Key facts
- Studio: Play’n GO. Released on 14 January 2016, according to its game page.
- 5 reels, 3 rows and 10 paylines; the player chooses from 1 to 10 lines (Play’n GO’s guide to the game).
- Three scatters give 10 free spins with a randomly chosen expanding symbol; three or more during the feature add 10 spins.
- Top pay in Play’n GO’s guide: x5,000 for “a reel full of Rich Wildes”.
- RTP: not published by Play’n GO; OLBG lists 96.21% and four lower builds (third-party estimate).
- Not found in five casino lobbies open from Australia on 11 October 2026 (our own check).
How Book of Dead plays
Book of Dead is a line pokie: wins come from matching symbols on up to 10 paylines across 5 reels and 3 rows. Play’n GO’s guide to the game says the player can choose “anywhere between one and 10” lines. The game’s full title is Rich Wilde and the Book of Dead, after the explorer who appears in a series of Play’n GO games.
One symbol does two jobs. According to the guide, the tomb symbol is both the wild, which substitutes for other symbols to complete a win, and the scatter, which triggers free spins.
The top pay is tied to Rich Wilde himself: “a reel full of Rich Wildes will get you the x5,000 jackpot,” the guide says. It does not say whether the multiple applies to the line bet or the total stake, so check the paytable in the game.
Free spins and the expanding symbol
Three scatter symbols start 10 free spins. Before the first spin, Play’n GO’s game page says, “an ordinary symbol is randomly chosen to act as a Special Expanding Symbol during the entire Free Spin sequence.”
After regular wins are paid, that symbol “may expand to cover all three positions on its reel”, but only when the expansion adds a prize on active paylines. Expanded symbols “do not need to appear adjacent to each other”, so the chosen symbol on reels 1, 3 and 5 can still pay.
The feature can run again: three or more scatters during the free spins award another 10.
RTP builds: why the figure varies
Play’n GO’s game page and its guide publish no RTP, so every figure below is a third-party estimate; the one that applies to you is in the game’s info screen. RTP, return to player, is the share of all stakes a game is designed to pay back over a very large number of spins.
OLBG reports five RTP versions for Book of Dead (checked 11 October 2026):
| RTP build (OLBG) | Paid back per A$100 staked, over the long run |
|---|---|
| 96.21% | A$96.21 |
| 94.25% | A$94.25 |
| 91.25% | A$91.25 |
| 87.25% | A$87.25 |
| 84.18% | A$84.18 |
Third-party estimate, not confirmed by Play’n GO. The long-run figures are arithmetic and say nothing about a single session.
The gap between the highest and lowest builds is A$12.03 per A$100 staked. One operator prints a lower build in public: on 11 October 2026, Australian Google results for “book of dead slot”, as recorded by the SEO tool Ahrefs, included a UK operator’s game page titled “Play Book of Dead Online Slot - RTP 94.25%”. That page blocked our connection, so we could not read the game rules behind it.
Industry context, not a Play’n GO statement: studios commonly supply one game in several RTP settings and the casino chooses which to run. Our online pokies guide explains how to find the RTP in a game’s info screen.
Demo play
Play’n GO’s Book of Dead game page runs a free demo, the only free version we can vouch for. Its footer says the site is “for entertainment only, with no real money”. Other free options are covered in our free pokies guide.
Can you play it at casinos that take Australians?
Not at the ones we checked. On 11 October 2026, through an Australian IP address, we searched the game lobbies of five offshore casinos for “book of dead”, and none listed the game. On 9 October 2026 the provider lists of 10 offshore lobbies that open from Australia did not include Play’n GO.
This is our own check, and lobbies change. We do not name these casinos; none is licensed in Australia.
Is it legal in Australia?
Offering it online is not. In the words of the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 “makes it illegal for gambling providers to offer some online services to people in Australia”, and ACMA lists online casinos among them. ACMA’s list of illegal online services starts with “slots (pokies)”.
ACMA asks internet providers to block sites that offer such services, including “online slot machines”. Its pages checked on 11 October 2026 also set out what this means for you: if you use an illegal service, “Australian regulators will not be able to help you” if the provider treats you poorly or withholds your winnings, and a blocked site may leave you unable to log in to your account.
The law is changing. The Interactive Gambling Amendment (Gambling Reform) Bill 2026 passed on 19 August 2026, and ACMA says most of the reforms start on 1 January 2027. Our guide to the law on real-money online casinos covers the detail.
Safer play. Gambling Help Online is free and confidential, 24 hours a day, on 1800 858 858 and at gamblinghelponline.org.au. You can self-exclude from all licensed Australian wagering at betstop.gov.au. Set a limit before you play. You must be 18 or over. More contacts are on our support resources page.
Book of Dead FAQ
What is the RTP of Book of Dead?
Play’n GO publishes no RTP on its Book of Dead game page or in its guide to the game (checked 11 October 2026). The figure that applies is the one in the game’s info screen for the version you are playing.
How do Book of Dead free spins work?
Three scatter symbols give 10 free spins. Before they start, one ordinary symbol is chosen at random as a Special Expanding Symbol; after regular wins are paid, it may expand to fill its reel when that adds a prize on active paylines. Three or more scatters during the feature add another 10 spins.
What is the max win on Book of Dead?
Play’n GO’s guide to the game says a reel full of Rich Wilde symbols pays x5,000. It does not say whether the multiple applies to the line bet or the total stake, so check the paytable in the game.
Can I play Book of Dead in Australia?
Not through a legal online service. ACMA says the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 “makes it illegal for gambling providers to offer some online services to people in Australia” and lists “slots (pokies)” among illegal online services. In our own check on 11 October 2026, five casino lobbies open from an Australian IP address did not list Book of Dead; lobbies change.
Sources and method
- Play’n GO, Book of Dead game page: release date 14 January 2016, free spins, Special Expanding Symbol, retrigger, free demo, footer statement (checked 11 October 2026)
- Play’n GO, A complete guide on how to play Book of Dead: 5 reels, 3 rows, 1 to 10 paylines, tomb symbol as wild and scatter, x5,000 top pay (checked 11 October 2026)
- OLBG, Book of Dead review: five RTP versions, 96.21% to 84.18%; third-party estimate, checked 11 October 2026
- Ahrefs, Australian Google results for “book of dead slot”, 11 October 2026: a UK operator’s game page with “RTP 94.25%” in its title; the page itself returned an access block to us on the same day
- Our lobby check through an Australian IP address: title search in five offshore casino lobbies, 11 October 2026; provider lists of 10 offshore lobbies, 9 October 2026. Casinos not named; none is licensed in Australia
- Australian Communications and Media Authority, checked 11 October 2026: About the Interactive Gambling Act (updated 21 August 2026); Protect yourself from illegal gambling operators (updated 6 March 2025); Blocked gambling websites (updated 20 July 2026)
- The A$ examples and the gap between builds are arithmetic from the figures above
Written by: Helene Berner · First published: 11 October 2026 · Last checked: 11 October 2026