Roulette, a classic in the online gambling world, remains one of the most popular games in the industry. It will come at no surprise that whether you’re spinning the wheel on a traditional casino site or on specialized platforms like CSGO roulette sites, there has always been a question of randomness and fairness around the game. Even more so with virtual environments, players often ponder if online roulette is really random, or are the outcomes in some way manipulated to be more favourable for the house?
Like with a lot of casino games, roulette is a game of chance, very simple in concept, a ball is spun round a wheel with numbered pockets. Bets are placed based on where the player believes the ball will land. In a physical casino the question of randomness is less so as the outcome is determined by the laws of physics – think gravity and friction. But online it is a digital interface and therefore more room to question the legitimacy. Without the physical wheel, online outcomes are determined by a Random Number Generator (RNG), which uses a high-tech, sophisticated algorithm designed to simulate the randomness of the physical game.
But what players want to know is how does an RNG really work? Simply put, this software is designed to produce a sequence of numbers that lack any pattern, therefore ensuring each spin is independent of the last. The most important and probably impressive feature of RNG is its ability to create truly random outcomes each time. The higher the quality of RNGs the more complex the algorithm tends to be and they are regularly tested to ensure fairness and unpredictable results.
Licensing and Regulations
It is understandable that one of the biggest concerns for players is the trustworthiness of the online casino or platform. However it is notable that online casinos have strict regulations they must adhere to – reputable ones that is – which are imposed by official governing bodies such as the UK Gambling Commission. Therefore these regulators require casinos to use only certified RNGs and to regularly audit their systems by third party agencies to ensure they are working as expected. The audit process is extensive, involving thorough testing to make sure it is truly random.
These independent third party agency audits should then provide players with the assurance that the games are monitored for their fairness and that no manipulations have taken place.
It is a common phrase that a workman always blames his tools when things go wrong, this is also a common theme when players have experienced a losing streak as they are often those delivering false claims of their games being ‘fixed’ or ‘rigged’. Though it is a misconception usually on the players’ part because they do not understand the complex structure behind the RNG.
Within any game of chance, losing streaks are inevitable, sorry to tell you but this will likely happen to you more than once if you’re an avid gambler. Even with the nature of random events, patterns can occur, for example a sequence of black numbers on a roulette wheel or the same suit being drawn 3 times in poker. This is not an indication the game is fixed, but rather a natural occurrence as within that traditional game itself.
It should also be mentioned that it is of no interest for the licensed and regulated online casinos to rig their own games. For those that are unaware of the standard rules of a casino, there is something called the ‘house edge’ which is built into every casino game physical or online. This ensures that the casino will make a profit either way over time, regardless of if someone has a big win. Rigging the game would make it unethical, illegal and would also result in severe penalties such as a loss of their license and therefore the risk is too great for them.
With the above said, it is therefore more critical that players take into consideration which online platforms abide by the necessary regulations and operate within jurisdictions. A more reputable and licensed online casino will likely have a wave of positive reviews as well as have high quality RNGs to support fair play. Therefore it is always wise to check the status of the site as to if it is approved by the regulator and check player reviews as this will also give you an indication as to their satisfaction of gameplay and fairness.
