Are casino online games that millions of people play around the world random? This is one of the most asked questions in modern-day gambling. The answer depends on how much individuals trust the gambling industry, and the computer microchip that is supposed to be behind the randomness itself – also try Mermaid Millions slots game.
The Early Days of Slots
The very first slots did not have their randomness questioned and this was because each reel spin was produced by players pulling and releasing a lever. Gamblers were instead guilty of attempting to tamper with the randomness of these games, by erratically releasing the levers. This action influenced what symbols landed where on the reels.
As slots and technology progressed together, electrical elements were added to these mechanical machines, and it wasn’t until the invention of video slots, that these games became tamper-proof. However, the human touch was lost as well, and this was because computers had taken over and levers were removed from slot games.
The Random Number Generator
By the mid-1990s, slots became digital and virtual entities, which meant that they could be accessed easily at online casinos via the internet, and still be played at land-based casinos. These computerized slots relied on a computer microchip to generate the results of each slot spin, and this has remained the industry gold standard, even today.
If you are wondering how a Random Number Generator works, then you need to take a closer look at the RNG computer microchip. Its sole purpose in slot games is to generate millions of number sequences continuously. These are translated into slot spins because each number is linked to a symbol on a particular slot game. The RNG influences all slot spin results whether good or bad and therefore the gambling industry insists that it is all down to spinning at the right place at the right time, if players are to win on these games.
Potential Flaws
The problem here is that Random Number Generators are imitating randomness, and some need data to feed on to do this. This means that a certain degree of programming is sometimes involved, and some fear that this does not produce true randomness. It is possible to tamper with a slot RNG, but this would involve export computer software engineers tampering with these chips.
The gambling industry uses what is known as pseudo RNG technology and some do not see this as being the gold standard that offers true random results.
Controls In Place
If players trust the gambling industry and all its regulators, then bodies such as the UK Gambling Commission and third-party auditors such as eCOGRA, are all in place to uphold the integrity of the industry and the products that they offer the gambling public. This includes testing games for pay-out rates and randomness as well.
Player Experience
Despite all the controls in place, there are numerous tales out there of frustrated slot players who are convinced that games are not truly random, and this is because individuals spot certain patterns whilst playing slots. Some can even predict what symbol will fall and when especially if it is a symbol that can block the triggering of a bonus.
Others play on low stakes and hit bonuses but as soon as they raise their staking, the bonuses disappear. Does randomness create patterns or do slot sites control slots to balance the books? The conversation on this subject is set to continue for some time to come.
