Can online casinos be rigged
New casino sites to play real money
The business of online casinos — it is a business, don’t forget that — is structured around making a profit. Casinos on the web make a profit by getting players to come back and wager real money. More importantly, rigged casinos do not have any gaming licences or any igaming rewards, which is a clear sign they don’t run their business fairly.
Can online casinos be rigged? Between the myth and reality
There is nothing more critical for punters than knowing they are visiting a fair and honest gambling site and online casino. Realising that you have been playing a rigged game is a revelation no player hopes for and something that destroys the very essence of gaming.
However, the panic that gets spread over the internet about online casinos offering rigged slot machines, online poker, and other games is a bit overwhelming and uncalled for, despite the fact that, technically, it is possible to rig online casinos.
We all know there is a house edge that determines the advantage the casino or house has over the players, and that, in the long run, both online and land-based casinos are going to get their take, but that doesn’t mean they are committing fraud to get there.
In this article, we will discuss the possibility of online casinos being rigged and give you an overview of what to look for in online casinos to make sure you choose a safe, fair, and regulated one.
Can online casinos really be rigged?
The business of online casinos — it is a business, don’t forget that — is structured around making a profit. Casinos on the web make a profit by getting players to come back and wager real money.
Conspiracy theories usually stem from the players who state there are bad beats, or that a win is only possible after thousands of spins. They also claim that live dealers deliberately offer strong hands in the beginning, to persuade the players to bet more and increase the pot size only to seize it later on in the game.
The truth is that some laws and regulations protect players from such inappropriate casino behaviour.
Also, most casino games operate on the random number generator or RNG.
The RNG is a sophisticated mathematical algorithm that determines the outcomes of casino games by randomly picking cards or symbols, depending on the game you are playing.
In case you are playing slots, for example, hitting the spin button must generate random numbers within the RNG software, and these numbers correspond to the symbols on the grid.
Players must know that experiencing bad luck doesn’t necessarily mean you are faced with a rigged game and that your losing streak might be the result of lousy decisions.
On the other hand, it is not impossible for online casinos to be rigged. There have been cases where online casinos advertised 100% payouts, but in fact, the payout percentages were more likely around 95%. In legal terms, that is a fraud.
Other examples tell about situations in which some poker players were given information about other players’ hands, which gave them a crucial advantage and a promise of a reward. Still, these allegations were not related to any licensed and regulated online casinos.
How are online casinos marked safe and fair?
There are many ways to secure the safety and fairness of online casinos and make sure their games have not been tampered with. These include obtaining gaming licences from gambling authorities, undergoing independent testing, and having a good reputation.
They have gaming licenses
Online casinos have to be subjected to close scrutiny to obtain what is considered the first sign of regularity and fairness — a gaming licence. Countries around the world have established gambling authorities that focus on testing all aspects of an online casino and checking if the outcomes of all games are indeed random.
There are several authorities around the world acknowledged for their detailed analyses of not only casinos’ rngs, but also payment methods, security, and safety of data.
These gambling authorities are the united kingdom gambling commission, the malta gambling authority, the alderney gambling control commission, curaçao egaming, and others.
They get tested by independent agencies
Before an online casino can get licensed, it must undergo additional check-ups from independent auditing agencies, such as ecogra, that ensure nothing falls through the cracks.
They have good reputation
Word of mouth goes a long way; when it comes to online casinos, that is the best PR they can hope for. Players who are content with a casino’s service, payouts, and security are likely to recommend it to their fellow players and help the casino build a good reputation that will position it highly among the punters.
How to spot a rigged casino?
Since there are no guarantees that all casinos are fair, you need to know how to spot the shady ones. First, make sure to do some research. There are various casino reviews available online; doing a bit of research and checking their reputation is vital.
If the casino in question is frequently marked as safe and fair by real players and casino experts, chances are it is a proper choice.
Also, you should check the blacklists of casinos that have already been marked as rigged, so that you know which ones to avoid.
Moreover, if you don’t see the rtps of games you are playing, know that something smells fishy. All casino games need to have their RTP stated clearly so that the players know what return they can expect.
If none of the games in the casino look familiar or are not made by reputable software producers, that should raise some red flags. Honest casinos take pride in their gaming catalogues full of games from well-known producers, while the dishonest ones don’t have anything to brag about.
More importantly, rigged casinos do not have any gaming licences or any igaming rewards, which is a clear sign they don’t run their business fairly.
Conclusion
The booming industry of online casinos is showing no signs of slowing down; in fact, it is becoming even more appealing to players by the day.
Although some online casinos might be rigged, the majority of them are not. Remember, if you want to play in an online casino that is honest, fair, and square, look for its gaming licences, RNG percentages, and read the reviews carefully — they hold the answers to these questions.
Also, make sure it has a good reputation and that people have actually won real money while playing their games.
Are slot machines rigged?
Slot machines that operate on a random number generator and are created by certified software producers are not rigged.
Is online poker rigged?
Online poker operates on an RNG-powered machine that guarantees the outcomes and the cards dealt are entirely random and fair.
Are casinos rigged?
Casinos that are licensed and regulated by gambling authorities are not rigged and offer fair playing conditions to players.
Is roulette rigged?
Roulette is a game that, in online casinos, is powered by a random number generator that always provides a random outcome that can’t be rigged.
Is online blackjack rigged?
Online blackjack is not rigged as the game utilises a random numbers generator to create outcomes, or card draws, and the game itself is based on clearly predetermined mathematical odds.
Are online casinos rigged?
Licensed online casinos that have won prestigious igaming rewards, have built a strong reputation among players, and offer games from respected producers are not rigged. The majority of online casinos are like this, but you can never be too careful.
Disclaimer: gambling is a game of chance and there's no sure-fire formula that guarantee winnings. You can improve your winning chances by using the right in-game strategies but there is no way to predict when a machine or a casino game is going to pay. Also, this page contains affiliate links. If you click through and play, we might earn a commission. That’s what allow us to keep casinosmash free and bring you the best online casino bonuses!
Can online casinos be rigged?
Perhaps no other thing can destroy the inner peace of a punter as to know that the other side is cheating and has been using a loaded dice.
Casino rigging works in a similar way as the house or casino rigs the game to minimize payouts to as little as possible.
By casino rigging, we mean rigging in the real sense of the word or to put it another way, manipulate the outcome in such a way which will lead you to lose no matter what you do.
Most casino games are defined as games of chance and a game of chance means that you may win or lose as everything depends on the chance and odds.
But if a casino is rigged and you are going to lose anyway then it’s no longer a game of chance, indeed it is just another way of stealing your money by promising you a fair game of chance where your winnings or losses depend on the odds.
Trust is the foundation of a business and nowhere this maxim is truer than in the world of online gambling.
As often, most people especially those new to online casinos ask themselves a question before making a deposit that whether they can trust the casino establishment to play in a fair manner.
In this article, we will answer if it is possible that behind the scenes, can online casinos be rigged?
Casino rigging is a practice which is probably as old as the casinos themselves.
Successful and well-run casinos don’t need to rig a game.
To be profitable as by offering lower than theoretical odds, they ensure that no matter how good a player they will have to pay lower payouts and winnings as would have been the case with ideal odds.N
This practice is known as “house edge” and most professional players are aware of this. Most veteran punters accept this as they also understand well that casinos need to earn profits to be in business.
So, now we hope we have covered the basics and have differentiated between house edge and casino rigging, let’s move to the main discussion.
In one word, yes, it’s possible to rig an online casino and online casinos can be easily rigged and are often rigged by unreliable owners and administrators.
Although, thankfully there is a huge community of online casino players and it doesn’t take long for them to identify an online casino which is rigged unfavourably against its players.
How online casinos are rigged
One common way for online casinos to rig a game is by advertising high payouts signifying that their take will be small or even 0 in some cases and then offer lower odds to players.
This experience is shared by lots of customers and is legally a fraud.
Although, to prove that a casino is cheating, you must have quite advanced mathematical skills, and must play thousands of time and then compare the records which you have collected.
Although, to prove that a casino is cheating, you must have quite advanced mathematical skills, and must play thousands of time and then compare the records which you have collected.
Online casinos offer free games as bait for attracting customers and often advertise 100% payout, while most will never pay more than 95%-96%, if done legally they can claim this to be their take or house edge.
But if a casino is advertising 100% payouts when the real payout is 96%, then they are committing a legal fraud using false advertising and marketing tactics.
Many customers complain that when they played a free game, odds favoured them and they could win most of the times, but after switching to a paid game when they’ve bet their own money, they started losing.
This is a sign that the online casino has rigged the game and you must stay away from online casinos which follow this sort of or any similar practice.
Most incidents of fraud occur with card games, where casinos offer lower than random odds and do their best to make a player lose.
Veteran players can easily detect such a fraud, but not all of us have the gut feeling required to detect that a game has been rigged from the start.
Blackjack, for example, has clearly defined mathematical odds, which slightly favours the house or casino.
For someone, with no prior experience of blackjack or of its several variants, it’d be almost impossible to know that they’ve been given weak cards from the start.
Although, someone with a good understanding of the mathematics behind the game and the game itself it’ll be quite easy to detect such a thing.
Some online games other than table and card ones can be programmed to be rigged using other more sophisticated methods by modern technology.
Most online casinos use random number generators, which is basically a software running on various mathematical algorithms and an RNG ensures that the game is random.
Casinos and gambling whether online or offline are basically about randomness as if an outcome of a game has been decided even before the start, and there is no randomness involved in terms of the outcome.
Random number generators used by online casinos ensure that the outcome is random and minimize the chance of rigging.
Random number generators are used in most roulette games offered by online casinos as it’s these rngs whose job is to generate a random winning number.
So, if you are playing with an online casino which uses certified random number generators, then chances of rigging are almost nil.
To decide whether online casinos can be rigged it’s necessary to separate fact from fiction and the answer can be both yes and no depending on your own perspective.
Technical things aside, we still can’t say for sure that random number generators generate 100% random results.
Nonetheless, online casinos using these are considered more trustworthy than those without a random number generator.
How to protect yourself from A rigged online casino
Now, it has become clear that there is no silver bullet which will protect you from a rigged online casino.
And to tell the truth there are very few ways in which a normal player can identify when an online casino is rigging the game.
Identifying rigged online casinos is an expensive and lengthy process which will require you to play thousands of hands with them, keep all the records, tally the odds promised with the actual results and sadly most of us also do not have the time to do this.
All you need to do is to avoid online casinos which have been known to employ shady practices and where other players have faced trust issues.
Old habits die hard and this is also true with online casinos.
Many casino owners try to start new casinos after defrauding people, but thanks to the vigilant gambling community online, you can get information about most of the online casinos and the people who are running these establishments.
After all, genuine business people don’t hide information as there is no need for them to do this.
Make sure that you play only with reputed online casinos and don’t choose a casino based on their advertised free bonuses and welcome packages only.
Instead, you must carefully read the reviews about them and pay close attention to what other punters have to say about their own experience with a specific online casino, before you choose one.
Conclusion
We’d like to conclude this article with some practical advice for our readers.
As you’ve seen an answer to the question; can online casinos be rigged? Is yes, as it’s possible to rig an online casino using various method identified above which directly affects the outcome of a game.
Online casinos also use other tactics which make withdrawing your winnings difficult or impossible.
This doesn’t mean that the initial game was rigged but is certainly a sign of caution as no reputed online casino would like to risk their reputation on a few bucks.
The only thing which you can do is do your best in terms of research and read all the reviews about a casino before choosing one.
Subscribe to our newsletter for more casino reviews to help you choose the right one to match your player preferences!
Can online casinos be rigged?
Introduction
Excitingly, you bet multiple stacks of cash, you've secured from your paycheck, into an online casino. Ready to continuously bet money on their services. Minutes later, you're left with nothing in sight. Suddenly, the thought that online casinos might just be rigged enters the vicinity. Abruptly, more ideas start to flood your head, and you're envisioning the worst of things. Adrenaline rushing, you search this exact subject and find multiple results, but exactly which of those should you believe? After tremendous amounts of research and efforts, we bring you this compiled breakdown of the answer to this puzzling riddle. Stick with us as we put this mystery to an end.
Brief descriptive facts
Obviously, as a growing industry planning to become a whopping USD 95 billion dollar industry, online betting attracts multiple new businesses to rig their websites, in hopes of securing a quick buck. Realistically, though, gambling is in theory, hoping that you have attained good enough luck and that you will make more money than what you've inputted. So not all attempts will result in more money. Therefore, jumping to the conclusion that all online gambling sites are rigged due to this, wouldn't be necessarily a good one.
On the contrary, there have been numerous reports claiming that individual sites have rigged theirs. Meaning we can't exactly be sure of what is fake, and which companies operate legitimately, as advertised.
Stay tuned, as we take a much needed deep dive into this exact segment later on.
Thinking long-term
Something to keep in mind is that although rigging a site might pay off the bills for a few weeks or months on end, ultimately, capitalizing on a well-sustained reputation, and obtaining the trust of the individual consumers, is the most desirable solution.
Operations
Operations are shrouded in secrecy in this sector of the industry, due to their highly covert algorithms, servers, and so forth. From slot online, to sports betting, lottery, poker, the list goes on. So precisely how do operators enforce strict rules, regulations and algorithms, that maintain fair throughout the millions of transactions?
Many sites don't explicitly report on how theirs operate, for obvious reasons, regarding cheating, and exploitation. But in theory, the method of how one might be working, would be through a 100% random generation algorithm, of sorts.
Nevertheless, some brands employ different methods, adapting what they specialize in, such as online sports betting, live casinos, and much more.
Back to the question
Regardless of everything, the question we've been uncovering an answer for, boils down to "can online casinos be rigged?". The short answer is yes. The longer answer, is that although rigging seems like an excellent opportunity to make cash, the majority of well-known brands do not undervalue this unmistakably important rule.
Hence, to gain peace of mind when betting online, you should always further your research and enlighten yourself on new forms of betting.
Research, research, research.
Below lists a few methods you can do your research/put the necessary precautions into action:
Check for online reviews. Although, please keep in mind that some sites tend to forge theirs. It would be more effective if you don't aimlessly scroll down these reviews. Instead, read up, and ensure that what those reviews state, are those that the website advertises.
Ask around. From online forums, to your friends & family, there are many people you can ask for advice regarding a particular form of betting/brand.
Look out for red flags. Pictures this, when you've chosen to bet a few dollars, you receive a high return. But swiftly, once you've deposited about a hundred dollars, any luck of yours is utterly obliterated. Yes, this could be just some bad luck on your part, but if this happens a few times in a roll, you might want to stay away from that particular site. Other forms of red flags exist too, so stay vigilant!
Remember, although the researching might seem like an absolute waste of time, it won't be, when you realized that you'd been pocketed a week's worth of pay.
Concluding statement
From operations, to tips on doing your research, in under a few hundred words, we've managed to answer the question to this rather complex subject. Now, it's your turn, put these tips into use, and be careful about your every move!
Are online casinos rigged?
A common question amongst both new and experienced players is whether or not online casinos are 'rigged' or fixed in some way. This is also a question that gets asked about once every other day on yahoo answers. So we thought it was high time to answer it.
Before we start, we should point out that by their very nature all casinos games have a payout that is lower than the theoretical 'full odds' of the game (resulting in the 'house edge'). This fact is no secret and one that is not hidden by the casinos - it is also how casinos, both online and brick and mortar, stay in business. This topic has already been covered in the previous article, which you can read here.
With this in mind, when we talk about a casino being 'rigged' we mean one which operates outside of the laws of probability - ie: the outcomes of a game, rather than the payouts, are not as we would expect. For example, if you were to roll a dice 100 times and each time the dice rolled a '6', there is a strong chance that the dice is fixed in some way.
So what about online casinos? Most people that complain about the legitimacy of an online casino do so after a string of losses - either a large number of spins on a slot machine without a significant win, or a run of loses at the blackjack or roulette table. But do these loses related to some kind of manipulation of the game?
For roulette, many players scream 'fraud' when faced with a run of 10 reds in a row whilst they're betting on black - but does this point to a fixed game, a statistical anomaly or a relatively common occurrence? The odds of losing 10 bets on black in a row, which includes both spins that are 'red' as well as spinning the green zero, can be calculated as follows:
The probability of losing one spin is 19/37 - there are 37 numbers on a single zero roulette wheel and 19 of them would result in you losing your 'black' bet (18 reds + 1 green zero).
The probability of losing two spins in a row can be calculated by taking the odds of losing one spin and multiplying it against itself:
19/37 x 19/37 = 1 in 3.79 (or P = 0.26)
Similarly the probability of losing 10 spins in a row can be calculated by taking the odds of losing one spin and multiplying it by itself 9 times, which is written as:
19/37 ^ 10 = 1 in 784 (or P = 0.0013)
To put this in perspective, this means that if you were to spin the roulette wheel ten times in a row and then repeated this set of 10 spins another 783 times (for a total of 784), you would expect one of those spin sets to be all losses.
A one in 784 occurance isn't really that rare at all, in fact you have much better odds of facing a run of 10 consecutive losses at the roulette wheel than you do of correctly picking 4 numbers on the lottery (1 in 1,032).
Please note: the odds quoted above are for a full set of 10 spins before any of the spins have occurred. If you have already spun to nine losses, the probability of losing the next spin is 19/37. Chance has no memory and the numbers that have come up previously have absolutely no influence on the next number. If you need this principle explained, read this article.
If players were faced with such a run at a brick and mortar casino, they would likely accept it as 'bad luck'. But because an online casino is essentially a graphical representation of a computer generated random number, people tend to be a bit quicker to jump to the conclusion that a game is fixed.
In reality, the games at a reputable online casino are exactly the same as the ones you would find at a brick and mortar casino. In fact many online casinos actually offer a higher payout percentages (RTP) than their land based brothers - a perk that can be offered thanks to the reduced overheads of not needing to have a physical presence.
A final point to consider is that casinos (both online and offline) do not need to be rigged to ensure themselves a long term profit - this is acheived by the house edge. What a casino does need is volume - the more bets a casino takes, the more profit they will make. A casino where everybody loses simply isn't fun - and if the gaming experienced offered by a casino isn't fun, most players wont return. In this respect, a fair game is much better for business.
Obviously we are not saying that all online casinos are 100% honest - there are people in the world that have questionable morals and there is a chance that some of these people probably do run rigged online casinos. But if you stick to reputable licensed online casinos you can ensure that you're getting a fair game.
The following simple advice should help you find a safe, trustworthy online casino:
- Stick to large well known brands that are regulated in the UK such as bet365.
- Play at casinos powered by trusted online casino software, such as microgaming or netent.
- Look for proof of third party audits of a casinos payouts and random number generators.
- Use guides, such as the one found on this site, to get recommendations of reputable online casinos.
Finally, remember that casino gambling is a form of entertainment that comes with a cost. In the long run, the house really does always win - so play for the thrill and enjoyment, but never bet with any money that you can't afford to lose.
Can online blackjack be rigged?
After a losing streak, you might be wondering “can online blackjack be rigged?” it’s a good question. If you play at a physical casino, you can see the dealer and the deck of cards on the table. You can be fairly sure there is nothing shady going on. However, when you play online blackjack, there’s no such table. The dealer is a computer program made up of hundreds of lines of code that makes no sense to the average person. In this situation, most people can’t really answer the question, “is online blackjack rigged or not?“. Therefore, let’s dig into the subject and find out!
How does video blackjack work?
At the heart of all online casino games is a computer program called “random number generator”. This program creates a random number. This number is used for various purposes depending on the game. For card games like online poker and video blackjack, it determines what card shows up next. For slot machines, it determines what symbol each reel stop at.
However, these random number generators aren’t perfectly random. Online casinos will tune the output of the program so that instead of having an equal chance of winning and losing money, you have a slightly higher chance of losing. It’s is called the house edge.
House edge and video blackjack odds
The house edge can be represented by looking at the “return to player”, or RTP, value. This value tells you what percentage of your original deposit you can expect to get back.
For example, assume the RTP for a particular game is 95%. Then the house edge for this game is 5%. It means that if you keep playing the game over and over again, you will eventually end up at 95% of the money you have wagered. The casino holds 5% as their profits. This may sound unfair at first, but it is how all casinos stay in business.
Picking a reliable online casino
The house edge at online casinos is a lot lower than at physical casinos. So, it is easier to make money when playing table games online, including blackjack. However, the risks at an online casino are much higher.
If you go to a famous casino, like las vegas, you can be assured that all the casinos are legitimate and fair. If a casino got a reputation for being unfair, it would lose its customers and be investigated. However, there are a lot more online casinos, based on different jurisdictions all over the world. It’s a lot harder to regulate them, so the risk of falling victim to a shady casino is higher.
The best way to avoid shady casinos is to look for certifications. There are independent organizations such as TST, who will check if the video blackjack odds are fair or not. Also, try to play at casinos that get their games from reputable software developers like netent, microgaming, realtime gaming, etc. It’s even harder for casinos to cheat at live blackjack than video blackjack, so play live games if you can.
Conclusion
Cheating is not exclusive to video blackjack. Some physical casinos will also cheat at blackjack by having dealers counting cards, having non-standard decks, improperly shuffling, and so on. Dealers who do this are very experienced at hiding it, so even if you’re at the blackjack table, you might not realize it.
In video blackjack, you are guaranteed far higher winnings. Since there is no dealer, a few losses in a row might feel like malice rather than bad luck. However, good online casinos rely on their reputation to maintain a customer base. So they will have fair games that are certified independently. If you still feel you’re losing too often, try looking up our how to play blackjack section for some tips!
Can online casino gambling be rigged?
It is no big secret that casino gamblers lose far more money than they win. There is a reason why there are so many luxurious land-based casino hotel and resorts all across the nation. There is also a reason why there are so many options when it comes to online casinos these days. The house builds the betting odds to favor them, so they will win more money than gamblers over the long haul. The bigger concern lies in the actual business practices of land-based gambling operations as well as real money betting sites.
So, can online casino gambling be rigged?
Yes, we address the entire subject of ‘can online casinos be rigged?’ in length in a previous post. Land-based casinos are highly regulated in the jurisdiction in which they operate. Gambling commissions in these jurisdictions are set up to ensure every casino complies with every regulation in place. The online gambling industry can be a whole other matter. Furthermore, authorities regulate sites by the country of their origin. However, that does not guarantee that every online gambling site is on the up and up.
Online casino gambling industry overview
The goal of any real money online gambling site is to turn a profit. These are actual businesses that operate in much the same way a land-based operation does without all the overhead. The suspicious nature of the internet, in general, has carries over to online gambling, especially when patrons lose more money than they care to.
Basic business practices dictate that there has to be winners and losers on a regular basis. If a site was rigged to win all the time, its customer base would quickly dry up and go away. There is a big difference between the ‘house edge’ and rigged gambling practices. A high level of randomness is built into any game of chance. The overall results of play are controlled as far as actual payout percentages. Any legitimate online casino will publish its payout percentages for every game it offers.
The table game blackjack and the card game poker introduce a certain level of skill that can impact a player’s return. However, there is still a house edge built into blackjack odds as well as video poker machines. This is all part of the game when it comes to gambling on the web.
Internet gambling documented fraud
Just because a large majority of online gaming sites do operate legitimately does not mean that online fraud does not exist.
This post made note of real deal and hi/lo gambler online sites running fraudulent coin flip games back in 2013. The fraud consisted of claiming 100 percent payouts verse an actual payout of 96 percent.
How to cheat an online casino?
First of all, we discover other fraudulent practices. For example, over the years, they involve ‘near misses’ in slot machines. The concept revolves around players viewing near misses for major jackpots. An example is two like symbols in a row with the third same symbol just above or below the pay line. Since every slot machine runs on a random number generator, an excessive amount of near misses have raised some red flags. While the payout percentages on machines with a higher rate of near misses stayed the same, this proves the illusion to encourage additional play.
Fraud in las vegas
Going back to the 1980s, nevada documents fraud in the american coin scandal. Also, this involves land-based poker machines as well as keno machines. As a result, the authorities find american coin guilty of programming machines. More specifically, they try to eliminate the possibility of royal flushes in poker and top keno jackpots. As a result, the authorities confiscate over 1000 machines. Also, they fine the company $1 million.
In 2007, absolutepoker hosts an online texas hold’em tournament. Furthermore, they offer a $30,000 grand prize after that, professional players start to notice some irregularity with the results. More specifically, authorities initiate a deeper investigation. As a result, it shows some operators rig the game to favor a player. However, there is a link to absolutepoker and a pair of company officers. We estimate that this scam takes between $500,000 and $1 million.
Online casinos consumer protection
First of all, we don’t see casinos document cases of actual consumer fraud and fraudulent practices. However, always look for sites that can ensure secure and fair play. As mentioned, most of the top online sites in the industry are regulates by the country of their origin. Gibraltar and malta are two legal gaming jurisdictions that have adopt stringent gaming requirements for online casino sites.
General gaming regulations require each site’s random number generators to adhere to industry standards. Certain security measures are put into place before a site’s first game goes live. Legitimate online gambling sites will always reveal which independent auditors were used to overseeing their gambling software. Many of these sites will also prominently display any e-gaming awards or other industry recognition they receive.
The top gaming venues operating online build their reputations on word of mouth from their actual casino patrons. Customer reviews (good and bad) are often posted on the site. You can also review a site’s posted security policies. Independent site reviews are helpful as long as they come from an unbiased point of view.
The bottom line to consumer protection when gambling online comes down to a player’s due diligence. It becomes easier to document a site’s practices and procedures in today’s highly transparent business environment.
Can online casino gambling be rigged summary
Indeed, fraud is still a concern in any industry. More specifically, one that involves real money gambling. Naturally, there are dubious characters trying to defraud the actual casino. Also, gamblers try to beat the house in any way possible since the early days.
Fortunately, the flip-side of the equation is normally not the case. There are enough legitimate online casino gambling sites in the industry today to meet any player’s needs. Trying your luck at an undocumented and unregulated casino site is simply negligent behavior. You should always take some extra time to perform your own due diligence before risking one dime of your betting bankroll. This will provide the added peace of mind that your internet play is fair as well as safe and secure.
Why online casinos are definitely not rigged
You’ll probably have heard it before, with people constantly saying that online casinos are a scam, and that they are completely rigged. Back when online casinos were first released, cheating could have been possible, however nowadays online casinos would find it virtually impossible to rig their games, even if they wanted to. So, if you need some ammunition for the next time someone accuses a casino of being rigged, you should find the guide below to be extremely helpful.
- Look at what random number generators are
- See why online casinos simply can’t cheat
- Understand the penalties a casino would face for cheating
Why do people think online casinos cheat?
There’s one main reason for people deciding that a casino cheats: bad luck. What most players don’t realise is that the law of averages doesn’t guarantee that a win follows a loss, or that they recoup the exact RTP advertised on a slot machine. Instead, players might lose multiple times in a row, or even win multiple times in a row. When these losing streaks occur though, it’s easy to simply blame the casino for them, instead of simply putting it down to bad luck – which is exactly what it is.
So-called “bad beats” also play a role in people thinking that casinos are rigged. For example, another player hitting their card on the river during a game of poker would be called a bad beat. These losses stick in the mind longer than any wins though, which is why people are usually so keen to bring them up. Winning and losing go hand in hand at online casinos, and players need to accept that both will happen to them at some point.
Back when online casinos were first released, cheating could have been possible, however nowadays online casinos would find it virtually impossible to rig their games.
Why casinos can’t cheat
The first reason why casinos don’t cheat is a simple one: they don’t need to. Casinos are profitable businesses, and they make more than enough money without having to resort to underhand tactics. In fact, cheating could be potentially disastrous for them, as if found out they’d lose huge amounts of money, and could even go out of business. Cheating simply isn’t worth the risk for them.
All UK players are also protected by a regulatory body when playing at an online casino, which comes in the form of the UK gambling commission. This is a government run organisation, tasked with overseeing the ways in which each and every casino operates, with a particular remit to look at how fairly they treat their players. It is mandatory for any casino accepting online players from the UK to be regulated by the gambling commission, so if you find a casino that isn’t, you should avoid it extremely quickly.
Review sites, such as this one, are also extremely important when it comes to regulating casinos. We would expose a casino in an instant if we believed it to be cheating, and let our huge number of readers know all about them. Nothing will escape the eyes of at least one reviewer around the world, so any scam would be uncovered almost instantly.
What are random number generators?
A random number generator is a computer programme designed to ensure that all outcomes produced at a casino game are, as the name suggests, random. This is done by an algorithm built into the RNG, which is so complex that it’s virtually impossible to hack. The best online casinos use rngs that are independently tested, monitored and verified by external companies, so you can be sure that they are 100% fair. The details surrounding a random number generator can usually be found at the footer of a casino’s page, along with the ways in which it is tested.
If you want to find out more about random number generators, we have a page dedicated to them here on this site.
What would happen if a casino was caught cheating?
The penalties that would be handed down to a casino caught cheating would be severe, to say the very least. The UK gambling commission would almost certainly order the site to stop accepting UK players and, if the company was based in the UK, could even shut the site down entirely. What’s more, prosecutions would almost certainly follow, with both the casino and individual staff members taken to court.
Cheating casinos might also face court proceedings from a huge number of players, all of whom lost out due to the casino’s underhand practices. This, when combined with the threat of closure, is enough to persuade casinos that cheating their players quite simply isn’t worth it.
Play at trusted sites thanks to our reviews
If you are still concerned about games at online casinos being rigged, then you should read through the reviews on this site. We only recommend sites that we can vouch for 100%, so you can play at an online casino with confidence. What’s more, we are completely independent, so under no pressure to write favourable reviews for any online casino.
Rigged online casinos: dispelling a gambling myth
How many times have you anted up in the casino online arena and heard someone say: "this game is rigged!" ever since online gambling became a booming industry, a small number of people have been quick to suggest that something is awry. These people will state, as if it was fact, that online casino games are rigged.
Although these people's exact reasoning isn't clear, their implication is: the online casino operator is deliberately manipulating the odds. Of course, it will come as no surprise that these potentially libellous accusations always come in the wake of a significant loss. While this fact doesn't prove that the accusations are inaccurate, it does give you some indication as to why you will often hear the phrase "online casinos are rigged."
Fortunately, we don't need to rely on this emotional bias to discredit this claim. In fact, we can rely on two logical arguments to swiftly dispel the myth that licensed and regulated online casinos are rigged to favour the house.
It's all about numbers & probability
Aside from losing money and getting emotional about it, casino naysayers often claim that certain games are rigged because they see something that they think can't be possible. As humans, we naturally look for patterns in order to understand things, so when we see something that we believe constitutes a pattern we take note.
In the casino online world, the people who claim the industry is rigged will point to instances where a set of results looked odd. For example, if a player is taking a shot at roulette and they see the number 8 roll in six times in a row, they will identify this as a pattern that proves the casino has rigged the game.
Unfortunately, this line of thinking is misguided. Although a run of six 8s in a row is improbable, it's not impossible and that's the key. Each spin of the roulette wheel is known as an independent event and that means each previous result has no bearing on the future. Therefore, according to the laws of probability, it's entirely possible for six 8s to spin in and not be the result of a rigged casino.
Of course, while you won't often see results such as this, it can happen and that's the important thing to understand. Although it's not impossible that an unregulated casino online could have a rigged system, it's highly unlikely. Moreover, the fact that certain results might look odd doesn't prove anything other than the reality of probability.
When the odds are stacked against you
If you understand how casino games work, you'll quickly realise that a casino doesn't have to cheat to come out ahead. In fact, casino games favour the house by their very nature. Whether you play roulette, blackjack, craps, baccarat, or any other casino staple, the game is set up so that the casino pays out less money than they take in.
You've probably heard the expression that the only way to win playing casino games is to open your own casino. Naturally, as we mentioned earlier, anything can happen over the short term. The same outcomes that cause some players to cry foul can cause other to jump for joy. It all depends on where you've placed your bets.
Random number generators - keeping things random
If you're still not convinced and don't like to put your faith in abstract concepts such as probability, then there is hard evidence that legit online casinos aren't rigged in the form of random number generators.
All licensed casino online sites in the UK have to pass a slew of stringent tests before they are given a licence, and one of these tests is the fairness of their software. Powering every casino online site in the UK is a piece of software known as a random number generator. As its name suggests, this software generates a series of random numbers; numbers which are then turned into results on the screen such as a blackjack hand or roulette spin. That means that every roll of the dice, slot machine spin, and shuffle of card deck at a casino online mathematically mirrors what could happen at a land based casino.
Before an online casino is certified, it must allow a third-party organisation, such as ecogra, to test the software. Only after thousands of outcomes have been carried out and assessed will the operator be given a seal of approval.
Once the casino has had its random number generator certified as fair, they can then apply for a UK igaming licence. However, this isn't the end of the story. To ensure that an online casino doesn't let its standards slip, regulatory bodies such as the UK gambling commission (UKGC) will continually monitor operator's random number generators. Sites often display their certificates and audit reports on their sites.
How to spot a rigged casino
Rigged online casinos are far less common than you might expect. If you manage to find an unlicensed casino or a gambling site that had its credentials revoked, you run the risk of playing rigged games. Generally, if you stick to recommended sites, you won't have to deal with unfair games or other troubling issues. The easiest way to spot a dishonest gambling site is to rely on blacklists, detailing exactly which sites to avoid and why.
It's worth noting that unfair games aren't the only thing to watch out for when gambling on the internet. Unscrupulous sites are more likely to make you jump through endless hoops to claim your winnings or fail to honour their bonuses. We're mentioning these points not because we want to scare you, but so you are cautious about where you play. Fortunately, there are dozens of terrific sites that offer fair games and keep their part of the bargain.
Do something about it
Every online casino we recommend will have a valid gaming licence, which means the random number generators are all certified as fair. Of course, if you're still not happy with the service you've received and feel as though a site is rigged, you can take your grievances to the UKGC.
As the industry's governing body, the UKGC is responsible for investigating any complaints made against an online casino in the UK. If you do suspect that a casino online is rigged, then you can simply contact the UKGC by phone, email, or post and outline the nature of your complaint.
Tell them the site you've played on, the series of events you find suspicious, and any other background information you feel is relevant. After noting your complaint, the UKGC will look into the issue and inform you if it finds any instances of cheating or rigged software.
Fair play is in your hands
While the potential for rigged games certainly exists, it's far less common than you might suspect. Most of the evidence disgruntled players provide doesn't withstand minor scrutiny. Nonetheless, there's nothing wrong with a little vigilance.
Always stick to licenced online casinos. If something goes awry, don't be afraid to speak up. Finally, if you aren't satisfied with the gameplay at an online casino, it's not hard to find another place to play. All it takes is a quick swipe or click to uncover endless new options.
Are online casinos fair or are they rigged?
One of the biggest concerns that many online casino players experience when playing at online casinos or else visiting a brick and mortar casino, is whether the casino or the casino games like slots and blackjack they are playing function in a fair manner.
If players suss that a casino is being disadvantageous by reducing any chances of winning, then many casinos would have closed by now. That being said, we know too well that over a lengthy period of time, the house edge comes to play. The longer you play, the more likely the casino will make a profit.
Let’s delve deeper into the subject.
Are online casinos rigged?
While you might be in it with the aim of winning some money, online casinos’ main goal is to make a neat profit from customers who love to gamble online. Laws and regulations are in place with the aim of making sure that online casinos operate in a fair and legal manner.
Every now and again, a gambler suspects that casino games or the casino itself is rigged. There are other theories being raised by gamblers. Such as if you play for longer periods of time you will strike it lucky or perhaps, that casinos are constantly trying to lure new players with enticing jackpots but without dropping.
However, the one major complaint that we hear all the time is that players can never win. While there is the house edge (aka house advantage) in place, it is impossible that players never win as otherwise casinos would go bust.
Since casino games apply random number generators to their casino games, every spin or bet is random and has the same odds as your previous or future bets. You need to keep in mind that luck plays an important role in casinos games and that you also need to take account of your own bad decisions especially when you are playing table games.
Your bad decisions can cause you loss after loss.
How are online casinos fair and trustworthy?
We are definitely not implying that all online casinos out there are safe and trustworthy. On the contrary, you should always look out for signs that a casino is indeed secure and trustworthy.
When a casino applies for a gambling license, it undergoes several tests and scrutiny by licensing bodies. They are in fact, constantly being monitored and audited to make sure that players are not treated unfairly in any way, manner, or form.
Since they are constantly dealing with gambling authorities and the government, there are rules and regulations in place to ensure fairness.
Independent testing: the good news for you as a player is that each online casino undergoes rigorous testing to ensure that it is just. All casino games use the service of a random number generator that ensures that each bet is independent from the other and that they essentially carry the same odds as the next one.
Trust value: if an online casino is listed on gamblingmetropolis, you can rest assured that it is trustworthy. We try and test each online casino we promote to ensure that they are of the highest standards. If it is here, it means it is dependable and reliable.
How to know if an online casino is safe?
Don’t just sign up to any old online casino. If you are going to part from your personal and financial information, you want to make sure that it is trustworthy and secure.
For starters, look for casinos that are licensed by leading jurisdictions, such as malta, gibraltar and the united kingdom. There is a reason for this. Such gaming jurisdictions enforce upon casinos specific gaming requirements to make sure that each player has the same chance.
One of these gaming requirements is the RNG amongst many other security features. These are all in place before the casino ever goes live or adds its first slot game. Look towards the bottom of your online casino’s page to see if one of the aforementioned reputable organisations is listed, or if it has received any e-gaming awards from renowned organisations.
Another way to know if an online casino is safe, is to read casino reviews online and to see what other players have said about their experience. Remember, that if you don’t research the casino properly, you will be gambling away your personal and financial information, so it’s best to run your research beforehand.
Additionally, go over the casino’s security policies and read the terms and conditions of casinos, to see what would happen to your personal information once you have signed up. Are they passing information to any third parties?
After you have done all your research and feel safe in the knowledge that the online casino of your choice is secure, it might be worth looking into their game selection as well as bonus structure. Do you want to sit down to play at a casino with a very limited selection of games? Are the games of low or high variance?
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You don’t have to look far to find a great selection of new casinos or a selection of casino welcome packages, as we have done all the research for you.
Can online blackjack be rigged?
After a losing streak, you might be wondering “can online blackjack be rigged?” it’s a good question. If you play at a physical casino, you can see the dealer and the deck of cards on the table. You can be fairly sure there is nothing shady going on. However, when you play online blackjack, there’s no such table. The dealer is a computer program made up of hundreds of lines of code that makes no sense to the average person. In this situation, most people can’t really answer the question, “is online blackjack rigged or not?“. Therefore, let’s dig into the subject and find out!
How does video blackjack work?
At the heart of all online casino games is a computer program called “random number generator”. This program creates a random number. This number is used for various purposes depending on the game. For card games like online poker and video blackjack, it determines what card shows up next. For slot machines, it determines what symbol each reel stop at.
However, these random number generators aren’t perfectly random. Online casinos will tune the output of the program so that instead of having an equal chance of winning and losing money, you have a slightly higher chance of losing. It’s is called the house edge.
House edge and video blackjack odds
The house edge can be represented by looking at the “return to player”, or RTP, value. This value tells you what percentage of your original deposit you can expect to get back.
For example, assume the RTP for a particular game is 95%. Then the house edge for this game is 5%. It means that if you keep playing the game over and over again, you will eventually end up at 95% of the money you have wagered. The casino holds 5% as their profits. This may sound unfair at first, but it is how all casinos stay in business.
Picking a reliable online casino
The house edge at online casinos is a lot lower than at physical casinos. So, it is easier to make money when playing table games online, including blackjack. However, the risks at an online casino are much higher.
If you go to a famous casino, like las vegas, you can be assured that all the casinos are legitimate and fair. If a casino got a reputation for being unfair, it would lose its customers and be investigated. However, there are a lot more online casinos, based on different jurisdictions all over the world. It’s a lot harder to regulate them, so the risk of falling victim to a shady casino is higher.
The best way to avoid shady casinos is to look for certifications. There are independent organizations such as TST, who will check if the video blackjack odds are fair or not. Also, try to play at casinos that get their games from reputable software developers like netent, microgaming, realtime gaming, etc. It’s even harder for casinos to cheat at live blackjack than video blackjack, so play live games if you can.
Conclusion
Cheating is not exclusive to video blackjack. Some physical casinos will also cheat at blackjack by having dealers counting cards, having non-standard decks, improperly shuffling, and so on. Dealers who do this are very experienced at hiding it, so even if you’re at the blackjack table, you might not realize it.
In video blackjack, you are guaranteed far higher winnings. Since there is no dealer, a few losses in a row might feel like malice rather than bad luck. However, good online casinos rely on their reputation to maintain a customer base. So they will have fair games that are certified independently. If you still feel you’re losing too often, try looking up our how to play blackjack section for some tips!
So, let's see, what we have: is rigging an online casino a gaming reality? Are all online casinos rigged? Read on to find out as we explore the facts and provide answers. At can online casinos be rigged
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