What Are RNG Games Exactly?

The development of many casino games, especially online games, brought about a major challenge to developers. For games to be trusted, they needed to be fair and each result needed to be random. Developers solved this challenge by using random number generators. As a result, games that use this software have become known as RNG games.

Thanks to the development of sophisticated and random value generators, online casino games and even video games have been able to offer unlimited experiences and outcomes. From simply computer algorithms, RNGs have today developed to process powerful computations using numerous variables.

Seeing an RNG game in action

Just like many aspects of online casino gaming, you won’t see how the random number generator works. You will only see its effect on the slot or card game that you are playing.

This computer algorithm is responsible for selecting the random symbols that land on the online slot reels. When it is programmed, it is given the possible symbols that it can choose from. It is also given instructions by programmers to make certain symbols more common than others.

As a result, when you’re playing a typical video slot, standard symbols land on the reels much more frequently than wilds or scatters.

You can also see random value generators in action during online casino card games. In a game of Blackjack, for example, this computer program is responsible for virtually shuffling the cards. Since shuffling with a computer takes less than a second, players don’t witness this process.

What you do you see, however, is the result of the shuffling. Random cards are dealt to players and the dealer. In such cases, the computer algorithm is programmed to include a fixed number of cards of the same value and suit.

Typical Blackjack games make use of between six to eight standard 52-card decks. This means that the random value number generator is designed to virtually shuffle between 312 and 416 cards, ensuring that no card is featured more times than it should.

The different types of RNG

Today, game developers use two different types of random number generators. One is known as True RNG (TRNG) whilst the other is Psuedo RNG (PRNG).

In most online casino games and even video games, PRNG is used. With this type of computer algorithm, a seed value is used and mathematical operations are processed in order to reach a random number from a particular scale.

This type of randomness is not real, since using the same seed value would lead to the same result. Nevertheless, the imperfection of PRNG is so minute that it would take tens of thousands of uses to generate identical outcomes.

Moreover, to develop an exciting and fun casino game, developers use multiple generators on a single game. Taking a typical 5x4 video slot with 20 paylines as an example, there would normally be 20 PRNG to determine the random outcome of symbols on each line.

An important feature to keep in mind is that each computer algorithm operates independently of the rest.

TRNG differs from PRNG as it does not use a seed value. Instead, it makes use of environmental factors to generate random results. These factors could include atmospheric noise, thermal noise, or any other external influence.

TRNG results are, therefore, more random and unpredictable than those generated by PRNG. However, they are so intricate and use so much computational power that they would be wasted on casino games. Instead, TRNG is typically used for high-security systems, including encryption.

How can players be sure that RNG is fair?

Since the development of the slot machine or Roulette wheel, some players have been hesitant that games are manipulated to favor the house. From wheel biases to outright fraud, there have been numerous occasions where the fairness of casino games has been put in doubt.

The dawn of online casinos brought with it a challenge to provide trusted assurances that game results are truly fair and random. Whilst the development of RNG brought about the solution, players had to be convinced that the solution was genuine. Many players have no interest to learn how a game works or what RNG stands for, so another way needed to be found.

The iGaming industry, therefore, depends on independent casino game labs to carry out audits and issue their findings. After carrying out extensive research on each game, these professionals issue RNG certification that approves or condemns a game’s fairness.

RNG certifications are sought after by both players and online casinos, including Royal Panda Casino. An RNG certification guarantees that games are unbiased and fair, providing random results that could lead to payouts or prizes with every new round.

Are RNG and RTP linked to each other?

Whilst RNG and RTP are related to each other, they do not represent the same elements of a casino game. One could argue that the RTP is based on the RNG’s computations. In reality, the opposite is more accurate.

Whilst an RNG creates infinite strings of numbers, the Return to Player percentage provides an indication of the payout from a particular game. In order to program the RNG and provide it with the necessary instructions, game developers must first determine what RTP they wish to set on the game.

Once they’ve established what average payout return they wish a particular game to provide, they move on to set up the computer algorithm to fit into this profile. It takes a minimum of 1,000 spins, or sometimes more, to get an actual result that compares to the RTP.

When you play slots or casino table games for just a few rounds, the results are completely unpredictable. This means that each round could result in a win or a loss. Each spin could lead to a jackpot prize or a bonus feature, or the right combination to lead to an exciting minigame.

The future of provably fair gaming

By engaging independent test labs, game developers can prove to players and casino operators that their games are honest and unbiased. Until recently, these professional game auditors were the only primary way to attest that an online slot machine or card game was provably fair.

As the iGaming industry continues to develop and implement new technologies, there are new ways to prove that games are fair. The use of Blockchain technology by software providers has given rise to a new category of provably fair games.

With these crypto-based provably fair games, players can verify the fairness of their bets without the need to rely on independent test labs. The software that controls these games is open-source and can be viewed by any player or bystander without prior permission or approval.

These games still make use of random value generators, but these are run using smart contracts. By being locked in a Blockchain, algorithms that control these games are immutable, and cannot be changed by casino operators. As a result, they represent yet another effort by the industry to provide safe and fair gaming to all players.