Is online roulette rigged? What about other casino games? 

Some of the most paranoid amongst us might even question online casinos themselves. Are online casinos rigged?

The reality is that some are going to be, and others aren’t.

To show you how to deal with online roulette games and the steps that have been taken to ensure fair play, we’ve put together this article.

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How RNGs (Random Number Generators) ensure fair play

Random number generators are the first step to ensure fair play in casino games. With RNGs (as they are known), you shouldn’t need to ask, “are online roulette odds rigged?”. Random number generators are, in effect, a roulette algorithm that is used to randomly select an event (or outcome) every time the game is played. For instance, RNGs will randomly select one of the “pockets” in a digital game of roulette to ensure that each spin is fair, cannot be predicted, and isn’t rigged.

RNGs don’t just appear in roulette games. They can also appear in other games. For instance, is online blackjack rigged? Are online slots rigged? What about other games? In theory, if each game uses a proper RNG algorithm, then no, they aren’t. Fairness is ensured. 

Can online roulette’s random number generators be rigged? In theory, yes. Software providers could, in theory, rig the RNGs to react the way a casino wants them, too. However, independent auditors and regulators check those RNGs to ensure that they are indeed fair. 

In effect, any trusted casino won’t rig their RNGs in roulette games.

Do gambling licenses prevent rigged games?

We are focusing on the question, “are online, licensed roulette games rigged?” but it would be foolish to not look at the licensing around them. One of the quickest ways to obtain an answer to “are gambling sites rigged?” is to check out its licensing information. Are online casinos trustworthy? Any site that is licensed from a reputable body is likely to be so.

What an online casino licensed is primarily there to do is provide legality to a site. It tells you that you can play at a casino legally from a specific country or series of nations. Some ensure that you’re gambling at more trustworthy sites than others and that you’re playing at the best roulette online casinos around. They can enforce rules regarding online casino wagering requirements, RTP rates, payment options and more. 

Here are three major licenses you should know about:

Malta: The MGA licenses many European and worldwide casinos. They are the only licensing body to fully endorse and regulate cryptocurrency gambling. The MGA ensures fair play and RNG certification of roulette and other games.

United Kingdom: Arguably the strictest regulator in the world, offering the best player protections, the United Kingdom Gambling Commission or UKGC has a model that most other regulators and licensing bodies aspire to. The UKGC also regulates games.

Curacao: Based out of the Netherlands Antilles, this body licenses casinos to ensure that they are safe and legal but doesn’t regulate them or their games to the same extent as the UKGC or MGA. The license is still better than most others not listed here, though.

Live Roulette: What you can’t see

As we’ve seen, it is tough to rig a roulette wheel when the game is played using RNGs, as each spin’s outcome is determined (by an algorithm) at random. This makes them tough nuts to crack, as opposed to, say, a land-based roulette wheel. There, imperfections may be caught out by the bettors and used to their advantage. Surely, then, if imperfections can be identified by bettors in a brick-and-mortar casino, they might be taken advantage of in a live casino, too? Or perhaps, online roulette with a live dealer is rigged by the casino? If so, how? Let’s explain…

In theory, there are several ways that a live dealer could rig a game, including:

  • Using a brake under the table to slow down and stop the wheel. This would keep the ball away from pockets associated with “big bets”.
  • Spinning the wheel at different speeds may have the same effect as that listed above.
  • Flicking the ball when it enters the wheel ensures that it doesn’t move fairly around the spinning wheel.

Yes, in theory, any live casino games “could” deploy these methods. However, it is likely that the live online roulette is rigged? No. The best live casinos are streamed from studios and casino floors where there are cameras everywhere. You could easily see roulette croupiers rigging the games in the background (if they used pedals), and games like Immersive Roulette allow you to alter the HD cameras. 

The croupiers are always being watched, so they wouldn’t dare rig a game. On top of that, the croupiers aren’t aware of how much you’re betting in a live dealer game, so they have no reason to “influence” the outcome of a roulette spin.

Where regulation plays its part

Ultimately, roulette security and the prevention of rigged games come about by regulation. As touched on, major licensing bodies (such as the MGA and UKGC) will license and regulate casinos. Others – like Curacao – do the bare minimum when it comes to regulation. Instead, though, you can rely on independent auditors, government-approved regulators and authorities, and independent testing companies to carry out checks on games and ensure fairness.

They test, poke and prod the RNGs and algorithms to ensure that everything from low roller games to high roller online casinos are all behaving fairly. eCOGRA, TST (Technical Systems Testing), and iTech Labs are all fine examples of bodies that ensure games are fair and ensure that gambling online with roulette isn’t rigged.

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RTPs and house edges explained

Roulette is one of the best casino games to make money in 2021, but if you’re still unconvinced about roulette’s fairness, there are ways for you to do a little digging for yourself. You can put so-called fair games to the test by exploring RTP rates and house edges. What are they? Allow us to explain:

  • RTP: A game’s Return to Player rate dictates how much of each bet the casino puts back into a pot for all players to win. It is the opposite side of a coin that also supports the house edge. For instance, if a roulette game has an RTP of 98%, this means that 98% (let’s say $0.98 of every dollar) of whatever you bet is put into a pot for you to win.
  • House Edge: The opposite of RTP, the house edge is the portion of each bet that you absolutely cannot win that the casino takes as profit. If we use the same figure as above and say that the RTP of a roulette game is 98%, then the house edge would be 2%. This means that the casino would keep $0.02 of every $1 you bet.

Of course, while these RTP rates would be great for slots, they aren’t terrific for roulette. We like to see RTP rates slightly higher than that in roulette. It is possible for you to check RTP rates in online and live roulette games by visiting the software provider’s website or the casino in question. 

However, you can’t know the odds when playing in land-based casinos? Is online roulette in a real casino rigged? Is the online roulette house edge in a brick-and-mortar venue rigged? Ultimately, you’ve got no real way of knowing unless you’re prepared to spend hours eagle-eyed at the table.

Frequently asked questions

You should only sign up to licensed online casinos (with a reputable license) that feature RNG-certified and independently audited and tested roulette games with high RTP rates and low house edges.
If you believe a roulette game is rigged, there are complaint services at casinos and elsewhere online. You can also dispute your claim via online casino chargeback. Here, you’re asking your bank to get involved and take back your bet on your behalf. However, you’re going to need proof, so it is worth getting in touch with a dispute authority (they can be found online) first.
In theory, yes, but it is exceptionally hard for this to happen. The nature of live casino games involves multiple HD cameras, some of which can be adjusted by players. Therefore, there’s limited scope for croupiers to cheat in live roulette games.
While we have been discussing cheating casinos, it is possible for you to spot irregularities and imperfections in games to take advantage of them, too. Using strategies doesn’t count as rigging a game and isn’t cheating, though. Read our legitimate guides, such as the roulette attack strategy explained to learn how to take advantage of roulette games in this manner.

Play, Safe, Secure and Fair Online Roulette Games

We hope we have provided the answers to “is online roulette rigged?” in a sufficient manner. Now that we have completed our online roulette rigged analysis, you should have an idea about how safe these games can be. If you still have questions, such as “is video blackjack rigged?” we’ve got guides covering these topics, too.

If you’re eager to get started playing roulette online right now, why delay? Don’t hesitate to head over to our casino reviews section. We’ve just updated our online casinos guide for this year, and there you’ll find a host of top and honest casinos offering fair roulette games for you.

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