When a person loses at a casino game consistently, it is not long before the thought crosses their mind as to how fair the game being played really is. Of course, the very definition of fair can be called into question where casino games are involved, given that a house edge exists, but one must consider fair by the legal standards enforced on casinos. In terms of real world casinos, whether a game is fair or not can easily be determined by simply confirming that the dealer is legit, and that the cards or dice being used are regulation.

In terms of cards, a full deck should obviously always be used, with no cards missing, and all the same shape and size. The same is true for dice, and certain specialised tools are used to verify that dice are the size and shape they should be. Gambling, however, is changing at a rapid pace, and with digital slot machines and online gambling taking over the world; serious questions are raised as to how a gambler can be sure that the software is fair and abiding by the rules.

Provably Fair

Provably fair is a term most used by online casinos. It refers to an algorithm and random number generator that makes online gambling completely fair, based on the standards set by gambling rules and regulations. That is to say, the software recreates real world gambling statistics so that the match the odds and percentages of the real world version of that game. The term provably fair, therefore, expresses that the algorithm may be check at any time, for any virtual hand of cards played, and it can be verified that the hand was fair. This software is also what is known as open source, meaning that it is not owned by any one person or organisation, and may be analysed at the leisure of anyone who wishes it.

Of course, no problems have ever arisen with this software upon being analysed by multiple groups and individuals. All online casinos give a serial number to every single transaction that happens online, without fail. This number can generally be seen at the top or bottom of the software play area. If disputes arise, this number should be noted and given to that website’s customer support centre. Some online casinos will even have a provably fair button that may be clicked to analyse a gambling transaction.

Drawbacks

The only real drawback with this system is the same as its biggest advantage; the software is open source. This means that hackers, cheaters, and unscrupulous individuals have full access, and may attempt to find ways to break the code and take advantage. There are, of course, highly advanced and sophisticated measures put into place to avoid this ever happening, and to date there is not a single case of an online casino ever being cracked in any way. The protection systems are also updated regularly, meaning that even if a way to cheat is found, by the time it works the protection systems will have changed. It is, in fact, currently impossible to cheat at online gambling, whereas the same cannot be said for real world casinos.