Top 10 apps

Lightning Link Casino app review

Social app · no real money 4.0/5 iPhoneiPadAndroid
Lightning Link Casino app pokies Buffalo Gold and Dragon Link Hold and Spin

App facts

Our score4.0/5
DeveloperProduct Madness (Aristocrat)
PriceFree
In-app purchasesCoin packages
PlatformsiPhone, iPad, Android
App Store rating4.5 (81K+ ratings)
Google Play rating4.7 (292K+ reviews)
Downloads10M+ (Google Play)
App size534 MB
Age rating17+
Released2018 (iOS)
Real-money alternatives
Quick answer

Lightning Link Casino is the official free app for Aristocrat's Lightning Link pokies, made by Aristocrat's mobile studio Product Madness. It has Hold & Spin games such as Dragon Link, Phoenix Link and Buffalo. You play with virtual coins only: there is no real money and coins can't be cashed out.

Key takeaways
  • Official Aristocrat app for Lightning Link and Dragon Link
  • No real money: coins can't be cashed out
  • Hold & Spin with four jackpot tiers
  • Very popular in Australia

Lightning Link is one of the most famous pokie series in Australian clubs and pubs, and Lightning Link Casino is the official free app built around it. In Australia the app has more ratings than in the US, and searches for it are huge. In this Lightning Link Casino app review we explain what the app is, what it is not, and how it compares with other free slot apps.

Looking for real-money slots? Lightning Link Casino only uses virtual coins that can’t be cashed out. These casino apps let you play slots for real money and withdraw your winnings, where online casinos are legal for you.

Lightning Link Casino app pokies Buffalo Gold and Dragon Link Hold and Spin

Lightning Link Casino is a social casino app from Product Madness, the mobile studio of Aristocrat, which makes the real Lightning Link machines. You play with virtual coins, and there is no way to win money or prizes. The app is for adults only.

The name causes confusion. Lightning Link is both an Aristocrat pokie series for land-based venues and the name of this free app. Websites that promise “Lightning Link pokies for real money” online are not linked to the official app and are often offshore casinos. The official app is in the App Store and Google Play under the developer name Product Madness.

  • Download Lightning Link Casino from the App Store (iOS 15 or later) or Google Play. Check that the developer is Product Madness.
  • Play as a guest or connect Facebook to save your progress.
  • Collect the Daily Bonus Wheel and the hourly coins.
  • Pick a machine and spin. Watch for the Hold & Spin bonus, where coin symbols lock in place and respins reset with every new coin.

What you get in the app

The lobby focuses on Aristocrat’s link games: Dragon Link, Phoenix Link, Spooky Link, Dollar Storm and Lightning Link titles, plus Buffalo, Tiki Fire and Timber Wolf. Most have the Hold & Spin feature with Mini, Minor, Major and Grand jackpots, just like the venue versions. New machines and themed events are added regularly.

It is a slots-only app. There is no blackjack, roulette or poker.

Coins, ads and in-app purchases

The app is free, with optional coin packages. Google Play does not flag it as containing ads. Free coins come from the Daily Bonus Wheel, an hourly bonus and challenges. As on the venue machines, the big link features don’t land often, so coins can drain quickly at higher bets.

Real-money online pokies can’t legally be offered to Australians, which is why the free app is so popular there. Since 22 September 2024, newly classified games with simulated gambling get a mandatory R18+ rating in Australia. Lightning Link Casino has about 55,000 ratings in the Australian App Store, compared with about 81,000 in the much larger US market.

Mobile experience

The app is about 534 MB on iOS and plays smoothly on recent phones. The machines look like the cabinets, with the same sounds. Ratings: 4.5 stars in the US App Store, 4.4 in Australia and 4.7 on Google Play from about 292,000 reviews, with more than 10 million downloads.

Lightning Link Casino app pokies Jackpot Carnival and Luxury Line

It suits players who love Hold & Spin pokies and want the real Aristocrat versions for free. If you want a broader mix of Aristocrat classics like Queen of the Nile, Heart of Vegas has more variety.

Heart of Vegas is its sister app with a wider Aristocrat library. Quick Hit Slots has comparable link games from Light & Wonder, like Ultimate Fire Link and Lock It Link. Jackpot World and Cash Frenzy offer in-house hold-and-win slots.

Prefer real-money slots?

Lightning Link Casino is built for fun, so there is nothing to withdraw. If you want to play slots for real money, the casino apps below carry hundreds of slot games and pay out winnings. Check that real-money play is allowed where you live first.

Top 3 real-money casino apps for slots

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Ignition Casino App

4.6/5Web appiPhone · SafariAndroid · browser
$3,000 Bonus
+ Casino + poker welcome package
Get the app
Scan to play on your phone
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18+ (21+ where required) · T&Cs apply · Min. deposit $20 · 25x wagering on the casino part · Live dealer and Hot Drop Jackpots excluded

Ranking based on our app tests · Positions may be influenced by commercial partnerships

More slot apps

See all slot machine apps and our page on casino apps in Australia.

Pros and cons

What we like
  • Real Aristocrat Hold & Spin pokies
  • Daily Wheel and hourly coins
  • No ads flagged on Google Play
  • Regular new machines and events
Could be better
  • Slots only, no table games
  • Big features take many spins to trigger
  • Large app of about 534 MB
  • Name is easily confused with real-money sites

Features

Hold & SpinLock coin symbols for respins and jackpots
Aristocrat link gamesDragon Link, Phoenix Link, Spooky Link and more
Four jackpotsMini, Minor, Major and Grand
Daily Bonus WheelFree coins every day
Hourly bonusExtra coins every hour
EventsThemed challenges and new machines

Lightning Link Casino app FAQ

Can you win real money on Lightning Link Casino?

No. The app uses virtual coins only and does not offer real-money gambling or prizes.

Is Lightning Link Casino the official Aristocrat app?

Yes. It is made by Product Madness, the mobile studio of Aristocrat, which makes the real Lightning Link machines.

Can I play Lightning Link pokies for real money online in Australia?

Real-money online pokies can't legally be offered to Australians. Lightning Link for real money is played on land-based machines in venues.

Which games are in Lightning Link Casino?

Aristocrat titles such as Dragon Link, Phoenix Link, Spooky Link, Dollar Storm, Buffalo, Tiki Fire and Timber Wolf.

Is Lightning Link Casino free?

Yes. It is free to download, with daily and hourly free coins and optional coin packages.

CasinoApp.eu App Review Team · App testing & reviews

The CasinoApp.eu App Review Team tests the apps we review on real phones before we write about them. For social apps like Zynga Poker we play as regular users, including the in-app store. For real-money casino apps we sign up, deposit, play and request a withdrawal to see whether payouts actually work. We update our reviews when apps, bonuses or payout experiences change.