With the rise of the internet during the 1990s many industries began to explore the possibilities of the online platform. Casinos were no different, with many online casinos opening their virtual doors in the years around the turn of the millennium.
But one of the challenges faced in the creation of those early platforms was the matter of maintaining the random chance involved in playing casino games in a land-based location. The answer was the random number generator (RNG), which ensures all games have entirely random and unpredictable outcomes.
Let’s take a closer look at how RNGs work and their role in the online casino industry.
What is a random number generator?
Firstly, answering the most basic question: what is a random number generator? The name is quite self-explanatory, they are computer algorithms that generate strings of random numbers.
RNGs can generate thousands of numbers in a single second, making it virtually impossible to determine what number is generated at any given instant. This is why they are the lynchpin of online casino games, as an RNG is entirely unpredictable and gives all players the exact same odds.
Each of the numbers in an RNG string will correspond to the symbols on a slot game’s reels, the face of playing cards or pockets on a Roulette wheel. This allows the game to determine the outcome in a way that’s both fair and unbiased.
How do RNGs work in casino games?
Whenever a player initiates a spin in an online slot game, the Roulette wheel is spun, or an action occurs in a game like Blackjack or Poker, the RNG determines its outcome.
The outcome of any action or spin is completely independent of any previous one, thanks to the RNG’s output being entirely free of external influence. As the speed of the algorithm’s number generation allows for potentially millions of possible outcomes per second, this ensures a level of randomness on par with games using physical components.
In a card game like Blackjack or Poker, the RNG can essentially reshuffle the entire deck after a single card is drawn. This removes the possibility of players predicting future cards based on what has already been dealt, especially as online games use multiple decks.
The fairness and security of RNGs
Online casinos must prove that their RNGs deliver truly random results that are fair and unbiased to maintain their licensing. Independent regulators must inspect and audit any RNG before it goes into use, as well as regularly reinspecting it to ensure that it continues to function as certified.
Rigorous testing by auditors makes sure that the results of the RNG are both unbiased and unpredictable, sticking to the listed odds of the game. So long as an online casino is properly licensed their RNGs will deliver random outcomes.
Advanced encryption protects RNGs in use, so that their seed data and results are kept secure and free from any external influence. Only authorised agents, such as the regulators, can access the workings of the RNG.
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Without the random number generator, online casino games would not be able to deliver random and unpredictable outcomes. Whether it’s a slot game or a card game like Blackjack, RNGs ensure that outcomes are both fair and unbiased.