Apart from live dealer games, every online casino game has either a provably fair system or a random number generator. They are algorithms that ensure game results are random and unpredictable.
This guide breaks down everything you need to know about them while highlighting their similarities and differences.
What Is Provably Fair?
Provably fair is a cryptographic algorithm that allows players to verify the fairness of online casino games. With this transparency, you don’t have to rely on third-party auditors or a casino’s reputation to trust that the game results haven’t been manipulated.
How Do Provably Fair Systems Work?
There are four main components of a provably fair system:
- Client/Player Seed: A random number that is automatically generated or manually chosen by the player.
- Server Seed: A random number generated by the server.
- Nonce: A number that increases with every bet. It starts at 0 or 1 and changes every time you play to ensure results are random and independent from previous rounds.
- SHA-256: A cryptographic function that hashes the data.
The server and client seeds are generated and hashed before the round starts, but you don’t get access to the server seed until the round ends. When you play, the game combines the hashed seeds and the nonce to determine the game outcome. It then reveals the unhashed server seed and the nonce at the end of the round.
You can verify the fairness of the results using a provably fair calculator. All you need to do is enter the seeds and nonce, and it will compare the game’s outcome with the hashed result to see if they match. This system cannot be circumvented because it’s impossible to hack SHA-256-hashed data.
If you are looking for trustworthy platforms with these systems, Nature’s Pickins overview of the best Interac casinos in Canada should guide you.
What Is an RNG?
RNG stands for Random Number Generator. As the name suggests, it’s an algorithm that generates unpredictable number sequences, which are used to determine the outcome of online casino games.
How Does RNG Systems Work?
There are two types of random number generators: true random number generators (TRNGs) and pseudo-random number generators (PRNGs).
True Random Number Generators
TRNGs generate random numbers from physical processes, such as atmospheric noise and radioactive decay, using special equipment. The results are completely random and unpredictable.
While TRNGs can be used in some high-security gaming environments, most slots use pseudo-random number generators.
Pseudo-Random Number Generators (PRNGs)
PRNGs use mathematical algorithms to create sequences of numbers that look random. They are not truly random, but it’s indistinguishable from true randomness because there are billions of possible combinations.
To put that into perspective, you wouldn’t notice a pattern even if you played continuously for thousands of years.
When you open a game, the PRNG generates an initial seed and uses it to create thousands of random numbers per second. It doesn’t stop, even when you are not playing. When you press the spin button, the system selects the most recent number and uses it to generate the outcome.
Independent laboratories, such as GLI, eCOGRA, and iTech Labs, audit the algorithm to ensure it works correctly. Audits usually involve checking whether millions of simulated game outcomes match the expected probabilities. If they don’t match, the game doesn’t get a license.
Once the game has been certified, it cannot be altered. The system uses checksum validation to detect file corruption or tampering.
Which One Should You Choose?
The main difference between the two systems is that you can verify the results of provably fair games. With RNGs, you have to rely on certifications from independent testing laboratories.
If you need to verify every outcome, choose provably fair games. But if you want variety, go with RNG games because provably fair titles are mostly limited to crypto casinos.