Melbourne Pinball Expo 2026

Pinball Expo 2026 returns to Melbourne

Melbourne Pinball Expo 2026 Returns to Chadstone with 100+ Machines

Melbourne Pinball Expo will take over the Matthew Flinders Hotel in Chadstone for three days from Friday 13 to Sunday 15 November 2026, with more than 100 pinball machines assembled across more than 700 square metres of event space.

Admission includes free play on the machines, so visitors can move between games without buying tokens or paying for individual plays. The collection spans classic and contemporary pinball, while machines will also be available to buy or hire.

The expo returns to the same venue that hosted its inaugural Melbourne event in 2024 and the subsequent 2025 edition. The Matthew Flinders Hotel is at 667 Warrigal Road, Chadstone, in Melbourne's south-east.

More than 100 pinball machines

Organisers are assembling a broad selection of machines, with the final games list subject to change as the event approaches. Announced attractions include machines based on Sonic the Hedgehog, Pokémon and Beetlejuice, alongside Tales of the Arabian Nights and other titles.

The expo also brings together businesses from Australia's pinball industry, covering new and second-hand machine sales, repairs, upgrades, accessories and locally made machines. Announced exhibitors and distributors represent manufacturers including Stern, Jersey Jack Pinball, Pinball Brothers, Pedretti Gaming, Spooky Pinball and Dutch Pinball.

Jersey Jack Pinball founder Jack Guarnieri is listed as a special guest for the 2026 event. Guarnieri established Jersey Jack Pinball in the United States in 2011, with the company becoming known for modern machines including The Wizard of Oz, Pirates of the Caribbean and Elton John.

Family and adults-only sessions

Seven sessions are scheduled across the weekend. General admission opens from 3pm on Friday, with daytime and early-evening sessions designed as family-friendly periods. Adults-only VIP sessions begin at 8pm on Friday and Saturday and are limited to 100 tickets.

Friday's VIP ticket also provides access to the earlier Friday session, while the Saturday VIP ticket includes access to both of Saturday's general admission sessions. The Saturday night session continues until 2am.

Sunday has two general admission sessions, running from 10am to 2pm and 3pm to 7pm.

Tickets start from $39, with family passes from $80. Online ticket sales are final and non-transferable. The official event information currently contains conflicting wording about the precise age at which children receive free admission, so families should check the ticket conditions when booking.