Casinos are an institution that have been around for centuries, but that doesn’t mean they haven’t kept up with modern technology. Many players now access their casino games online, from digital versions of Blackjack and Roulette to a wide variety of different Slots.
Online casino platforms allow players to play classic games from any suitable device with a solid internet connection, rather than needing to travel to a physical location. So, let’s take a look at how online casinos actually work and what goes on behind the scenes to keep games fair and secure.
How online casinos work
Of course, the basic concept of an online casino is largely patterned on how land-based casinos work. The only major difference is that there is no physical venue involved for online games, and most of the games on offer are run on software.
What underpins online casino games is a little something known as a random number generator (RNG). Where land-based casino games rely on physical game components the results of digital casino games are determined by the RNG.
This computer algorithm generates strings of hundreds to thousands of numbers in any given second, making it impossible to predict. Each number corresponds to a potential result – whether that’s a playing card face, a pocket on a digital Roulette wheel or a symbol on the reels of a slot game – which allows the computer to create random results.
All reputable online casinos are subject to regulations and regular audits that ensure their RNGs are all functioning correctly, giving truly unbiased and fair outcomes.
The security of online casinos
As well as delivering fairness through the random outputs of RNGs, online casinos also do a lot to protect the sensitive data of players. This is another area where independent authorities acting as regulators focus their attention when assessing online casino platforms.
This security is delivered through advanced encryption technology, which is generally on par with that used by online banks and other financial services. With the use of encryption data is kept protected from unauthorised access, being transmitted securely between the player’s device and the online casino’s servers.
Secure payment gateways are also in use for extra peace of mind when handling financial data.
Variety of games
Another key aspect of online casino platforms is the wider variety of games that they have on offer, having none of the limitations of a physical venue. As there is no need to consider floor space, online platforms are able to host a larger selection of casino games, including different variants of the classics.
This means that players can choose between American and European Roulette games, as well as various formats of Blackjack or Poker, rather than being limited to whichever format is most common in their area.
Plus, many online casinos now offer live casino games that blend together elements of online play with the presence of a live dealer handling physical game components in a studio.
In the space of a few decades, online casinos have quickly developed to offer players a greater variety of game options alongside strong security and fair play measures.