closing the tab and going outside. Or at least, that’s what responsible gambling advocates will tell you. The cynical truth is that the entire online pokie industry is designed to make you forget there is an outside. The immersive sound design, the celebratory animations for a win that’s actually less than your initial bet, the near-miss effects that trigger the same neurological pathways as a win—all of it is engineered to keep you in the chair. The most effective responsible gambling tool isn’t a software limit; it’s a conscious decision to value your time and mental clarity more than the fleeting, manufactured thrill of a spinning reel.

And if you do play, do it with the cold detachment of an accountant auditing a flawed ledger. Track every deposit and withdrawal in a spreadsheet. Calculate your actual hourly cost of entertainment. If you’re spending $200 a week and playing for 10 hours, your “entertainment cost” is $20 an hour. Compare that to a movie, a concert, or a decent meal. Suddenly, the “fun” of watching digital fruits line up loses some of its glamour. The moment the math stops making sense as a leisure expense, you’ve identified the point where a hobby becomes a problem. The casino will never tell you this; their business model depends on you not doing the arithmetic.

Ultimately, the search for the “best” Australian pokie site is a search for the most transparent cage. You’re not looking for a place where you’ll win—you’re looking for a place that will take your money slowly, fairly, and without trying to cheat you in the process. It’s a grim optimization problem. The house edge is the tax you pay for the entertainment, and your goal is to minimize that tax through game selection (high RTP), bonus selection (low wagering), and operational efficiency (fast withdrawals). Everything else is marketing noise. The “best” site is the one that lets you play your game, pay you your (smaller) winnings promptly, and doesn’t try to gaslight you into thinking you’re on a “hot streak” when you’re simply down 15% for the month. It’s a relationship built on mutual, understood exploitation. They get your money, you get a few hours of distraction. Just don’t confuse it for anything more than that.

The final, irritating detail that separates a tolerable experience from a maddening one is the quality of the game lobby’s search function. A casino with 3,000 games and a broken search bar that can’t find “Starburst” without you typing “Star” is a casino that doesn’t respect your time. It’s a small, mundane flaw, but it’s indicative of a broader attitude: they’ve got your deposit, so why invest in the user experience? The best sites let you filter by provider, volatility, and feature. The worst make you scroll through an endless, unsorted grid of thumbnails, hoping to stumble upon something you actually want to play. It’s the digital equivalent of a store with no signs and aisles full of random junk. You came in for milk and left with three bags of chips you didn’t want. That’s the business model, after all.

That’s the business model, after all. You’re a walking revenue stream with a username and a credit card. The interface is designed to extract, not to serve.

The most insidious feature of modern pokie sites is the “personalized” dashboard. It uses your play history to surface games you’ve previously lost money on, framing it as “recommended for you.” It’s not a recommendation; it’s a targeted re-engagement tactic based on your demonstrated weaknesses. The algorithm doesn’t care if you had fun; it cares that you have a pattern of depositing after a big loss on a specific high-volatility slot. It’s a digital enabler, dressed up as a concierge service. The “best” sites let you disable this tracking or at least offer a neutral, chronological lobby view. The worst ones make it the default, trapping you in a feedback loop of your own past behavior.

And then there’s the customer loyalty program, the “VIP club.” This is where the casino’s true colors shine. The tiers are designed to create a sunk-cost fallacy. You’ve deposited $10,000 to reach “Gold” status, so you keep depositing to maintain the “perks”—a slightly higher cashback percentage, a dedicated account manager (who is really just a retention specialist with a nicer title), and invitations to “exclusive” tournaments with prize pools that are a rounding error on the casino’s marketing budget. The program isn’t a reward for your loyalty; it’s a lock-in mechanism. The moment you consider leaving, you’re not just walking away from a casino; you’re walking away from your “status,” a status that only exists to keep you spending.

The “exclusive” tournaments are a masterclass in psychological manipulation. They often require a buy-in or a minimum wager to enter, and the prize pools are funded by the collective losses of all participants. The casino takes its cut off the top. You’re essentially playing a pokie tournament against other players, with the house skimming a percentage from everyone. The “glory” of topping the leaderboard is bought with the losses of dozens of others. It’s a zero-sum game with a negative expected value, repackaged as a competitive sport. The real competition is between the casino’s marketing department and your wallet.

Even the game design itself is a trap. Modern pokies are built on a framework of “variable ratio reinforcement,” the same psychological principle that makes slot machines and social media so addictive. The wins are unpredictable in timing and size, which keeps your brain’s dopamine system firing in anticipation. The near-miss effect, where two jackpot symbols land and the third just misses the payline, is deliberately programmed to feel like a “almost won” moment, encouraging you to spin again. It’s not a game of chance; it’s a carefully calibrated Skinner box designed to maximize your time on device. The “best” pokies are the ones with the highest RTP, not the flashiest animations. The rest is just noise designed to make you forget you’re losing money.

The final, grinding reality is that the entire online pokie ecosystem is a machine for converting leisure time into profit for a small number of corporations. The “fun” is the product they sell you to access the machine. Your bankroll is the fuel. The moment you stop seeing it as entertainment with a cost and start seeing it as an investment or a side hustle, you’ve already lost the plot. The house edge is not a suggestion; it’s a mathematical certainty. The only winning move is to play with money you can afford to lose, set hard limits, and walk away the moment it stops being fun. But the machine is designed to make you forget that. It’s designed to make you think the next spin is the one. It never is. The only thing that’s certain is that the tab will be there, waiting for you to close it. Or not. That’s the choice. The machine doesn’t care which one you make.

That’s the business model, after all. You’re a walking revenue stream with a username and a credit card. The interface is designed to extract, not to serve.

The last thing you’ll notice, after the money is gone and the screen fades to black, is the customer support chat window still blinking in the corner. A cheerful, automated message pops up: “We miss you already! Come back for a 50% reload bonus!” It’s a final, automated twist of the knife. A robot, programmed to prey on your moment of weakness, offering you a “deal” to lose more money. The entire experience, from the first “welcome” to this last, desperate ping, is a closed loop. It’s not a service; it’s a system. And the system is designed to ensure you never truly leave, just in case you have a little bit more to give. The only way to win is to break the loop. Close the tab. Delete the app. Go outside. The sun is still free, for now.