Hello, there, a fellow soldier of fortune. In the world of online gambling, there are both legitimate as well as scam sites that operate side by side. As much as we would all love to live in a world that is all merry and bright, unfortunately, there are always life situations that thwart those dreams. Some of such undesirable menaces are rigged and scam slot sites. It is true that casinos are in control of their slots, so we have to be careful to avoid playing slots that are unlicensed or complete scam slots. In this article, I expose how rigged slots cheat players and how to protect yourself from them.
How Rigged Slot Games Cheat Patrons
For us to have a better understanding of how scam slots work, let’s first discuss how slots work. There’s an algorithm that controls the randomness of the spins of an electronic slot – it is known as the pseudorandom number generator or PRNG algorithm. In order to achieve a result that is authentic, the algorithm makes use of entropy or real randomness in its equation, and they are based on factors in the real world, such as the system clock.
The PRNG of a slot is designed to set the playing edge in favor of the house, which usually ranges between 5% and 0.5%. From here, we can know what the return-to-player (RTP) will be. If the PRNG of a slot gives the house a 5% edge, it means that the RTP will be 95%. If the PRNG gives the house an edge of 0.5%, that’s a 99.5% RTP. You should note that there are regulated slots that have a relatively low RTP and high house edge because they pay out very massively. One such popular slot is Mega Moolah Isis that has a house edge of 12% and RTP of 88%.
Rigged slots are very unfair in their dealings and set the PRNG to ridiculously favor the house over the players. Most of the rigged casinos have games that offer players a 10%-40% RTP. This means that if you play with £100 for about an hour or more, the best you can most likely walk away with is £10-£40. These slots are also referred to as complex rigged slots.
The other category of fake slots is the simple ones. These ones do not make use of a PRNG algorithm. Rather, these slots swindle you of your money by displaying a set of premade random results to you and give you a small payout. These games are quite predictable and will usually stop you from playing before they spend more money.
What makes the complex fake slots more detrimental than the simple ones is the fact that the former keeps dangling the carrot of a massive jackpot or huge payout before your eyes but never gives it to you.
How to Protect Yourself from Fake Casinos and Slots
Thankfully, there are ways you can prevent yourself from falling into the traps of rogue casinos and slots.
- Always Confirm that the Casino You Want to Visit is Licensed: All legitimate online gambling operators are licensed and regulated by reputable gaming regulation boards. The UK Gambling Commission and Malta Gaming Authority are some trusted regulation boards with strict rules that all their licensees have to adhere to if they want to keep having their credentials. Licensed online casinos must put in place several security measures to keep hackers at bay and prevent them from stealing players’ sensitive information. Operators are also obligated to be as clear as possible about the terms and conditions of their promotional offers. All the games they offer must have passed fairness and authentic randomness tests before they publish them. If you notice any foul play, you can easily contact the regulating body for legal assistance. The license of an online casino is usually found on the front page of its website. Ensure you verify that its license is valid by looking up the business name of the provider in the registry of that jurisdiction.
- Check Reviews for Blacklisted Operators: This is an easy way to avoid fake sites that once operated legitimately. While some fake sites are outright scam sites, some of them offered legitimate gambling entertainment at some point. Problems arise when a player wins a huge amount of money, and they unduly hold it. Other times, they have very unfair terms and conditions that can shut down the accounts of players without any notice. Some program their slots to freeze or glitch when players trigger the bonus modes. These rogue sites can do very silly things to milk your wallets dry. You can visit review sites to find out if a site has been blacklisted by authentic bettors who contribute to the site.
- Try Free Online Slots: If you’re new to slots, you might find it hard to differentiate legitimate slots from counterfeits. So try to play the demo version of a specific title from the software provider’s site before you put money on the game at online casinos. This helps you familiarize yourself with the original one.
Conclusion
After reading this article, I hope I have been able to help you avoid falling for a scam slot. I hope you will take the safety precautions I recommended above to help you. Together, we can make the online casino world safer for all players.