Have you ever looked at an online casino game and wondered if it was rigged against players? Does that mean that, no matter what, the casino will always win? The fact that you can play several rounds or spins without a win can add weight to these speculations, but does that make them true?
We cannot eliminate the possibility of rigged online casino games or casinos that manipulate games to favor them. However, it is unfair to classify all casino games as rigged. Players still win in these games and receive their payouts. So, let’s take a look (and debunk) some myths about the fairness of casino games.
#1 Online Casinos Manipulate Their Gaming Platforms
Online casino games run on complex algorithms and codes. Hence, some believe that casinos can manipulate them on their gaming platforms. Well, we can’t subscribe to that until there’s proof of active manipulation.
We understand your reservations about depositing your money into an online casino. Fortunately, casinos do not set up gaming platforms to manipulate games or players. They do that to offer genuine gaming services on desktop and mobile devices.
Myth Debunked
One thing you should know is that online casinos operate as companies. They are businesses at their core, with physical operational offices. The casino operators must obtain operational licenses like other companies in a country.
Regulatory bodies conduct thorough checks and balances before licensing online casinos. These checks include all manipulation that may render the gaming platform unfair. Another good thing is that the regulators perform periodic evaluations to ensure the casinos maintain fairness. For example, the famous Napoleongames platform is regulated by FPS Justice Gambling Commission. The latter is a reputed authority that inspects and regulates how gambling businesses operate. That is, your gameplay there is protected at several levels.
Besides licenses, casinos often add endorsements from independent testers to boost their reputations.
#2 Casinos Rig Their Games
It’s easy to believe a game is rigged when you don’t win after playing for a long time. Take slot machines as an illustration. You will likely feel that way after making 200 non-winning spins.
This myth comes when players play games for extended periods without landing a single win. However, that doesn’t make it true.
Myth Debunked
Can a casino rig its games? The answer would be yes, but that isn’t enough to claim that all casinos do that.
We’ve seen game manipulation in land casinos. Take dice games, for example. A casino that wants to manipulate it can feature weighted dice that make the players lose each time they play.
This reach or accessibility differs in online casinos. To debunk this myth, let’s consider what controls online casino games and makes them fair.
Random number generators are the software behind online casino games. As contained in their names, they produce random results.
The game provider will take these random results and display them as game symbols or characters. That is why we see different combinations after spinning a typical online slot machine. These combinations come from the random number generators.
Online casinos do not have access to these random number generators. Hence, it is unlikely that they can manipulate the results. If you play games from a reputable provider such as BGaming — check details here about one of their latest titles — each spin will be 100% random.
Besides restricted access, independent testers test the random number generator at online casinos. Then, they will offer their endorsement or “seal of approval.” You can look for endorsements from eCOGRA or iTest Labs. Do this while you confirm the casino’s license.
#3 The House Always Wins
Would you consider games to be rigged because the house always wins? That is what some believe. Hence, they would avoid online casinos as a plague.
The statement “The House Always Wins” is true, but that doesn’t mean the games are manipulated or unfair.
Myth Debunked
Online games are designed to ensure casinos make a profit. That leads us to the concept of house edge and RTPs (return-to-player percentages).
Casinos operate as businesses and must be profitable to stay operational. As such, they take a part of every potential win as their house advantage. This part is referred to as the house edge.
The house edge is often small to ensure the player takes the larger part of the winnings. For example, European Roulette has a 2.7% house edge. That means the house will keep 2.7% of your winnings when you play for a long time.
Conclusion
As much as we’d love you to be cautious about where you put your money, you shouldn’t rule out all casinos as manipulative. These gaming platforms provide legitimate services with licenses and certifications to attest to their fairness. While they have an advantage in every game to stay profitable, they do not manipulate the results to do that.
Instead of ruling out casino games as unfair, we recommend conducting a few checks to be safe. Confirm the casino’s license, and look for RNG certifications from prominent testing agencies.