Fair Play
When we play any kind of game, whether online or live, we would prefer to think that we have a reasonable chance of winning. In online gaming, the outcomes of all wagers are determined by specialised software and this type of operation lends itself to comprehensive monitoring.
Clearly, in order for gambling establishments to remain in business, the overall operation must work in their favour and online casinos are no exception. The “Fair Play” term refers to the actual percentage by which the operation favours the casino and, to qualify as fair, that percentage should be fairly small and reasonable consistent.
Fairness varies from game to game with the odds favouring players rather more when playing Blackjack than when playing Roulette, for instance. In general to be designated as fair, an online casino should be seen to retain 5-6% or less of its turnover depending upon the type of game in question.
The measure used to determine fairness is the payout percentage and a number of organisations exist to determine these measures independently on behalf of the industry. One such organisation is known as e-Commerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance (eCOGRA). The company examines the data logs of participating online gambling sites and calculates the payout percentage for various groups of games.
A typical report such as the one below, conducted on behalf of AllSlotsCasino.com for the month of December 2009, would appear as follows...
All Games 97.12%
Slot Games 97.13%
Table Games 96.45%
Poker Games 97.87%
In addition the report will mention the results of studies conducted on the performance of each random number generator used by a given online casino. Typically there would be separate RNG software routines for Blackjack, Roulette and Video Pokers. On occasions, one may even see figures in excess of 100% for Blackjack games and some casinos no longer offer it for that very reason.
The results of these studies are published on the casino’s website so that players may always be aware of the latest payout ratios and it is a good idea to check these before playing at a new online venue. Sites audited by eCOGRA will display the organisation’s logo and, when clicked, the latest audit results will be displayed.
Payout percentages at online venues are invariably more favourable to players than those at land-based venues due in part, at least, to the much higher operating costs of the bricks and mortar establishments.
Clearly, in order for gambling establishments to remain in business, the overall operation must work in their favour and online casinos are no exception. The “Fair Play” term refers to the actual percentage by which the operation favours the casino and, to qualify as fair, that percentage should be fairly small and reasonable consistent.
Fairness varies from game to game with the odds favouring players rather more when playing Blackjack than when playing Roulette, for instance. In general to be designated as fair, an online casino should be seen to retain 5-6% or less of its turnover depending upon the type of game in question.
The measure used to determine fairness is the payout percentage and a number of organisations exist to determine these measures independently on behalf of the industry. One such organisation is known as e-Commerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance (eCOGRA). The company examines the data logs of participating online gambling sites and calculates the payout percentage for various groups of games.
A typical report such as the one below, conducted on behalf of AllSlotsCasino.com for the month of December 2009, would appear as follows...
All Games 97.12%
Slot Games 97.13%
Table Games 96.45%
Poker Games 97.87%
In addition the report will mention the results of studies conducted on the performance of each random number generator used by a given online casino. Typically there would be separate RNG software routines for Blackjack, Roulette and Video Pokers. On occasions, one may even see figures in excess of 100% for Blackjack games and some casinos no longer offer it for that very reason.
The results of these studies are published on the casino’s website so that players may always be aware of the latest payout ratios and it is a good idea to check these before playing at a new online venue. Sites audited by eCOGRA will display the organisation’s logo and, when clicked, the latest audit results will be displayed.
Payout percentages at online venues are invariably more favourable to players than those at land-based venues due in part, at least, to the much higher operating costs of the bricks and mortar establishments.