Online casinos provide a host of fun, on-demand games, often offering a larger catalog than even the largest casinos in Las Vegas or around the world. The problem isn’t the fun and excitement you can have; it’s how fair it all is, and the mechanics working behind the scenes that are working hard to offer you a great experience.
Go to a disreputable site, and you’ll find rigged games that mean you’re unlikely ever to win. Vetting your platforms is critical, but to do that, you need to know exactly how these tools work, and what to even look for.
Making sure that the site you are on is licensed and regulated is a good start, but using this guide to understand the tech working behind the scenes of your favorite online casinos will unlock a whole new level of vetting you can use to choose only the best of the best to play on:
Random Number Generator
The one tech that does a lot of heavy lifting behind the scenes of top online casinos is a random number generator. Now, there are technically two different RNGs:
- True Random Number Generators: TRNGs offer absolute unpredictability. A TRNG will be hooked up to a machine that measures atmospheric radio static. These readings are translated into binary and are then used as a key to generate truly random sequences. The downside, however, is that they take far longer to get the result.
- Pseudo Random Number Generator: What iGaming platforms use more often is a pseudo-RNG, or PRNG. Rather than being connected to nature readings, systems generate a seed (the mathematical input). Usually this seed is generated from internal mechanisms. Instead of using readings, a PRNG may use an internal clock, mouse movements, or even keystrokes to generate a random seed. The number generated from that seed is then used to generate the next number, and so on, creating a series of endless, random numbers at lightning speed. While not as truly random as TRNGs, they do provide a fair way of generating randomness at the speeds you expect when playing online.
Provably Fair Mechanics
One of the systems that the best reputable online casinos are using today is known as “provably fair”. It essentially means that, on top of working to be fair, you, as the user, can prove it. Provably fair mechanics aren’t available everywhere, so you’ll need to look for platforms like duel.com to enjoy provably fair games.
How it works, on the surface, is rather simple.
- The platform generates a seed (a random string)
- You provide a random string (either generated randomly or made by you, if you want).
- Add the nonce (a number that increases with each bet).
The fair result is a combination of the server seed, client seed, and the nonce. You can verify after every game that the seeds match, that the combination of seeds generated the exact result, and that no one could have interfered. As the seeds are randomly generated each time you click, the result is provably fair.
How it works is more complicated. Essentially, provably fair technology relies on blockchain and cryptographic algorithms. You won’t see the random seed generated by the server’s side until after your game, so there’s no way to check beforehand what the result of your bet will be, either.
Like RNGs, provably fair allows for truly random outcomes. The difference is that you can check the results after the fact, opening up the guts of the mechanisms, so to speak, and allowing you to check what’s happening behind the scenes. It’s transparency at its finest.
Optical Character Recognition (OCR)
Many online casinos today offer live games that stream video of a real dealer. You play digitally online, in a real game. The technology allowing for this, however, goes beyond just a video stream. What’s actually happening behind the scenes is optical character recognition (OCR).
OCR recognizes and then “translates” the images of the cards (or dice) you are dealt in the real world into your digital interface. It’s an essential component that enables everything from live blackjack to live poker.
Transport Layer Security (Formerly Secure Socket Layer)
The last thing you want with any digital platform is for it to be insecure. Without security, you’d never be able to make any sort of deposit, payment, or withdrawal without worrying about that information and transaction being interrupted, interfered with, or even outright stolen by a malicious actor. You wouldn’t even want to sign up for a free newsletter without that transport security, or visit a site at all.
The good news is that it’s very easy to check if the site you are on is encrypted. All you need to do is look at the URL. If it’s HTTP, then it’s unsecure. If it has HTTPS (note the S), then it’s protected with Transport Layer Security (TLS).
TLS is the modern technology behind on-site encryption. It used to be Secure Sockets Layer, but it’s been updated. It offers all the benefits of the old SLS, while fixing its predecessors’ vulnerabilities. In short, it can:
- Encrypt your data during transmission (deposits, sign-ups, and other contact).
- Authenticate the identity of the server (so your deposit or information makes it to the right destination and isn’t diverted by bad actors).
- Double-check the data you sent is the same as being received.
- Prevent hacking by using a Fortezza cryptographic algorithm.
- Protect session keys from being exposed with Forward Secrecy.
TLS works faster, encrypts better, and is overall an optimized version of SLS 3.0.
Key Tips to Remember
Knowing the security and systems working behind the scenes of your favorite platforms can help you move off your favorite platforms and try out new, safe, and reputable brands to finally say hello to the platform that just feels right. If you’ve been mindlessly using the same iGaming platform for years because you’re worried about scammers, then it’s time to make a change.
Understand the mechanisms behind the results, and always remember to check for TLS. Do that, and you can start to confidently try out new platforms and keep yourself and your data safe.
