The first time I saw people use member cards for slot games, I didn’t know what they were. I asked the man sitting next to me and he explained a few details about the rewards club. But he wasn’t using a card himself.
When I asked him why, he said he once had a card but stopped winning when he played with the card. He thought the casino was monitoring his playing and adjusting the slot game results.
This rumor has circulated both online and offline for many years. It’s normal for people to hear something repeatedly and wonder if there is truth to it. But I’ve never found any proof that casinos can change the way slot games play by flipping a switch.
Early slot machines were mechanical (think coin slots), but they still used a random number generator, in the same sense that a roulette wheel, a deck of cards, or a pair of dice are also random number generators. Modern slot machines use a computer to generate random numbers, and these determine the outcomes of the game. ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. Slot machines, the bread and butter of the casino industry, long ago lost their nicknames as 'one-armed bandits' when manufacturers did away with the lever gamblers had to.
What makes it difficult to combat this idea and other rumors about slot machines is the many different markets where you find them. Slot machine games are regulated by each country. Complying with different regulations may mean that a slot maker must change how its games work.
The clearest example I can give is how slot games are decided in the United States. Class II slot games decide the outcome on the basis of one random number then configure the display to match that result. Class III games use several random numbers to control the reels.
How Modern Slot Machine Games Work
There aren’t many physical slot games left. They’re all electronic now, and the electronic machines use random number generator chips to decide results.
But there is more involved than just generating a random number. The “slots” in the slot games are spaces on reels. The computers now simulate these reels.
Former and current slot machine manufacturing employees answer questions about game design on several websites including Quora. This answer was posted in September 2014, and it explains how the simulated reels are managed by software.
The programs to simulate the reels and assign the random numbers are etched into ROMs, Read-Only Memory chips. These ROMs must be physically changed by a technician to change how the game payout percentages work.
Legitimate Online Casino Operators Lease Games From Service Providers
There are over 2,000 online casinos. It’s impossible to be sure about how they all manage their slot games. But what is known about the most popular casinos is that they don’t run their slot games from their own servers.
Instead the online casinos lease game services from secure data centers. These gaming platforms are run by companies like Blue Ocean and EveryMatrix. Some of the game design companies also run their own servers, leasing resources to online casinos.
Although it would be simple for online gaming companies to switch things up, they would risk losing independent certifications if they allowed the games to be rigged.
There’s no need for casinos to adjust the percentages. They can order the percentage breakouts for house edge and return to player that they want to offer. This way, they maintain competitiveness and support long-term profitability.
Many Games Publish the Theoretical Return to Player
Some slot games include the theoretical return to player in their help screens.
If the players see that RTP has been adjusted downward, they can play elsewhere. If players only suspect that the RTP has been adjusted without proper notification, they might still leave.
Casinos need players. The best strategy to grow their customer base is to keep game rewards high enough to make the risk worthwhile.
Some Governments Regulate Return to Player Percentages
Licensed gaming casinos must comply with local laws governing their businesses. Some countries provide more regulation than others.
In the United States, commercial land-based casinos are regulated by their states. However, Native American casinos are mostly regulated by the tribal governments that own them. Each jurisdiction has the authority to set minimal RTP percentages to ensure the casinos don’t make too much money.
The 1988 Indian Gaming Regulatory Act creates the legal framework used by tribes to protect their traditional gaming activities from state regulatory laws. The act also defines the three classes of gaming and how they are to be regulated.
Class II games are regulated by the tribes but only in states that allow any kind of gaming. Only Class III games are subject solely to state regulation.
True slot machine games are Class III games. Native American casinos offer Class II bingo games that are made to look like slot games. The game cabinets must display the casino bingo games that are used to determine wins.
Class II slot machines may have reels and bonus games but they’re not really slot machine games as defined by federal law.
How Do You Determine the Odds That a Slot Game Pays?
Casinos may or may not be required to declare the return to player for their slot games. Some casinos place a plate or sticker on their slot games with a notice. Other casinos leave it to the game help screens (thus, the manufacturers) to inform players.
The games’ odds may be reported as a theoretical RTP percentage, but they could also be reported as a ratio, similar to the way lottery games declare chances of winning a prize. Either way, these games don’t have to tell you how often to expect to win a prize of any amount.
Some players merely judge the looseness of slot games by how much money they win or how often they win as they play the games.
Some players judge the looseness of slot games by how popular they appear to be. This observational strategy assumes that the crowd knows more than the individual.
One of my friends tells me he only plays slot games with low jackpots. His reasoning is that players need to lose less money for someone to win $10,000 than for someone to win $20,000.
Slot Machines May Have Programmed Payout Limits
In another post on Quora from 2016, someone claimed to have industry experience in the Caribbean.
In his post, he said that a machine won’t pay more than it has accumulated after the first month of operation. That first month establishes the limit based on the profit the machine made.
The system is designed to be random within a range of percentages. The software decides when and how much to pay but won’t go over the monthly limit.
It should be obvious that this limit could be reset.
The Games Are Designed to Be as Random as Possible
People who design and repair slot machine games express much trust in the random number generator chips these games use. The RNGs, as they are called, use the latest available algorithms at the time they are manufactured.
Math has not yet progressed to the point where truly random numbers can be generated. Mechanical devices require input from an outside source to be truly random.
The way slot game designers handle this limitation is they design the chips to generate thousands of random numbers every second. The random numbers each take a turn at being available for use by the game.
Because of the percentage payouts and internal limits they use, slot machine games don’t have to be reprogrammed to improve casino profits. Everything is designed to run with as little intervention as possible.
And that is better for the casino because the more they can intervene in a game’s function, the more likely they’ll face regulation over that intervention.
Casino game techs often say that replacing chips in slot machines must follow a special procedure (in the United States). They are closely monitored and every part must be accounted for. So, it’s less expensive for casinos if they don’t tweak the games.
Conclusion
An honest casino doesn’t need to control who wins at a slot game. They already control who can play a slot game. They can ask anyone to leave for any reason.
Naturally, casinos don’t do that. Instead. they purchase gaming systems that are designed to create an entertaining experience for patrons while legally retaining a profitable percentage of wagers.
No matter how much one’s frustration tempts a player into wondering about Big Brother Casino tweaking the game, it’s more profitable for the casino to let nature take its course.
Computer Controlled Slot Machines Jackpots
Ever since slot machines became available online, they’ve continued to increase in popularity over the years. Each day, millions of people from around the world are playing on the go or from the convenience of their own homes. This gives everyone the freedom to be able to play whenever and wherever they want, no matter where they are located. Currently, there’s thousands of casinos available online. At Caesars Casino online, we have around 100 Million people playing our slot machines each day, with hundreds of different games you can choose from.
Can casinos control slot machines? This is one of the biggest questions you will hear from a lot of casino players, whether it be from an online or land based. Nonetheless, this is a very important question that needs to be addressed. It’s safe to say that a lot of us have probably gone through times where we ended up losing more than winning. When something like this happens, it’s normal for us to automatically assume that something isn’t right, or that the machine we were playing on is fixed.
Some people after losing will complain that the slot machines are rigged and that the payouts were not fair, however those who know how machines work, will most likely go about their day thinking to themselves, “oh well, better luck next time”, and just shake it off. Whatever the situation is, we decided it would be a good idea to discuss an important question about whether or not casinos are able to control slot machines, and then go over 5 things you should know about.
Are Slot Machines Rigged
Ever since slot machines first became available online, there have always been discussions about whether the machines are fixed or not. In that case, we are here to put an end to this popular question and point out 5 things you should know about. Some of them you may be aware of, if not, you may hear about them later in life. In any case, we think it’s something everyone should hear the truth about.
- Are Slot Machine Rigged
Slot Machines For Sale
All of them? No. Some of them? Yes. While not all slot machines are rigged, especially if you play at a reputable casino site such as Caesars, however you should know that there are scam sites out there. For example, some of these scam sites could be up for a day, and then be completely gone the next. To help prevent these sites from scamming people, the casino gaming industry is closely monitoring the web to make sure there’s fair game play out there.
- Slot Machine Programming
One great way to find out if you’re playing at a reputable site is to check out what’s programming their slot machines. For example, make sure they are using a software called a Random Number Generator (RNG). This sort of software is able to calculate every payout randomly to ensure no person is controlling the reels. If you’re not sure, contact their support. In fact, here at Caesars Casino we have a Customer Service team available 24/7/365.
- Land Based Slots Have Better Payouts
Just like our previous explanation about reputable casinos online using RNGs, the same goes for land based ones which use the same software. At Caesars Casino online, we want to make sure all our players are having a similar experience as if they were playing at one of the land based casinos.
- Harder to Win with a High Level & Tier
Again, with an RNG in place, there’s no way for machines to be able to detect and profile players in order to adjust the payout ratios. The chances of winning for any given player remains the same, which is completely random.
- How to Choose a Safe Online Casino
Now that you’re aware of the other two points mentioned above, you should be able to find a safe casino online more easily, and with confidence. In addition, it’s a good idea to do some researching yourself and reading reviews from other players, or any articles that may be published from these sites. Once you have found some safe sites you can play at, it’s then all about personal preference, and which site looks most appealing to you. At the end of the day, it’s all about having fun. As long as you know you’re playing at a safe site, you will be able to relax and have a good time.
If you’ve made it this far in reading our article, we really hope it will come in handy for you the next time you’re looking for an online casino to play at. Speaking of which, here at Caesars Casino you can rest assured that you’re playing at a safe site. All our slot machines come equipped with an RNG software in place that can guarantee that the outcome of all your spins are indeed random.
We invite you to play now with a very special Welcome Gift we have for you for 100 free spins as well as another gift for 2,000 coins. These two bonuses will definitely give you a boost, and help you build your legacy here with us. All our games are for entertainment purposes only and are available for free, 24/7. Come check us out!