Casino's business models are pretty simple both in its land-based and online versions. Games are created to have a statistical edge, favouring the house. Perhaps that’s where the saying “the house always wins” comes from. This means that the casino will profit from the overall players' activity over the long run, assuming that players don't cheat.
Regarding online gambling platforms, this so-called statistical edge can be manipulated more easily, putting the chances of winning close to zero in some cases of rigged online casinos. However, it is a misconception to think that all online casino games are like that, especially if they are offered by a reputable casino.
How To Determine If An Online Casino Is Legit?
The most important characteristic of a legit casino is its licence to operate in a certain market. In most cases, for online gambling sites to be licensed by the regulatory body of a specific market, it has to comply with certain criteria required in the online gambling industry.
This means that the platform has been somewhat audited to ensure fair play and that it follows respected vital specifications regarding security and transparency and adheres to the gambling laws in its jurisdiction.
Rest assured that if the online casino displays its regulatory body’s licence on the platform, it is safe enough for you not to worry about using your real money on its online slots and other games.
Moreover, from a marketing point of view, it wouldn’t make sense for a prestigious online casino to risk its reputation for the long haul by rigging its games. Bad reviews would start to pop all over the internet, and both new and experienced players wouldn’t feel safe playing on the platform mentioned among blacklisted casinos.
When online casinos cheat, they know that they won’t stay in the spotlight for long. These organisations aim for fast profits and are quick to disappear from the surface of the internet when things go south.
Stirring The Rig Cocktail
In order to rig their games, unfair online casinos mainly focus on manipulating two specific metrics – Return to Player (RTP) and Random Number Generator (RNG). The first one is a rate that indicates, on average, the payout percentage of the returns based on the player’s bets.
Let’s say that a slot machine has an RTP of 91%. This means that, on average, every player may expect to make $91 back from every $100 wagered. Of course, this statistic may differ based on the player’s luck. That’s why it is an expected average return. A rigged online casino may interfere with the RTP code so that it is lowered, which ultimately messes up the player’s odds of winning.
When it comes to games that are dependent on randomisation (like online slots), online casinos use RNG to ensure that the outcomes are 100% random and legitimate. This is the characteristic that enhances the luck component.
A legit casino often displays all the information regarding its RNG and has the system audited by independent organisations. On the other hand, a rigged casino messes up this characteristic. As a result, players are unable to have a fair chance of producing reasonable returns over long periods of time.
By stirring these two manipulated metrics together, dishonest online casinos produce the perfect rig cocktail. In order to make sure you don’t make this mistake and lose all your gambling funds, you should do your own due diligence before registering at a certain online casino.
The Three Pillars Process
By now, it is definitely overstated to consider all casinos rigged - it is a harmful myth unnecessarily accusing fair game casinos of something they have nothing in common with.
Nonetheless, it is also true that there are many platforms that have all of their online casino games rigged, ready to suck all your gambling funds in a heartbeat. When searching for your next favourite platform to play an online casino game, such as roulette wheel or Texas Hold'em poker, you should focus on three main characteristics: licensing, data encryption, and RTP & RNG disclosure.
The First Pillar: Casino Licence
First of all, the main thing you need to check is that the casino is licensed by a regulatory body. Usually, the platform displays something regarding its licence at the bottom of the main page. This means the casino complies with all the legal authority’s guidelines after this organisation made sure the platform does not offer rigged games.
The Second Pillar: Data Encryption
Then, you should focus on finding information about what the casino has in place to ensure data encryption. Normally, legit casinos have a Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) certificate, which authenticates a website’s identity and enables an encrypted connection. This allows websites to manage secure transactions and keep sensitive data safe. On the other hand, rogue casinos do not care about their users' safety and may even take advantage of acquiring your personal data.
The Third Pillar: RTP And RNG Information
Finally, the three pillars process is complete when you are able to find information about the casino’s RTP and RNG. Normally, trustworthy casinos will disclose this information on their websites. It’s always a plus if the online casino is also transparent about its bonus policy. This way, players can have a better understanding of bonus terms & conditions regarding wagering requirements.
Make sure you also search for unbiased reviews in order to complement your own due diligence. If you are able to check all three pillars and complement your analysis with other good reviews, you can safely say that you have found your favourite legit casino and comfortably play online.
Find A Fair Game In A Reputable Casino
There are many online casinos nowadays, and choosing the best one can be tough. We are doing everything we can to meet all the current requirements of the online gambling industry and make Natural8 the safest and most convenient platform you can find. We support fair gaming and would never even try to rig our casino games.
As a result, we have many regular visitors who can practice poker, have a one-time game, or even sign up for an online tournament if they are skilful and experienced enough. We hope that your experiences with playing our online casino games will only be positive and that they will provide you with lots of fun, excitement, and financial rewards!
In case of any questions or doubts, you are always welcome to contact our online casino support team.