In an industry that attracts so much conflicting discourse, we can surely say that online gambling does its best to cover the points of criticism that it can come its way. Yes, most of the incoming points about what it represents from a societal standpoint. However, these are not the only questions that this field attracts.
For example, the fairness of its product is one of the biggest dilemmas. In the case of sports betting, the odds make it particularly simple, with the winnings coming not from random outcomes, but from very straightforward results happening in various sports. However, as we know, sports betting is not even the entire market.
Casino games, an integral part of online gambling, create a very significant portion of digital gambling, turning simple bets into outcomes that can generate all kinds of winnings. Some of them mimic the act of doing so in a physical casino, while others are interesting additions to that find their footing in the digital realm.
One of the cross-over types of casino games that we are seeing take over the industry remains the all-conquering video slot. It’s incredibly interesting because it blends both the simplicity that made slots a mainstay in casino environments, along with new and exciting mechanics that can only work via digital models.
However, the fairness that exists in this world of online slots is the cause of plenty of myths and, sometimes, legitimate skepticism. In this article, we will do our best to address this very criticism, dispel myths, and showcase where legitimacy comes from.
The Importance Of Legitimacy And How The Industry Regulates It
Luck is something that not even mathematics can harness, especially if you’re thinking about the pure randomness that gambling implies. As a result, there must be a form of setting up the circumstances that dictate if a casino game is truly random. There must be a form of authority that proves that the consumers (players) receive a normal due.
By this, we mean the fact that there must be protective elements in place. Online gambling generates a lot of money. Being such a huge market, the effort to legitimize it requires a system of licensing, unmistakable taxation, and a consistent method of keeping tabs on the practices of those that provide gambling services.
In this industry, the businesses that activate here are those that can actually set up the gaming context. This means that you have game producers, in charge of the gaming options themselves, software providers that set up casino engines, and the operators that keep these online casinos running and trying to make profit, all while remaining competitive on the market.
The need for legitimacy applies to every vendor or service provider in the industry. This means that all of them need licensing in order to operate in specific markets. Some do so by acquiring offshore licenses, while others get themselves local certifications. For the gaming itself to be legitimate, both the games (and who provides them), but also the operators, must have a license in their respective jurisdictions.
Slots receive their licenses based on the standards that they follow. One of the most famous examples is the UKGC’s standard of random number generation, which is notoriously strict due to how determined the organization is to safeguard its players.
What this proves is that only licensed game providers can be those that can prove guarantees of fairness. When there are such elements in place, these slots gain the legitimacy that they require to prove themselves as fair vendors on the market.
Naturally, operators that leverage their product and market themselves with online casino promo codes must set up their platforms with licensed (legitimate) games.
The RNG is The Genesis of Acceptable Randomness
The idea of the Random Number Generator can be either a natural or an artificial one. Naturally, a constructed one requires the game producers to set up their mathematical model in such a way that you can bank on the system behind the slot to be fair. How do they achieve it?
Firstly, let’s establish what the RNG is. It’s a mathematical, algorithm-based system that generates numbers that, themselves, power the results that you see in a slot. Every spin that you make provides a final result that stems from the numbers that an RNG generates.
For the RNG to work properly, it would need to prove that there is no predictability involved. It means that each spin does not influence the other, and that every single result is completely independent of any other metrics that you may find in a slot.
Secondly, the provider still needs to have some kind of control over the mathematical model. The RNG must have a ‘seed’ number, to which only the producer has access.
As a result, there can be no foul play and modifications from other parties, nor can there be modifications from the producer. Once they send their software and distribute it, neither them, nor their operator clients, have control over the RNG model.
3rd-Party Testing Vets Randomness
For the model to have the legitimacy that it entails, it must also prove that its ability to provide sustainable random results is a certainty, not a matter of myth. This is where the testing procedures for every mathematical model come in.
Naturally, it’s not feasible for a licensing party to conduct such testing, nor is it normal for a game producer to leverage its own tests as being a certainty of fairness and randomness. As a result, the outsourcing of this process is the most popular direction. This system of checks and balances creates the legitimacy that online slots can provide.
There are multiple names that have a strong bearing in this industry. Returning to the UK context, which is a beacon of exigency, it has a very clear list of who they want to work with. These testing labs are quite famous, such as IBB, GLI, and eCOGRA. For example, eCOGRA’s iGaming testing services provide a holistic package of solutions worth exploring.
They test the mathematical model within the slot with tens of thousands of spins, making sure that there is no discernible predictability, including patterns. These testing labs are themselves under watchful eyes, which ensures that they generate legitimate results and provide trustworthy certifications.
RTP Keeps The Balance
The reality of this industry is that the world of iGaming is all about making profit. In turn, it requires certain levers and inserts that are transparent enough to be acceptable.
The RTP is a percentage that indicates the return to player: how much of a given sum will go to you, the player. The rest, which is the house edge, is the built-in part of the model that the casino keeps over time as a fee for providing services.
If the RTP is 95%, this means that a normal, non-profit-rewarding set of spins will only yield 95% of your initial sum, while the rest of the 5% is the casino’s due.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are various systems in place for the industry to keep things in check in order to make sure that there are no rigged spins.
This requires playing at legitimate, licensed casinos that only work with licensed game producers. If you are the type of gambler, please play responsibly, and only at legitimate brands!
