When you play a computer-generated game at an online casino, for example, an online slot machine, the reels appear as though they are spinning randomly, when in fact, they only give the illusion they are spinning randomly, like when you play a mechanical slot at a land-based gaming venue.
Although the results are still random and as fair and realistic as can be, they are pre-determined from the moment you hit the spin button, and this is all thanks to sophisticated mathematical algorithm programs known as RNGs (Random Number Generators).
Trust is an essential part of the iGaming industry. Whether it’s players are looking for reliable operators themselves or for expert resources like casinos.com to help them make a decision and understand the landscape – all existing and potential customers want to know their data and fun is secure.
Let’s dive straight in to discover more about this technology and its important role in the iGaming industry.
Can online casino games that rely on RNGs be trusted?
Yes. The online casino games that rely on frequently tested RNGs to produce the outcomes and results we see each time we hit the spin/draw/play button in a computer-generated online casino game can be trusted to produce fair and realistic results.
The results are still random. It’s just that instead of the true randomness that mother nature/lady luck would produce, a computer program is producing results that are designed to be ‘random’ as what lady luck might produce.
In other words, you are unlikely to see any results with discernible patterns, but just like lady luck can sometimes produce patterns, there’s nothing to say patterns couldn’t occasionally form in random number generation. It would just be rare to see.
The RNGs used in today’s online casino games are frequently monitored by third-party internationally accredited online casino testing agencies to test for fairness and ensure players are getting a reliable service.
The amount of money people spend on these games and receive back in winnings over a certain amount of time can also tell us the latest average Return to Player percentage payout rate (RTP) for each game.
In most online casino games today, you will find they have an average payout rate of 93.00% to 98.00% RTP. Sometimes, the RTP% payout rate for the same game may be slightly lower; at other times, it will be slightly higher.
Technological innovation has also pushed RNG to new levels of trust and assurity. Blockchain technology decentralizes power in an immutable and transparent system, creating a trust-free environment for players, users, or whoever to operate within without worrying that a central authority has an ultimate rule. This level of trust, privacy, and openness is a huge motivator behind the Web3 movement – from which blockchain has found footing. It becomes obvious how this plays into the role of RNG in casinos: no player has to worry that the operator is tilting the games to further favour the house. More Web3 technology could find a home in the iGaming industry if it brings these benefits to players.
Why aren’t all RNGs created equal?
The main reason why all RNGs aren’t created equal is that different software providers and game development studios produce the many thousands of casino games you can play online today at hundreds of fully licensed and regulated casino sites from your smartphone, tablet, laptop, or desktop computer.
Each company uses its own software and algorithms to produce the results/outcomes. As the results are randomly generated, they can never truly be equal.
Some online casino players know about RNGs being used in online casino games and will actively seek out the games with a 98.00% or higher payout rate, avoiding games with low RTP% payout rates.
Theoretically, it’s a good system, but it doesn’t guarantee you will win. Statistically speaking, you are more likely to win on an online casino game with a 99.50% RTP% payout rate than one with a 92.20% RTP% payout rate. However, you should always remember that you aren’t guaranteed to win.
Do all online casino games rely on RNGs?
No. If you are looking for an online casino game that doesn’t rely on RNGs to produce the outcomes, where only lady luck is involved, then you may want to try today’s best live dealer table and card games from market-leading and multi-award-winning online casino software providers like Evolution Gaming, Playtech, and Pragmatic Play.
These games are not computer-generated and are streamed in real-time to your preferred device from a secure television studio.
They are the next best thing to playing roulette, blackjack, baccarat, and craps at land-based casinos, but instead of playing in person, you are playing over the internet using a mobile device or desktop computer. Even the action in live dealer games is presented to you by actual human croupiers known as live dealers.
The only thing to remember with live dealer games is that they are usually NEVER available to play in the practice mode. Only the real money mode is available in these games, but the good news is that you can often play from as little as $/€/£0.10, $/€/£0.20, or $/€/£0.50 per hand.