The Age Old Debate: Are Online Games Rigged?

For a long time, the casino’s industry formula for success remained exactly the same. Casinos would offer players in a certain area the chance to enjoy their favourite games. Anyone who didn’t live close by to a gaming establishment would unfortunately be unable to join in with the fun. However, ever since the invention of the internet, gaming has become far more accessible. Players from all over the world can now come together and play. All they need is an internet connection, a computer or smartphone and an urge to have some fun!

Despite the clear upsides they offer, ever since the emergence of online casinos people have questioned whether the games are rigged. Over the years, many people raised concerns about how the fairness of the games can be ensured when the odds are decided by a computer, rather than by a human - like in a brick and mortar casino. A distrust of this technology means many people accuse online casinos of not offering fair odds.

One of the most common accusations is that online providers pay out at optimum times to keep players playing for longer. The theory goes that weaker players are offered more wins during the early days of playing in order to prevent them from getting put off returning. Another claim is that operators also deal hands in poker that encourage larger pots, which in turn brings quicker and more substantial profit to the casino.

While there have been a few isolated cases of operators not treating their customers fairly, the internet is mainly populated by safe and regulated online casinos.

For starters, not everyone can set up an online casino. All operators are subject to strict licensing laws. Online casinos must hold a license from a government authority. These are issued by the UK Gambling Commission, the Malta Gaming Authority and many others. No matter who grants the license, online casinos are always regularly audited and regulated by their license holder to ensure they are not rigging their customers, among other concerns.

Online casinos also invest hugely in expensive technology to ensure fairness for their players. Most software providers spend big on RNG (random number generators) that closely replicate the odds of playing table games in a real casino. Because of this, analysis over time suggests that the payout difference between offline and online casinos are minimal, if not non-existence. Furthermore, operators also equip these RNG with world class security features to prevent them from being tampered with, either for the casino’s or the player’s benefit.

Perhaps the most telling evidence that online casinos are not rigged is the impressive customer satisfaction scores that most operators continue to get year on year. If these online casinos were really rigged, surely customers would simply take their custom elsewhere? The truth is thanks to the scrupulous regulations imposed by their license operators and cutting-edge technology, the overwhelming majority of online casinos are fair and not rigged. It is only a few bad apples that continue to tarnish the industry’s good name.

This article does not necessarily reflect the opinions of the editors or management of EconoTimes