The core and foundation of gambling is randomness. In games based on chance, players generally rely on luck more than skill to determine their outcome. In brick-and-mortar gaming establishments, the rolling of dice, flipping of cards, or spinning of the roulette are all controlled by luck. In much of the same way, online gambling depends on luck.
However, the need for fairness and security is something that online casinos need to satisfy. Gambling websites need to instil trust in their players and ensure they have a fair chance at winning. And through an algorithm referred to as the random number generator or RNG, they can guarantee unbiased outcomes and complete transparency in their games. It’s an innovative system that can provide genuinely fair play.
What it means for in iGaming
As previously mentioned, RNG is the acronym for random number generator. In the online gambling scenario, it’s the algorithm responsible for producing random numbers for the software to ensure that a game’s outcome is always left to chance and without any prearrangement. However, it’s also an umbrella term for all games whose results are determined by luck.
This differs from live casinos that present players with an authentic experience through social interaction. In these games, human dealers roll dice, spin wheels, and deal cards instead of software. It’s nearly identical to land-based casinos, except that it can be played through a website or application. You can visit the website of an excellent live casino here.
On the other hand, RNG-based titles are those that are driven by technologies primarily based on chance, such as random number vectors. One example of this is slot machines. With a button press, the software algorithm generates the symbols or images on the reel to either win or lose. Another way that random number generation functions is by dealing random cards to players or spinning roulette wheels.
PRNG and TRNG
There are two distinct types of random number generation: PRNG and TRNG. While they share a single goal, both take different approaches to achieving them:
- True RNG. This is the physical hardware generating randomness via mechanical processes. The device typically accounts for specific environmental indicators so it can produce expected results. For instance, the indicators could be the air temperature, atmospheric pressure, or how many button presses it’s had over a certain period. It takes the measurements, converts them all into values, and generates the output.
- Pseudo RNG. Unlike true RNG, pseudo RNG is an algorithm programmed for producing a sequence of random numbers via given values, referred to as a seed. It doesn’t require external influences to generate results. The seed essentially defines all possible outcomes that the generator can produce. While it appeals to numbers, they aren’t always expressed in numerical values.
Conclusion
Online gambling needs random number generators to operate. Without them, it’s impossible to ensure fairness in the games. Even when players can’t see how the software works when it’s dealing cards or rolling dice, having an RNG gives peace of mind that the games are operating the way they should.
